Origin
Forest Hill, TX
Late night in Forest Hill on Tuesday
Local time
5:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Forest Hill, TX to McKinney, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 19m
Distance
64.8 mi
104 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 32m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Forest Hill, TX
Eddie O.
McKinney, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 64.8-mile drive from Forest Hill, TX, to McKinney, TX, is a straightforward journey that should take about 1 hour and 19 minutes. It's primarily a highway-focused experience, with 67% of the route utilizing major roadways like US Highway 82 West and South State Highway 121. Given its relatively short duration and minimal stops, this route is perfectly suited as a single-day trip, making it easy to fit into a busy schedule. The estimated fuel cost is around $10, which is quite budget-friendly for a trip of this length. Both your starting point and destination are within the Great Plains region, so you can expect a consistent landscape throughout your drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US Highway 82 West | 21.1 mi | 23m |
| South State Highway 121 | 16.9 mi | 18m |
| Sam Rayburn Highway | 14.7 mi | 16m |
| North McDonald Street | 5.5 mi | 8m |
| FM 38 | 3.5 mi | 8m |
| North State Highway 121 | 2 mi | 2m |
| West Sam Rayburn Drive | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West US Highway 82 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US Highway 82 West
— 21.1 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Forest Hill, TX and McKinney, TX.
1
Start on County Road 35050
231 ft
·
15 sec
·
County Road 35050
2
Turn left onto FM 38
3.5 mi
·
8 min
·
FM 38
3
Turn right onto US 82
21 mi
·
23 min
·
US Highway 82 West
4
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 670
Toward TX 121: Randolph, Trenton
5
Turn straight onto West US Highway 82
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
West US Highway 82
6
Turn left onto TX 121
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North State Highway 121
7
Turn right onto TX 56; TX 121
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
·
West Sam Rayburn Drive
8
Turn slight left onto TX 121
17 mi
·
18 min
·
South State Highway 121
9
Continue on TX 121
15 mi
·
16 min
·
Sam Rayburn Highway
10
Turn slight left onto TX 5
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
North McDonald Street
11
Turn right onto East Cloyd Street
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
East Cloyd Street
12
Turn right onto South Tennessee Street
375 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Tennessee Street
13
Arrive at destination
North Tennessee Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.4 miles from Forest Hill, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 64.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
FM 38
Turn left onto FM 38
Navigation decision point
6
24.6 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward TX 121: Randolph, Trenton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 670
Toward TX 121: Randolph, Trenton
4
24.9 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
TX 121 / North State Highway 121
Turn left onto TX 121 / North State Highway 121
Navigation decision point
4
26.9 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
TX 56; TX 121 / West Sam Rayburn Drive
Turn right onto TX 56; TX 121 / West Sam Rayburn Drive
Navigation decision point
5
64.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
|
South Tennessee Street
Turn right onto South Tennessee Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.79 one way
$19.58 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $10.72 | $21.44 |
| premium | $4.54 | $11.57 | $23.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.31 | $28.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.80 | $3.11 |
| Efficient EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.67 | $2.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.9 | 0 | $9.07 | $4.15 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
McKinney, TX
Late night in McKinney on Tuesday
Local time
5:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 19m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive on this route, with a significant 67% of the journey on main roads. You'll encounter stretches like US Highway 82 West, which offers the longest uninterrupted segment at 21.1 miles. The Sam Rayburn Highway is also a key part of this drive. While it's not an interstate, the pace is generally brisk, allowing for efficient travel. The road character remains fairly consistent, emphasizing direct travel over scenic detours.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.1 mi on US Highway 82 West.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 82 West and South State Highway 121. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near FM 38.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Forest Hill, TX to McKinney, TX is easy. At 1h 19m with 67% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (FM 38): Navigation decision point; at 24.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.9 miles (TX 121 / North State Highway 121): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Forest Hill, TX to McKinney, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Trenton along the way.
Trenton
24.6 mi in
|
~31m
About the Cities
Starting in Forest Hill, TX
Full guide →Founded 1860
Arriving in McKinney, TX
Full guide →Founded 1848
McKinney is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 19m. Total distance: 64.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.1 miles on US Highway 82 West. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (FM 38): Navigation decision point; at 24.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.9 miles (TX 121 / North State Highway 121): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at McKinney, TX before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From McKinney, TX
More trips to McKinney, TX
Explore more options from Forest Hill, TX or browse trips ending in McKinney, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.