Bell County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Fort Worth, TX to Kirby, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 11, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 39m
Distance
260.1 mi
419 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 26m
★
6 AM
4h 40m
8 AM
5h 7m
10 AM
4h 49m
12 PM
4h 47m
3 PM
4h 51m
5 PM
5h 5m
8 PM
4h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fort Worth, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Kirby, TX
Thomas balabaud
Trip Overview
Fort Worth, TX to Kirby, TX is 260.1 miles and takes about 4h 39m via Purple Heart Trail and I 35, with a fuel budget near $37 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Texas, traversing the Great Plains region for both departure and arrival. Expect a mix of highway and surface roads, making it a straightforward trip. It's a manageable distance for a single-day drive, offering a practical way to get between these two points without a significant time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
130 miles from Fort Worth, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 15m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 99.6 mi | 1h 46m |
| South Freeway | 82.3 mi | 1h 25m |
| I 35 | 55.8 mi | 58m |
| North Pan Am Expressway | 10 mi | 11m |
| North Jack Kultgen Expressway | 6.6 mi | 7m |
| Interstate Highway 35 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| Connally Loop | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Seguin Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 99.6 mi, about 1h 46m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 108 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~3,465 veh/hr typical · worst 4,225
Quietest
2 AM
~591 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Worth, TX and Kirby, TX.
1
Start on South Freeway
174 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Freeway
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 35W South
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
3
Merge onto I 35W
82 mi
·
1 hr 25 min
·
South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Continue on I 35; US 77
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on I 35
38 mi
·
39 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
56 mi
·
58 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
50 mi
·
54 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Use the slight left lane.
8
Continue on I 35
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 35
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 35
10.0 mi
·
11 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 410
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Connally Loop
Toward I 410 South
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 31A
Toward FM 78: Kirby
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto Northeast Loop 410
258 ft
·
7 sec
·
Northeast Loop 410
14
Turn right onto Interstate Drive
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Interstate Drive
15
At end of road, turn right onto FM 78
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Seguin Road
16
Turn right onto Old Seguin Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Seguin Road
17
Turn right onto Vinecrest Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Vinecrest Drive
18
Turn left onto Redding Drive
22 ft
·
0 sec
·
Redding Drive
19
Arrive at destination
Redding Drive
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 39m estimated drive time, you can comfortably complete this trip in a single day. Aim to depart in the morning to maximize daylight and allow for any unexpected delays. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $37, this route is quite efficient. Pay attention to the transition points between the Purple Heart Trail and I 35, as these can sometimes involve changes in traffic patterns or speed limits. The 99.6-mile stretch on Purple Heart Trail offers a good opportunity for a longer, uninterrupted drive before needing to navigate more local roads.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 130 miles from Fort Worth, TX, or about 2h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 57 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 130 miles or 2h 15m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kirby, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fort Worth, TX so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Fort Worth, TX
This is one driving day of about 260.1 miles and 4h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 57 miles from Fort Worth, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Purple Heart Trail for about 99.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
130 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 57 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 130 miles from Fort Worth, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 99.6 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Hill County Northbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Ascent Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Hill County Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Marlstone Retail Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
TA
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
0.4 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.4 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
1.6 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
1.8 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
1.8 mi from route
QuikTrip
1.9 mi from route
TA
2 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 258 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 35W South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 35W South
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
I 35W / South Freeway
Merge onto I 35W / South Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
127.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 12m in
|
I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
182.9 mi into trip
|
~3h 11m in
|
I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
7
258 mi into trip
|
~4h 34m in
Take the exit toward FM 78: Kirby
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 31A
Toward FM 78: Kirby
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$40.79 one way
$81.57 round trip
$3.98/gal
25.4 MPG avg
91 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $44.86 | $89.72 |
| premium | $4.72 | $48.36 | $96.73 |
| diesel | $6.20 | $63.48 | $126.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 91 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-05.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 78 | 0 | $27.31 | $12.48 |
| Efficient EV | 65 | 0 | $22.76 | $10.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 104 | 1 | $36.41 | $16.65 |
Gas CO2
91 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Origin
Fort Worth, TX
Morning in Fort Worth on Sunday
Local time
6:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Clear
0 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued October 9 at 11:56PM CDT until October 11 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Corpus Christi TX
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued October 9 at 11:19PM CDT until October 10 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Houston/Galveston TX
Destination
Kirby, TX
Morning in Kirby on Sunday
Local time
6:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Clear
0 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued October 9 at 11:56PM CDT until October 11 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Corpus Christi TX
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued October 9 at 11:19PM CDT until October 10 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Houston/Galveston TX
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 39m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Waco Mammoth National Monument
National Monument
Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 80.7
View on nps.gov
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 260.1
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip features a 60% highway share, with the longest continuous stretch on Purple Heart Trail covering 99.6 miles. You'll experience a mixed highway and surface road profile, meaning you'll transition from faster-paced driving to more local road conditions. Expect to encounter a moderate number of exits and potentially slower speeds as you move between highway segments and surface streets, particularly as you approach your destination.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 99.6 mi on Purple Heart Trail.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 260.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (I 35W / South Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 127.1 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
903 ft
495 ft
Total Climb
990 ft
Total Descent
955 ft
Highest Point
903 ft
~148.6 mi in
Elevation Range
409 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Fort Worth, TX
Full guide →“Panther city” · Founded 1849
Fort Worth is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of approximately 1,020,000, it is Texas' 5th largest city. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, which has a population exceeding 6 million. Sometimes referred to as Cowtown, it is by far closer to its cowboy roots than neighboring Dallas. This article also covers North Richland Hills, a neighboring community.
Top landmarks
- • Amon Carter Museum of American Art — art museum in Fort Worth, Texas
- • Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth — art museum
- • St. Patrick Cathedral in Fort Worth — church located in Fort Worth, Texas
Arriving in Kirby, TX
Full guide →Founded 1955
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 4h 39m. Total distance: 260.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 99.6 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 31 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Kirby, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 31 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (I 35W / South Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 127.1 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Kirby, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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