Trip from Fort Worth, TX to Odessa, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 34m

Distance

322 mi

518 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$44

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

5h 21m ★

6 AM

5h 34m

8 AM

6h 1m

10 AM

5h 43m

12 PM

5h 41m

3 PM

5h 45m

5 PM

5h 59m

8 PM

5h 26m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

city and county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, United States

Fort Worth, TX

Wikimedia Commons

city in Ector and Midland counties in Texas, United States, that is county seat of Ector County

Odessa, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Traveling from Fort Worth to Odessa covers 322 miles and typically takes about 5 hours and 34 minutes behind the wheel. Because this route relies on local roads like Elmwood Avenue, Epps Street, and East Maddox Avenue rather than major interstates, it functions best as a one-day trip. You should budget approximately $48 for fuel to complete the journey. Both cities sit firmly within the Great Plains, so expect a consistent regional landscape throughout your travel. Given the turn-heavy nature of the drive, keep your expectations realistic regarding pace and navigation. It is a straightforward trek that allows you to experience the heart of Texas at a steady, local speed.

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

161 miles from Fort Worth, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 49m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 20	303.8 mi	5h 8m
West Freeway	12.9 mi	14m
East Rosedale Street	1.9 mi	3m
South Grant Avenue	1.4 mi	2m
South Freeway	0.5 mi	1m
East Pool Road	0.1 mi	<1m
Epps Street	0.1 mi	<1m
Elmwood Avenue	<0.1 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: I 20 — 303.8 mi, about 5h 8m

Traffic on I-20

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 96 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

5 PM

~1,511 veh/hr typical · worst 1,850

Quietest

2 AM

~212 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

7.1×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 52 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 Odessa, TX.

Start on South Freeway

54 ft · 2 sec · South Freeway

Turn right onto Elmwood Avenue

475 ft · 23 sec · Elmwood Avenue

At end of road, turn right onto Epps Street

0.1 mi · 27 sec · Epps Street

Continue on East Maddox Avenue

412 ft · 20 sec · East Maddox Avenue

At end of road, turn right onto South Freeway

321 ft · 13 sec · South Freeway

Turn left onto East Allen Avenue

210 ft · 13 sec · East Allen Avenue

Use the left / straight lanes.

Turn left onto South Freeway

0.4 mi · 46 sec · South Freeway

Use the straight / left lanes.

Turn left onto East Rosedale Street

1.9 mi · 3 min · East Rosedale Street

Use the left / straight lanes.

Take the ramp

0.9 mi · 1 min

Toward I 30 West Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto I 30; US 377

13 mi · 14 min · West Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 20

304 mi · 5 hr 8 min · I 20

Use the slight right lane.

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 16 sec

Toward US 385: Andrews, Crane

Turn straight onto East Pool Road

0.1 mi · 16 sec · East Pool Road

Turn right onto US 385

1.4 mi · 2 min · South Grant Avenue

Use the straight / right lanes.

Arrive at destination

US 385

Trip Plan

To make the most of this 322-mile route, plan for at least one dedicated stop to break up the drive and stretch your legs. Starting your journey early in the day is wise, as the local road navigation can take longer than anticipated due to the constant turns. Since you are relying on city streets rather than highways, keep a close eye on your GPS and fuel levels throughout the transition segments. Budgeting your $48 for gas is essential, as fueling options may vary significantly once you exit the Fort Worth area. By staying alert and pacing yourself, you can manage this local trek efficiently without unnecessary fatigue.

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 161 miles from Fort Worth, TX, or about 2h 49m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 303.8 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 71 miles or 1h 18m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 161 miles or 2h 49m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 34m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Odessa, 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 322 miles and 5h 34m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 71 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 I 20 for about 303.8 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Tye, TX

161 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

Stephenville, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 71 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Merkel, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 161 miles from Fort Worth, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour

Odessa, Texas

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18007804678

Visit website

McKinney Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour

Odessa, Texas

Hours: 6 am–11 pm

+14323683548

Visit website

Discover Odessa

3.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

Odessa, Texas

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

+14323337871

Visit website

Jim Parker Park

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour

Odessa, Texas

Hours: 6 am–11 pm

+14323683548

Forest Park Miniature Railroad

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.2 mi from route ~5 min detour

Fort Worth, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+18179665509

Visit website

Centennial Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.4 mi from route ~6 min detour

Midland, Texas

Hours: 8 am–10 pm

+14326878200

Visit website

Liberty City Rage Room

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour

Midland, Texas

Hours: Closed

+14324005911

Visit website

Permian Basin Petroleum Museum

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour

Midland, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+14326834403

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 2.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Epps Street

At end of road, turn right onto Epps Street

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | South Freeway

At end of road, turn right onto South Freeway

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | East Allen Avenue

Turn left onto East Allen Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.

