Trip from Garland, TX to Monahans, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

9h 29m

Distance

538.1 mi

866 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$74

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min

4 AM

9h 21m ★

6 AM

9h 29m

8 AM

9h 46m

10 AM

9h 35m

12 PM

9h 34m

3 PM

9h 36m

5 PM

9h 46m

8 PM

9h 24m

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

Best Time

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Garland, TX

Wikimedia Commons

city in Ward and Winkler counties in Texas, United States, that is the county seat of Ward County

Monahans, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Embarking on a journey from Garland, TX, to Monahans, TX, covers 538.1 miles and will likely take around 9 hours and 29 minutes of driving time. This long-distance drive is best split over two days, especially considering the recommended two stops along the way. You'll be traversing highways within the Great Plains region for the entirety of your trip. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $82. Given the distance, it's not a feasible day trip if you want to arrive feeling refreshed. Plan for a comfortable pace, utilizing the recommended overnight stop to break up the 9+ hours of travel.

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

269 miles from Garland, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 54m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 20	337 mi	5h 41m
I 30	178.9 mi	3h 11m
US Highway 259 South	16.3 mi	24m
East Interstate 20	3 mi	5m
FM 1701	2.1 mi	5m
East Sealy Avenue	0.1 mi	<1m
South Main Avenue	<0.1 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: I 20 — 337 mi, about 5h 41m

Traffic on I-20

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 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 Garland, TX and Monahans, TX.

Start on FM 1701

2.1 mi · 5 min · FM 1701

At end of road, turn right onto US 259

16 mi · 24 min · US Highway 259 South

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 56 sec

Merge onto I 30

179 mi · 3 hr 11 min · I 30

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 20

337 mi · 5 hr 41 min · I 20

Use the slight right lane.

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 11 sec

Exit 83 Toward I 20 Business West: Monahans

Continue on I 20 Bus

0.1 mi · 11 sec · East Sealy Avenue

Continue on I 20 Bus

3.0 mi · 5 min · East Interstate 20

Turn left onto TX 18

178 ft · 8 sec · South Main Avenue

Turn left

104 ft · 7 sec

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

For this 9-hour, 29-minute drive, departing early in the morning is highly recommended to maximize daylight hours and avoid potential traffic congestion. Splitting the 538.1 miles over two days with two planned stops will make the journey much more manageable. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as services can sometimes be spread out on stretches of I-20. Aim to refuel whenever you see a convenient exit with multiple options. The estimated fuel cost of $82 should help you budget accordingly for the entire trip.

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 269 miles from Garland, TX, or about 4h 54m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 337 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 118 miles or 2h 16m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 269 miles or 4h 54m 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 269 miles or 4h 54m

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 26m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Monahans, 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 269 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Monahans, TX

Aim for roughly 269 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 118 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 337 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in Dallas, Tarrant, and Ellis counties in Texas, United States

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Grand Prairie, TX

178 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

city in and county seat of Titus County, Texas, United States

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Mount Pleasant, TX

355 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Mount Pleasant, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Mineral Wells, TX

269 mi · about 4.7h in

A practical overnight split lands near Mineral Wells, TX after about 269 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Mesquite, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 118 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Stephenville, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 269 miles from Garland, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 337 miles.

Overnight split

1.9 mi from route

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour

Odessa, Texas

Hours: 6 am–11 pm

+14323683548

Altitude Trampoline Park

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 3.4 mi from route ~8 min detour

Odessa, Texas

Hours: 10 am–8 pm

+14322726921

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.1 and 538.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

2.1 mi into trip | ~5m in | US 259 / US Highway 259 South

At end of road, turn right onto US 259 / US Highway 259 South

Navigation decision point

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.

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.

534.8 mi into trip | ~9h 23m in

Take the exit toward I 20 Business West: Monahans

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 83 Toward I 20 Business West: Monahans

538.1 mi into trip | ~9h 29m in

Turn left

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$73.70 one way

$147.41 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 188 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$82.33	$164.65
premium	$4.23	$89.51	$179.01
diesel	$4.80	$101.60	$203.21

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$74

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$204–$314

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 188.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $57 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	161.4	1	$56.50	$25.83
Efficient EV	134.5	1	$47.08	$21.52
EV Truck/SUV	215.2	2	$75.33	$34.44

Gas CO2

188 kg

EV CO2

63 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 16, 2026

Origin

Garland, TX

Late night in Garland on Sunday

Local time

4:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

89°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 5 mph 23% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:47PM CDT until July 16 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 16 at 4:46PM CDT until July 16 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA

Destination

Monahans, TX

Late night in Monahans on Sunday

Local time

4:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

84°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SE 5 mph 37% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:47PM CDT until July 16 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 16 at 4:46PM CDT until July 16 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA

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

5 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 29m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is characterized by its extensive use of major highways, with a significant portion relying on I-20. While there's no direct highway percentage provided, the route relies heavily on these faster roads, suggesting a predominantly straightforward driving experience. You'll navigate through sections of Highway 259 South and East Sealy Avenue as well, offering some variation. The drive is a long-distance trek, and while no specific longest stretch is noted, expect sustained periods of highway driving as you cover the 538.1 miles across Texas.

100% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 337 mi on I 20.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and I 30. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.1 miles in near US 259 / US Highway 259 South.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 29m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 7 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (US 259 / US Highway 259 South): Navigation decision point; 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.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

2,887 ft 386 ft

Total Climb

2,724 ft

Total Descent

489 ft

Highest Point

2,887 ft

~499.6 mi in

Elevation Range

2,501 ft

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 Monahans, TX

Full guide →

Monahans is a city in the Permian Basin in Texas.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

9h 29m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (100%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 337 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 269 miles on day one.

Yes — we found about 64 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 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 Monahans, 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. There are 64 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Not recommended in a single day. At 9.5 hours each way, a round trip means 19.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Monahans, 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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