Bell County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Grand Saline, TX to Montopolis, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 34m
Distance
254.8 mi
410 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$35
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 21m
★
6 AM
4h 34m
8 AM
5h 1m
10 AM
4h 44m
12 PM
4h 41m
3 PM
4h 45m
5 PM
5h 0m
8 PM
4h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grand Saline, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Montopolis, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Trip Overview
Grand Saline, TX to Montopolis, TX is 254.8 miles and takes about 4h 34m via South R L Thornton Freeway and I 35, with a fuel budget near $37 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Texas, moving from the Great Plains region towards another part of the same region. With 70% highway driving and a relatively short duration, it's a straightforward drive. Plan for a single day of travel, keeping your fuel costs manageable and your time on the road efficient.
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
127.4 miles from Grand Saline, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 19m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South R L Thornton Freeway | 80.3 mi | 1h 22m |
| I 35 | 52.6 mi | 54m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 37.9 mi | 39m |
| I 20 | 18 mi | 19m |
| East South Commerce Street | 17.7 mi | 20m |
| Lyndon B Johnson Freeway | 11.8 mi | 12m |
| West Frank Street | 9 mi | 10m |
| North Jack Kultgen Expressway | 6.6 mi | 7m |
Longest stretch:
South R L Thornton Freeway
— 80.3 mi, about 1h 22m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 60 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~3,520 veh/hr typical · worst 4,159
Quietest
2 AM
~559 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 51 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 Grand Saline, TX and Montopolis, TX.
1
Start on East Frank Street
69 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Frank Street
2
Turn right onto TX 110; FM 17
380 ft
·
14 sec
·
North Main Street
3
Turn left onto US 80
0.7 mi
·
46 sec
·
West Garland Street
4
Continue on US 80
9.0 mi
·
10 min
·
West Frank Street
5
Continue on US 80
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
East Pine Street
6
Continue on US 80
6.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Goodnight Boulevard
7
Continue on US 80
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
Houston Street
8
Continue on US 80
18 mi
·
20 min
·
East South Commerce Street
9
Turn left onto FM 148
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
FM 148
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 20 West: Dallas
11
Merge onto I 20
18 mi
·
19 min
·
I 20
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 20
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 467B
Toward I 35E South: Waco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 35E
80 mi
·
1 hr 22 min
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on I 35; US 77
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 35
38 mi
·
39 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
53 mi
·
54 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 240B
Toward US 183: Lockhart, Lampasas
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 183 South: Lockhart
Use the slight left lane.
20
Merge onto US 183
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
US 183
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Continue on 183 Toll
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Bergstrom Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward Montopolis Drive, Patton Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
23
Turn straight onto US 183
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
·
Ed Bluestein Boulevard
24
Take the ramp
486 ft
·
11 sec
Toward 183 Toll South: Lockhart
25
Arrive at destination
Toward 183 Toll South: Lockhart
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 34m estimated drive time, it's entirely feasible to complete this trip in one day. Leaving Grand Saline in the morning should give you ample time to reach Montopolis without feeling rushed. You'll encounter one recommended stop along the way. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $37, and plan to refuel before you're running on empty, especially before extended highway stretches. This route is mostly highway, so plan for efficient progress.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 127.4 miles from Grand Saline, TX, or about 2h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.3 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 56 miles or 1h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127.4 miles or 2h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Montopolis, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Grand Saline, 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 Grand Saline, TX
This is one driving day of about 254.8 miles and 4h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Grand Saline, 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 South R L Thornton Freeway for about 80.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
127 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 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 127.4 miles from Grand Saline, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before South R L Thornton Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 80.3 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.
Hill County Northbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Ascent Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Hill County Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.4 mi from route
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
0.4 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.9 mi from route
QuikTrip
2.2 mi from route
Cultural Activities Center
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Later in the drive, short detour
Final third
1.4 mi from route
~3 min detour
Temple, Texas
Hours: 8:30 am–4 pm
+12547739926
Visit websiteVillage of Salado Visitors Center
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Later in the drive, short detour
Final third
1.5 mi from route
~4 min detour
Salado, Texas
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+12549478634
Visit websiteAustin Bat Tours
4.4
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, ~9 min detour
Home stretch
3.5 mi from route
~9 min detour
Austin, Texas
Hours: 9 am–10 pm
Visit websiteDoris D Miller Park
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour
Halfway reset
4.9 mi from route
~12 min detour
Waco, Texas
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 67.4 and 254.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
67.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Take the exit toward I 35E South: Waco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 467B
Toward I 35E South: Waco
6
193.2 mi into trip
|
~3h 27m in
|
I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
245.9 mi into trip
|
~4h 22m in
Take the exit toward US 183: Lockhart, Lampasas
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 240B
Toward US 183: Lockhart, Lampasas
7
246.1 mi into trip
|
~4h 23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 183 South: Lockhart
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 183 South: Lockhart
7
254.1 mi into trip
|
~4h 32m in
Take the exit toward Montopolis Drive, Patton Avenue
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 Montopolis Drive, Patton Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.90 one way
$69.80 round trip
$3.48/gal
25.4 MPG avg
89 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.89 | $38.98 | $77.96 |
| premium | $4.23 | $42.38 | $84.77 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $48.11 | $96.22 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 76.4 | 0 | $26.75 | $12.23 |
| Efficient EV | 63.7 | 0 | $22.30 | $10.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 101.9 | 1 | $35.67 | $16.31 |
Gas CO2
89 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 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.
Origin
Grand Saline, TX
Late night in Grand Saline on Monday
Local time
2:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Partly Cloudy
0 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 18 at 4:38AM CDT until July 19 at 6:46PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 18 at 4:37AM CDT until July 20 at 12:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Destination
Montopolis, TX
Late night in Montopolis on Monday
Local time
2:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Cloudy
S 5 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 18 at 4:38AM CDT until July 19 at 6:46PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 18 at 4:37AM CDT until July 20 at 12:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
100°F
Italy, TX
127 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.
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
4h 34m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 149.4
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 70% of this 254.8-mile trip on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 80.3 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway. Expect to transition from highway cruising to surface roads as you near your destination. The profile indicates mostly highway driving, so anticipate periods of consistent speed before reaching more varied traffic patterns.
70% 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: 80.3 mi on South R L Thornton Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South R L Thornton Freeway and I 35. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 67.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 15 significant decision points across 254.8 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 67.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 193.2 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 245.9 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
820 ft
400 ft
Total Climb
799 ft
Total Descent
736 ft
Highest Point
820 ft
~236.6 mi in
Elevation Range
420 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Grand Saline, TX
Full guide →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 4h 34m. Total distance: 254.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 80.3 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 29 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 Montopolis, 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 29 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 67.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 193.2 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 245.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Montopolis, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, NPS for national parks, 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 Montopolis, TX
More from Grand Saline, TX
More trips to Montopolis, TX
Explore more options from Grand Saline, TX or browse trips ending in Montopolis, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.