The drive from Garland, TX to Uvalde, TX covers 505.3 miles and takes about 9h 13m behind the wheel.
It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on I 30, Purple Heart Trail, South R L Thornton Freeway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is long-haul drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 131.8 miles on I 30.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $73.31 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
252.7 miles from Garland, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 33m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 30
131.8 mi
2h 16m
Purple Heart Trail
99.6 mi
1h 46m
South R L Thornton Freeway
89.9 mi
1h 32m
I 35
55.8 mi
58m
US Highway 90 West
37.7 mi
43m
West US Highway 90
25.4 mi
28m
Connally Loop
19.3 mi
22m
US Highway 259 South
16.3 mi
24m
Longest stretch:
I 30
— 131.8 mi, about 2h 16m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 96 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,999 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,742
Quietest
2 AM
~661 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Garland, TX and Uvalde, 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
132 mi·2 hr 16 min·I 30
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 46AToward I 35E: Denton, WacoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·14 sec
Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Waco, Denton
7
Keep slight left at fork
221 ft·5 sec
Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, WacoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·30 sec
Toward I 35E South: WacoUse the left / right lanes.
9
Continue on I 35E
0.5 mi·44 sec·South R L Thornton Freeway
10
Continue on I 35E
89 mi·1 hr 31 min·South R L Thornton Freeway
Exit 426Toward Dallas ZooUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 35; US 77
6.6 mi·7 min·North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 35
38 mi·39 min·Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
56 mi·58 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
50 mi·54 min·Purple Heart Trail
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton StreetUse the slight left lane.
15
Continue on I 35
1.7 mi·1 min·Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 35
12 mi·12 min·Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on I 35
6.9 mi·7 min·North Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi·55 sec
Exit 166Toward I 410 West, Loop 368 SouthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 410 WestUse the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Merge onto I 410
19 mi·22 min·Connally Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
1.4 mi·2 min
Exit 6AToward US 90 West: Del RioUse the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Merge onto US 90
3.2 mi·3 min·Cleto Rodriguez Freeway
23
Continue on US 90
25 mi·28 min·West US Highway 90
24
Continue on US 90
2.1 mi·3 min·19th Street
25
Continue on US 90
38 mi·43 min·US Highway 90 West
26
Continue on US 90
3.2 mi·3 min·East Main Street
27
Turn right onto US 83
31 ft·0 sec·North Getty Street
28
Arrive at destination
US 83
Trip Plan
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 252.7 miles from Garland, TX, or about 4h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 131.8 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 111 miles or 2h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 252.7 miles or 4h 33m 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 252.7 miles or 4h 33m
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 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Uvalde, 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 253 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Uvalde, TX
Aim for roughly 253 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 111 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 30 for about 131.8 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 150.7 and 412.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
150.7 mi into trip|~2h 46m in
Take the exit toward I 35E: Denton, Waco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 46A
Toward I 35E: Denton, Waco
9
151.4 mi into trip|~2h 48m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco
7
151.4 mi into trip|~2h 48m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E South: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward I 35E South: Waco
8
342 mi into trip|~6h 6m 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
8
412.3 mi into trip|~7h 23m in
Take the exit toward I 410 West, Loop 368 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 166
Toward I 410 West, Loop 368 South
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$73.31 one way
$146.62 round trip
$3.69/gal25.4 MPG avg177 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.08
$81.23
$162.45
premium
$4.43
$88.17
$176.34
diesel
$5.60
$111.38
$222.77
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$73
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$203–$313
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 176.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $53 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
151.6
1
$53.06
$24.25
Efficient EV
126.3
1
$44.21
$20.21
EV Truck/SUV
202.1
2
$70.74
$32.34
Gas CO2
177 kg
EV CO2
59 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.
Forecast as of Sep 4, 2026
Origin
Garland, TX
Evening
in Garland on Friday
Local time
6:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Uvalde, TX
Evening
in Uvalde on Friday
Local time
6:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°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
1 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
9h 13m 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.
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...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 243.9
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...
15 mi from route
~37 min detour
Free
near mile 418.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
505.3 mi / 9h 13m — a long-haul route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. Biggest road: I 30.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 131.8 mi on I 30.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 30 and Purple Heart Trail. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 150.7 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
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 16 significant decision points across 505.3 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 150.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 151.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 151.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
907 ft386 ft
Total Climb
679 ft
Total Descent
158 ft
Highest Point
907 ft
~505.3 mi in
Elevation Range
521 ft
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 Uvalde, TX, road signs point toward Waco, Denton, Dallas Zoo and Loop 368 South.
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.
The longest stretch is about 131.8 miles on I 30. 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 253 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 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 Uvalde, 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 150.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 151.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 151.4 miles: 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.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.2 hours each way, a round trip means 18.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Uvalde, TX before the return drive.
