Origin
Greatwood, TX
Morning in Greatwood on Tuesday
Local time
8:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Greatwood, TX to Houston, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
25.6 mi
41 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Greatwood, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Houston, TX
Trace Hudson
Trip Overview
Greatwood, TX to Houston, TX is 25.6 miles and takes about 37 minutes via Southwest Freeway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Great Plains region, making for a straightforward drive. Since you're sticking to Texas for the entire trip, you won't encounter any border crossings or significant time zone changes. This route is ideal for a quick commute or a last-minute addition to a longer Texas road trip, requiring minimal planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Freeway | 20 mi | 24m |
| Louisiana Street | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| Southwest Freeway Frontage Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Riverbrook Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Shannondale Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Greatwood Lake Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Shadow Bend Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Hunters Point Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Southwest Freeway
— 20 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Greatwood, TX and Houston, TX.
1
Start on Greatwood Lake Drive
0.2 mi
·
52 sec
·
Greatwood Lake Drive
2
At end of road, turn left onto Shadow Bend Drive
501 ft
·
22 sec
·
Shadow Bend Drive
3
Continue on Hunters Point Drive
467 ft
·
25 sec
·
Hunters Point Drive
4
Turn left onto Shannondale Drive
0.2 mi
·
52 sec
·
Shannondale Drive
5
Turn right onto Brook Chase Drive
205 ft
·
10 sec
·
Brook Chase Drive
6
Turn right onto Riverbrook Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Riverbrook Drive
7
At end of road, turn right onto Southwest Freeway Frontage Road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Southwest Freeway Frontage Road
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward US 59 North, I 69 North
9
Merge onto I 69; US 59
20 mi
·
24 min
·
Southwest Freeway
Use the straight lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward Richmond Avenue, Downtown via Louisiana Street
Use the slight left lane.
11
Take the exit
155 ft
·
3 sec
Toward Downtown, Louisiana Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on Louisiana Street
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Louisiana Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
13
Arrive at destination
Louisiana Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 23.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Shadow Bend Drive
At end of road, turn left onto Shadow Bend Drive
Navigation decision point
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Brook Chase Drive
Turn right onto Brook Chase Drive
Navigation decision point
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 69; US 59 / Southwest Freeway
Merge onto I 69; US 59 / Southwest Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
22.9 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Richmond Avenue, Downtown via Louisiana Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Richmond Avenue, Downtown via Louisiana...
7
23.7 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward Downtown, Louisiana Street
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.
Toward Downtown, Louisiana Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.87 one way
$7.74 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $4.23 | $8.47 |
| premium | $4.54 | $4.57 | $9.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.65 | $11.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.69 | $1.23 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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.
Destination
Houston, TX
Morning in Houston on Tuesday
Local time
8:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
13 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
37m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
With 84% of this drive on highways, expect a predominantly freeway experience. You'll spend most of your time on the Southwest Freeway, including a continuous 20-mile stretch. The transition to surface streets will likely occur as you approach your destination in Houston. Be prepared for frequent exits and potential merging traffic as you enter the urban core.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20 mi on Southwest Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southwest Freeway and Louisiana Street. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Shadow Bend Drive.
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 25.6 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.2 miles (Shadow Bend Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Brook Chase Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (I 69; US 59 / Southwest Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Greatwood, TX to Houston, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.
Downtown
23.7 mi in
|
~32m
About the Cities
Starting in Greatwood, TX
Full guide →Arriving in Houston, TX
Full guide →“Space City” · Founded 1836
Houston is a sprawling port city in Southeastern Texas. An oil boom and continuing international immigration has brought explosive growth to the city, and it is now the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States and the most diverse large city since 2021. While at first glance, the city appears to be a 9-5 central business district surrounded by a sea of suburbs and strip malls, there are many hidden gems to be discovered.
Top landmarks
- • Museum of Fine Arts, Houston — art museum in Houston, Texas
- • Astrodome — historic place in Houston, Harris County, Texas
- • Rothko Chapel — building in Houston, Harris County, Texas
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 37m. Total distance: 25.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20 miles on Southwest Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Houston, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Shadow Bend Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Brook Chase Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (I 69; US 59 / Southwest Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Houston, TX before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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