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Trip from Gholson, TX to El Paso, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

11h 17m

Distance

640.8 mi

1,031 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$97

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 31 min
4 AM
11h 7m ★
6 AM
11h 18m
8 AM
11h 38m
10 AM
11h 25m
12 PM
11h 23m
3 PM
11h 26m
5 PM
11h 37m
8 PM
11h 11m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Gholson, TX, TX

Gholson, TX

Thomas balabaud

Downtown El Paso, TX, TX

El Paso, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 639.5-mile journey from Gholson, Texas, to El Paso, Texas, is a substantial undertaking, estimated to take just under 10 hours to complete. Given the long duration, it's strongly recommended to split this drive over two days to ensure a more comfortable and safer travel experience. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $98, making it a significant factor in your budgeting. This route traverses the vast Great Plains region of Texas, offering a consistent landscape throughout. With two planned stops, you'll have opportunities to break up the drive, but the overall profile is that of a long-distance haul.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

3 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

320.4 miles from Gholson, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 3m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 20 369.9 mi 6h 6m
I 10 166.7 mi 2h 43m
Texas State Highway 6 22.7 mi 25m
North State Highway 108 22.3 mi 33m
TX 22 17.5 mi 25m
North US Highway 281 17.3 mi 19m
FM 2114 9 mi 14m
Gholson Road 7.3 mi 12m
Longest stretch: I 20 — 369.9 mi, about 6h 6m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Gholson, TX and El Paso, TX.

1

Start on FM 1858

54 ft · 8 sec · Wildcat Circle
2

Turn left onto FM 933

7.3 mi · 12 min · Gholson Road
3

Turn left onto FM 2114

9.0 mi · 14 min · FM 2114
4

Turn right

0.2 mi · 25 sec
5

Continue on FM 56

1.9 mi · 3 min · FM 56
6

At end of road, turn left onto TX 22; FM 56

17 mi · 25 min · TX 22; FM 56
7

Turn straight onto TX 22

261 ft · 10 sec · South Cleveland Street
8

Turn left onto TX 22

0.5 mi · 40 sec · Morgan Street
9

Continue on TX 22

0.6 mi · 57 sec · State Highway 22
10

Turn right onto TX 6

23 mi · 25 min · Texas State Highway 6
11

Continue on TX 6

0.6 mi · 41 sec · West 2nd Street
Use the straight lane.
12

Continue on US 281; TX 6

17 mi · 19 min · North US Highway 281
13

Turn left onto TX 108

0.8 mi · 1 min · South State Highway 108
14

Continue on TX 108

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Graham Avenue
15

Continue on TX 108

1.7 mi · 3 min · South Graham Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16

Continue on TX 108

22 mi · 33 min · North State Highway 108
17

Turn left onto TX 108

0.2 mi · 27 sec · West Interstate 20
18

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward I 20 West: Abilene
19

Merge onto I 20; TX 108

238 mi · 3 hr 58 min · I 20; TX 108
20

Continue on I 20; TX 349

132 mi · 2 hr 8 min · I 20; TX 349
21

Merge onto I 10

167 mi · 2 hr 43 min · I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 20 sec
Exit 19B Toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23

Turn straight onto East Missouri Avenue

0.3 mi · 49 sec · East Missouri Avenue
24

Turn left onto TX 20

0.3 mi · 27 sec · North Mesa Street
25

Arrive at destination

North Mesa Street

Trip Plan

To make the most of this 9-hour and 57-minute drive, plan to depart early in the morning, especially if splitting it over two days. This allows ample daylight for driving and finding accommodations. With two recommended stops, factor in time for fuel and rest, aiming for roughly every 2-3 hours of driving to stay alert. The estimated fuel cost of $98 means you should monitor your fuel gauge closely, particularly in more remote stretches. A practical tip for this long haul across Texas is to pre-download offline maps, as cell service can be spotty in certain areas between Gholson and El Paso.

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 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 320.4 miles from Gholson, TX, or about 6h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 369.9 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 141 miles or 3h 3m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 320.4 miles or 6h 3m 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 320.4 miles or 6h 3m

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 10h 17m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near El Paso, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Gholson, 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 Gholson, TX

Aim for roughly 320 miles and 5.6 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into El Paso, TX

Aim for roughly 320 miles and 5.6 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 141 miles from Gholson, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 20 for about 369.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in Texas, United States of America

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Brownwood, TX

211 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 Texas, United States

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Kermit, TX

423 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 Kermit, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Big Spring, TX

320 mi · about 5.6h in

A practical overnight split lands near Big Spring, TX after about 320 miles or 5.6 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Stephenville, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 141 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Midland, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 320.4 miles from Gholson, 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 369.9 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 320 miles or 5.6 hours on the road.

