Embarking on the 548.2-mile journey from Garland to Kermit takes you across the Texas landscape, requiring about 9 hours and 52 minutes of drive time. Because of the significant distance, this trip is best approached as a two-day excursion rather than a single-day haul. You should budget approximately $84 for fuel to cover the trek. The route remains entirely within the Great Plains, keeping you in a consistent geographic region throughout your travel. Planning an overnight stop will make the journey much more manageable and less taxing on your schedule. Whether you are traveling for business or visiting family, this route is a straightforward, long-distance commitment.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
274.1 miles from Garland, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 59m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 20
299.7 mi
5h 4m
I 30
178.9 mi
3h 11m
State Highway 302
40.4 mi
51m
US Highway 259 South
16.3 mi
24m
East 42nd Street
5.6 mi
6m
FM 1701
2.1 mi
5m
Ray C. Stoker, Jr. Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
2m
South Poplar Street
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 299.7 mi, about 5h 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Garland, TX and Kermit, 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
179 mi·3 hr 11 min·I 30
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 20
300 mi·5 hr 4 min·I 20
Use the slight right lane.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·19 sec
Toward Loop 338: Odessa
7
Turn left onto East Interstate 20
235 ft·4 sec·East Interstate 20
8
Turn right onto Loop 338
0.7 mi·53 sec·Southeast Loop 338
9
Continue on Loop 338
1.6 mi·2 min·Ray C. Stoker, Jr. Memorial Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto State Highway 191 East
0.5 mi·43 sec·State Highway 191 East
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on TX 191
5.6 mi·6 min·East 42nd Street
Use the straight lane.
12
At end of road, turn right onto Spur 450
0.4 mi·34 sec·Kermit Highway
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on TX 302
40 mi·51 min·State Highway 302
14
Continue on TX 302
0.5 mi·48 sec·East Jim Sharp Boulevard
15
Turn right onto TX 18
0.8 mi·1 min·South Poplar Street
16
Turn right onto TX 115
167 ft·5 sec·East Austin Street
17
Turn right
111 ft·8 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
To keep your energy levels high, plan for at least two intentional stops during your nearly 10-hour transit. Leaving Garland early in the morning is your best bet to avoid peak traffic and ensure you reach your destination before fatigue sets in. Since you are facing a massive 299.7-mile stretch on I-20, make sure to top off your tank before entering the most remote sections of the highway. Splitting the drive into two days will allow you to navigate the latter portion of the route, including the transition to State Highway 302, with much more clarity. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge throughout the journey, as the $84 estimate can fluctuate based on your vehicle's efficiency.
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.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 274.1 miles from Garland, TX, or about 4h 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 299.7 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 121 miles or 2h 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 274.1 miles or 4h 59m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 274.1 miles or 4h 59m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kermit, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Garland, TX
Aim for roughly 274 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Kermit, TX
Aim for roughly 274 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 121 miles from Garland, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 20 for about 299.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
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 18.9 and 548.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
18.9 mi into trip|~30m in|I 30
Merge onto I 30
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
197.8 mi into trip|~3h 42m in|I 20
Merge onto I 20
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
5
500 mi into trip|~8h 49m in|State Highway 191 East
Turn left onto State Highway 191 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
506.1 mi into trip|~8h 57m in|Spur 450 / Kermit Highway
At end of road, turn right onto Spur 450 / Kermit Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
548.2 mi into trip|~9h 52m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$82.83 one way
$165.67 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg192 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$90.67
$181.34
premium
$4.54
$97.88
$195.75
diesel
$5.61
$121.04
$242.07
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$83
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$213–$323
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 191.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $58 in charging
· 2 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
164.5
2
$57.56
$26.31
Efficient EV
137.1
1
$47.97
$21.93
EV Truck/SUV
219.3
2
$76.75
$35.08
Gas CO2
192 kg
EV CO2
64 kg (67% less)
Plan for 2 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.
Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026
Origin
Garland, TX
Night
in Garland on Saturday
Local time
9:46 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Partly Sunny
S 15 mph9% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Kermit, TX
Night
in Kermit on Saturday
Local time
9:46 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
28 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
9h 52m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a high-speed transit, as 98% of this drive is spent on major highways like I-30, I-20, and State Highway 302. You will face a significant, monotonous stretch of 299.7 miles solely on I-20, which demands focus and patience behind the wheel. The character of the road is defined by its industrial efficiency, prioritizing speed over variety. As you transition from the metro area toward the western plains, the landscape opens up significantly. You will spend the vast majority of your time cruising on interstates, so prepare for long hours of steady highway driving.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 299.7 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and I 30. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 18.9 miles in near I 30.
Driving Effort5/10
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 548.2 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 18.9 miles (I 30): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 197.8 miles (I 20): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 500 miles (State Highway 191 East): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,861 ft386 ft
Total Climb
2,593 ft
Total Descent
118 ft
Highest Point
2,861 ft
~548.2 mi in
Elevation Range
2,475 ft
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 Garland, TX to Kermit, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Loop 338: Odessa along the way.
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.
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
9h 52m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 299.7 miles on I 20. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 274 miles on day one.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Kermit, 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 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 18.9 miles (I 30): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 197.8 miles (I 20): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 500 miles (State Highway 191 East): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.9 hours each way, a round trip means 19.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Kermit, TX before the return drive.