0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | South Freeway

Turn left onto South Freeway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.

2.8 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the ramp toward I 30 West

Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 30 West

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$44.10 one way

$88.21 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 113 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$49.26	$98.53
premium	$4.23	$53.56	$107.12
diesel	$4.80	$60.80	$121.60

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$44

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$69–$94

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 112.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	96.6	1	$33.81	$15.46
Efficient EV	80.5	0	$28.18	$12.88
EV Truck/SUV	128.8	1	$45.08	$20.61

Gas CO2

113 kg

EV CO2

38 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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.

Forecast as of Jul 19, 2026

Origin

Fort Worth, TX

Late night in Fort Worth on Monday

Local time

4:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

98°F

Mostly Sunny

S 5 mph 11% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 19 at 4:52PM CDT until July 19 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 19 at 4:49PM CDT until July 19 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Destination

Odessa, TX

Late night in Odessa on Monday

Local time

4:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

91°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 10 mph 29% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 19 at 4:52PM CDT until July 19 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 19 at 4:49PM CDT until July 19 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa 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

7 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

5h 34m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This journey is characterized by its turn-heavy, local profile, offering a stark contrast to a standard interstate highway cruise. With a highway share of 0%, you won't find long, high-speed stretches; in fact, the longest uninterrupted segment is 0 miles on Elmwood Avenue. Instead, you will navigate through a series of local transitions that demand your full attention. The road surface and traffic patterns shift frequently as you move away from Fort Worth and head toward Odessa. Prepare for a hands-on driving experience where the focus is on street navigation rather than open-road cruising.

99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 303.8 mi on I 20.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and West Freeway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Epps Street.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 322 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Epps Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (South Freeway): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles (East Allen Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

2,898 ft 652 ft

Total Climb

2,906 ft

Total Descent

660 ft

Highest Point

2,898 ft

~322 mi in

Elevation Range

2,246 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 Odessa, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1881

Odessa is a city of 120,000 people (2018) in West Texas, 20 mi (32 km) west of its sister city, Midland. Much of the major industry in the area is oil- and gas-related. As such, the Midland/Odessa area is colloquially known as the petroplex. Many of the attractions you will find in the area are in Midland, so if you're visiting Odessa, the Midland article deserves a look as well. It's also notable as the fountainhead for the Friday Night Lights media franchise, which began with a 1990 book that explored football at the city's Permian High School, later followed by a movie that was mostly faithful to the book, and then a TV series that was a looser adaptation.

Top landmarks

• White-Pool House — historic place in Odessa, Ector County, 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 5h 34m. Total distance: 322 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (99%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 303.8 miles on I 20. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 39 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.

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 39 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Not recommended in a single day. At 5.6 hours each way, a round trip means 11.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Odessa, TX before the return drive.

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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Explore more options from Fort Worth, TX or browse trips ending in Odessa, TX.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.

Trip from Fort Worth, TX to Odessa, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-20

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Rest Area

Rest Area

Mitchell County Westbound Rest Area

Picnic Area

Picnic Area

I-20 Westbound Picnic Area

I-20 Eastbound Picnic Area

Service Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Howard County Eastbound Rest Area

Eastland County Eastbound Rest Area

Eastland County Westbound Rest Area

Nolan County Eastbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Rest Area

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Road Ranger

Flying J Travel Center

Pilot Travel Center

Flying J Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

TA

Love's Travel Stop

Service Plaza

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

Petro Stopping Centers

Callahan County Eastbound Rest Area

Callahan County Westbound Rest Area

Flying J Travel Center

Picnic Area

TA

Pilot Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

Flying J Travel Center

Pilot Travel Center

Service Plaza

Love's Travel Stop

Jack Rabbit

McKinney Park

Discover Odessa

Jim Parker Park

Forest Park Miniature Railroad

Centennial Park

Liberty City Rage Room

Permian Basin Petroleum Museum

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Fort Worth, TX

Odessa, TX

Same local time

7 degrees cooler at arrival

5h 34m on the road

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

About the Cities

Starting in Fort Worth, TX

Arriving in Odessa, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built