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.

El Paso Museum of History

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

El Paso, Texas

Hours: 10 am–6 pm

+19152123150

Visit website

Magoffin Home State Historic Site

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour

El Paso, Texas

Hours: 9 am–4 pm

+19155335147

Visit website

Tom Lea Upper Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour

El Paso, Texas

Hours: 6 am–11 pm

+19152120092

Visit website

International Museum of Art

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour

El Paso, Texas

Hours: 1–5 pm

+19155436747

Visit website

Odessa Meteor Crater

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 1.8 mi from route ~5 min detour

Odessa, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+14323810946

Visit website

El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.6 mi from route ~6 min detour

El Paso, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+19152120966

Visit website

Paramount Theatre

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, ~9 min detour

Early stretch 3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour

Abilene, Texas

+13256769620

Visit website

Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, ~9 min detour

Early stretch 3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour

Abilene, Texas

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 640 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | FM 933 / Gholson Road

Turn left onto FM 933 / Gholson Road

Navigation decision point

4
16.4 mi into trip | ~27m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

5
18.5 mi into trip | ~31m in | TX 22; FM 56

At end of road, turn left onto TX 22; FM 56

Navigation decision point

5
473.3 mi into trip | ~8h 32m in | I 10

Merge onto I 10

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
640 mi into trip | ~11h 15m in

Take the exit toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown

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 19B Toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$96.83 one way

$193.65 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 224 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $105.98 $211.97
premium $4.54 $114.41 $228.82
diesel $5.61 $141.48 $282.96

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$97

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$227–$337

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 224.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $67 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 192.2 2 $67.28 $30.76
Efficient EV 160.2 1 $56.07 $25.63
EV Truck/SUV 256.3 3 $89.71 $41.01

Gas CO2

224 kg

EV CO2

75 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 21, 2026

Origin

Gholson, TX

Morning in Gholson on Tuesday

Local time

8:36 AM

CDT

Current temp

86°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

El Paso, TX

Morning in El Paso on Tuesday

Local time

7:36 AM

MDT

Current temp

82°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

83°F

Brownwood, TX

211 mi in

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

1 hour earlier

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

4 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

11h 17m 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.

Chamizal National Memorial

Chamizal National Memorial

National Memorial

Chamizal is more than just an urban park to recreate or enjoy a quiet afternoon. These grounds are a reminder of the harmonious settlement of a 100-year boundary dispute between the United States and...

2 mi from route ~5 min detour Free near mile 639.5
View on nps.gov
Waco Mammoth National Monument

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...

7 mi from route ~18 min detour Free
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive, though the exact highway share isn't specified. The long-distance nature of this trip suggests stretches of consistent speed, likely on interstates or major highways. Without information on the longest uninterrupted stretch, it's wise to anticipate potentially long periods behind the wheel. As you travel across Texas, the landscape will remain consistent with the Great Plains profile, meaning the road's character is unlikely to change dramatically from start to finish, emphasizing steady progress rather than varied terrain.

98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 369.9 mi on I 20.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and I 10. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near FM 933 / Gholson Road.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 640.8 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start (FM 933 / Gholson Road): Navigation decision point; at 16.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 18.5 miles (TX 22; FM 56): Navigation decision point.

About the Cities

Arriving in El Paso, TX

Full guide →

“The Sun City” · Founded 1680

El Paso is the sixth largest city in Texas, with 679,000 residents (2020). It is on the United States-Mexico border. The city on the other side of the border is Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. El Paso is often called the Sun City. Collectively, the city of El Paso and other nearby cities, such as Juarez and Las Cruces, New Mexico are referred to as The Borderland.

Top landmarks

  • • El Paso Museum of Art — art museum in El Paso, Texas
  • • Union Depot — historic place in El Paso, El Paso County, Texas
  • • Plaza Theatre — building in El Paso, El Paso County, Texas

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

Who Is This Route For?

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 3 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

11h 17m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 369.9 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 320 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 El Paso, 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 3 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (FM 933 / Gholson Road): Navigation decision point; at 16.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 18.5 miles (TX 22; FM 56): Navigation decision point.

Yes — Chamizal National Memorial and Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 11.3 hours each way, a round trip means 22.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at El Paso, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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