Picnic Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Garland, TX to Baytown, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 5m
Distance
311.7 mi
502 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$43
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 53m
★
6 AM
6h 6m
8 AM
6h 32m
10 AM
6h 15m
12 PM
6h 12m
3 PM
6h 16m
5 PM
6h 30m
8 PM
5h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Garland, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Baytown, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Garland, TX to Baytown, TX is 311.7 miles and takes about 6h 5m via Diboll Relief Route, US 271, and South US Highway 59, with a fuel budget near $49 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Texas, traversing the Great Plains region for its entirety. Expect a drive that's mostly on surface roads, so plan for a more relaxed pace than a pure interstate haul. With a recommended one-day drive, you'll find this route offers a straightforward connection between these two Texas cities.
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
155.9 miles from Garland, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 8m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Diboll Relief Route | 98.5 mi | 1h 46m |
| US 271 | 22.6 mi | 25m |
| South US Highway 59 | 19.4 mi | 22m |
| US Route 259 | 19.3 mi | 21m |
| I 30 | 17.1 mi | 17m |
| US Highway 259 South | 16.3 mi | 24m |
| South Henderson Boulevard | 16.3 mi | 19m |
| North Sam Houston Tollway East | 13.2 mi | 15m |
Longest stretch:
Diboll Relief Route
— 98.5 mi, about 1h 46m
Traffic on I-10
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 6 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,682 veh/hr typical
Quietest
1 AM
~385 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 37 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 Garland, TX and Baytown, TX.
1
Start on FM 1701
2.1 mi
·
5 min
·
FM 1701
2
At end of road, turn right onto US 259
16 mi
·
24 min
·
US Highway 259 South
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
4
Merge onto I 30
17 mi
·
17 min
·
I 30
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward US 271 to US 67, SH 49, FM 1734: Mount Pleasant, Paris, Pittsburg
6
Turn straight onto Lakewood Drive
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Lakewood Drive
7
Turn left onto US 271
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
West Ferguson Road
8
Turn straight onto US 271
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Bill Ratliff Freeway
9
Continue on South US Highway 271
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
South US Highway 271
10
Continue on US 271
23 mi
·
25 min
·
US 271
11
Turn straight onto TX 155
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
TX 155
12
Turn left onto FM 2685
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
FM 2685
13
At end of road, turn left onto FM 2685
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
FM 2685
14
At end of road, turn left onto US 80
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
West Upshur Avenue
15
Turn right onto US 271
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
North Main Street
16
Turn slight right onto US 271
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Tyler Street
17
Turn left onto TX 135
11 mi
·
13 min
·
State Highway 135
18
Keep slight left at fork
48 ft
·
0 sec
19
Enter roundabout onto Houston Street
103 ft
·
1 sec
·
Houston Street
20
Continue on Houston Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Houston Street
21
At end of road, turn right onto US 259 Business; TX 42
16 mi
·
19 min
·
South Henderson Boulevard
22
Continue on US 79; US 259
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Highway 79
23
Turn left onto US 259
16 mi
·
18 min
·
US Route 259
24
Continue on US 259
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
North Railroad Avenue
25
Continue on US 259
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
US Route 259
26
Continue on US 259
11 mi
·
12 min
·
US Highway 259
27
Take the exit
224 ft
·
6 sec
Toward US 59 South: Lufkin
28
Continue on this road
420 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
29
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
this road
30
Turn left
104 ft
·
4 sec
31
Turn right onto US 59
0.7 mi
·
47 sec
·
North US Highway 59
32
Continue on US 59
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Northwest Stallings Drive
33
Continue on US 59; TX 7; TX 21; Loop 224
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
·
Stallings Drive
34
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
35
Turn straight
223 ft
·
6 sec
36
Merge onto US 59
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Street
37
Continue on US 59
19 mi
·
22 min
·
South US Highway 59
38
Take the exit
396 ft
·
9 sec
Toward South First Street
39
Turn straight onto South Medford Drive
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
South Medford Drive
40
Turn left onto US 59 Bus
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
South First Street
41
Continue on US 59
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
US 59
42
Continue on US 59
98 mi
·
1 hr 46 min
·
Diboll Relief Route
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
43
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 144A
Toward BW 8 East, BW 8 West: Sam Houston Parkway
Use the slight right lane.
44
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward BW 8 East: Sam Houston Parkway
Use the slight left lane.
45
Merge onto BW 8
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
North Sam Houston Parkway East
46
Continue on SHT
13 mi
·
15 min
·
North Sam Houston Tollway East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
47
Continue on BW 8
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
East Sam Houston Parkway North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
48
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 East, I 10 west: Beaumont, Houston
Use the slight right lane.
49
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 10 East: Beaumont
Use the slight left lane.
50
Merge onto I 10
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
East Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
51
Keep slight right at fork onto Spur 330
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Decker Drive
Toward Spur 330: Baytown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
52
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward Spur 330
Use the slight right lane.
53
Continue on Decker Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Decker Drive
54
Arrive at destination
Decker Drive
Trip Plan
Given the 6-hour estimated duration, departing Garland in the morning is advisable to allow ample time for the drive and any unexpected delays. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in choosing where to break up the 311.7 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer stretches on the Diboll Relief Route, as services may be less frequent in some areas. The fuel cost is estimated at $49, so factor that into your budget before you depart.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 155.9 miles from Garland, TX, or about 3h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 98.5 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 69 miles or 1h 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 155.9 miles or 3h 8m 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 59m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Baytown, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Garland, 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 Garland, TX
This is one driving day of about 311.7 miles and 6h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 69 miles from Garland, 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 Diboll Relief Route for about 98.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
156 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 69 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 155.9 miles from Garland, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Diboll Relief Route if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 98.5 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.
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Polk County Northbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Polk County Southbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.4 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.7 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.8 mi from route
TA
0.9 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
2 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 285 decision points cluster between mile 281.3 and 305.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
281.3 mi into trip
|
~5h 27m in
Take the exit toward BW 8 East, BW 8 West: Sam Houston Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 144A
Toward BW 8 East, BW 8 West: Sam Houston Parkwa...
7
281.6 mi into trip
|
~5h 28m in
Keep slight left at fork toward BW 8 East: Sam Houston Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward BW 8 East: Sam Houston Parkway
7
298.3 mi into trip
|
~5h 48m in
Take the exit toward I 10 East, I 10 west: Beaumont, Houston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 10 East, I 10 west: Beaumont, Houston
7
298.9 mi into trip
|
~5h 49m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East: Beaumont
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 10 East: Beaumont
7
305.6 mi into trip
|
~5h 58m in
|
Spur 330 / Decker Drive
Keep slight right at fork onto Spur 330 / Decker Drive toward Spur 330: Baytown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Spur 330: Baytown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.69 one way
$85.39 round trip
$3.48/gal
25.4 MPG avg
109 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.89 | $47.69 | $95.38 |
| premium | $4.23 | $51.85 | $103.70 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $58.85 | $117.71 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.06
Sam Houston Tollway
(13.2 mi)
$1.06
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 109.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 93.5 | 1 | $32.73 | $14.96 |
| Efficient EV | 77.9 | 0 | $27.27 | $12.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 124.7 | 1 | $43.64 | $19.95 |
Gas CO2
109 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (67% 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.
Origin
Garland, TX
Afternoon in Garland on Sunday
Local time
12:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Mostly Clear
SW 5 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 19 at 4:14AM CDT until July 19 at 6:30AM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 19 at 3:32AM CDT until July 20 at 3:04AM CDT by NWS Corpus Christi TX
Destination
Baytown, TX
Afternoon in Baytown on Sunday
Local time
12:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Partly Cloudy
S 10 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 19 at 4:14AM CDT until July 19 at 6:30AM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 19 at 3:32AM CDT until July 20 at 3:04AM CDT by NWS Corpus Christi 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
3 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
6h 5m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route features 49% highway driving, with the remaining portion on surface roads. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 98.5 miles on the Diboll Relief Route, offering a significant segment of uninterrupted travel. As you transition from highway to surface roads, anticipate more frequent intersections and varying speed limits, which will influence your overall travel time.
Only 49% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
54 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 98.5 mi on Diboll Relief Route.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 281.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 28 significant decision points across 311.7 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: at 281.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 281.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 298.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
419 ft
23 ft
Total Climb
211 ft
Total Descent
574 ft
Highest Point
419 ft
~133.6 mi in
Elevation Range
396 ft
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.
Between Garland, TX and Baytown, TX, road signs point toward Sh 49, Fm 1734: Mount Pleasant, Paris, Pittsburg and Bw 8 East.
Sh 49
35.9 mi in
|
~47m
Fm 1734: Mount Pleasant
35.9 mi in
|
~47m
Paris
35.9 mi in
|
~47m
Pittsburg
35.9 mi in
|
~47m
Bw 8 East
281.3 mi in
|
~5h 27m
About the Cities
Starting in Garland, TX
Full guide →Founded 1891
Garland is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area in the State of Texas. Mike Judge, the creator of Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill, used to live in Garland, as well as some other small towns around Texas. So, yeah. Don't be shocked if you take a wrong turn through a downscale neighborhood and see someone barbecuing hot dogs using one of those things that turns your truck's air filter into a grill. On the other hand, Garland's north side is a palacial monument to suburban living in all its McMansioned, strip malling, Starbucks-sipping glory. Garland is basically an unprepossessing, pleasant place. While it's hard to get too excited about much that happens in Garland, it is just so darned pleasant.
Arriving in Baytown, TX
Full guide →Baytown is a city in Texas. When you are in Baytown, you can rest assured you are in one of the most industrialized places of the world. With Exxon's Baytown Refinery on the west, Chevron's Cedar Bayou Plant on the northeast, the Covestro Baytown Industrial Plant on the east, and a smattering of other industries in between, you're likely to see flare stacks and storage tanks or tanker cars wherever you go, and might think you need a gas mask. But, in spite of this, there are still natural and cultural attractions to behold. And Garey Busey and Renee Zellweger used to call this place home.
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 6h 5m. Total distance: 311.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 5m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 98.5 miles on Diboll Relief Route. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.06 in tolls one way, starting with Sam Houston Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 17 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 Baytown, 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 17 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 281.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 281.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 298.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.1 hours each way, a round trip means 12.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Baytown, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Baytown, TX
More trips to Baytown, TX
Explore more options from Garland, TX or browse trips ending in Baytown, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.