Traveling from Hemphill to Houston covers 169.3 miles of East Texas terrain. You should budget approximately 2 hours and 56 minutes of driving time, making this a straightforward day trip that does not require an overnight stop. With an estimated fuel cost of $25, the journey is relatively affordable for a solo driver or a small group. Since both ends of your trip are located within the Great Plains region of Texas, you will experience consistent geographic characteristics throughout. This route is best treated as a direct point-to-point transit rather than a multi-day excursion. If you are looking for a manageable drive that gets you from the Piney Woods area down to the Gulf Coast region, this path serves as a practical, efficient connection.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
84.2 miles from Hemphill, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 37m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 59
68.5 mi
1h 15m
West Gibson Street
59.5 mi
1h 6m
US 96
21.3 mi
22m
Farm-to-Market Road 83
10.5 mi
12m
North Main Street
2.3 mi
4m
Pan American Drive
1.9 mi
2m
Temple Street
1.2 mi
2m
North Washington Avenue
0.6 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 59
— 68.5 mi, about 1h 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hemphill, TX and Houston, TX.
1
Start on Felts
317 ft·16 sec·Felts
2
Turn right onto TX 87
0.1 mi·15 sec·Mann Street
3
Turn left onto FM 83
0.8 mi·1 min·Farm-to-Market Road 83
4
Keep slight left at fork onto FM 83
9.6 mi·10 min·Farm-to-Market Road 83
5
Continue on FM 1; FM 83
528 ft·11 sec·Temple Street
6
Continue on FM 1; FM 83
0.3 mi·30 sec·Temple Avenue
7
Continue on FM 1
1.1 mi·2 min·Temple Street
8
At end of road, turn left onto US 96
21 mi·22 min·US 96
9
Turn slight right onto North Main Street
2.3 mi·4 min·North Main Street
10
Turn right onto US 190; TX 63
59 mi·1 hr 6 min·West Gibson Street
11
Turn left onto US 59 Business
0.6 mi·56 sec·North Washington Avenue
12
Continue on US 59 Business
1.9 mi·2 min·Pan American Drive
13
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·19 sec
14
Merge onto US 59
68 mi·1 hr 15 min·US 59
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 132Toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Beaumont, San AntonioUse the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward I 10 West: San AntonioUse the slight right lane.
17
Merge onto I 10; US 90
0.5 mi·35 sec·East Freeway
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Exit 769BToward San Jacinto Street, Main StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn straight onto Providence Street
0.1 mi·12 sec·Providence Street
20
Continue on North San Jacinto Street
0.3 mi·31 sec·North San Jacinto Street
21
Continue on Fannin Street
0.4 mi·51 sec·Fannin Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
22
Turn right onto Prairie Street
0.3 mi·48 sec·Prairie Street
23
Turn right onto Louisiana Street
516 ft·16 sec·Louisiana Street
24
Arrive at destination
Louisiana Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a sub-three-hour trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever suits your schedule best. While the drive is short enough to complete in one go, you should account for the fact that there are no formal stops programmed into the route, meaning you should plan your own breaks for fuel or rest as needed. Given that you are navigating local roads for the full 169.3 miles, try to avoid peak traffic hours when passing through smaller towns along the way to maintain a steady pace. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge before setting out; while $25 is the estimated cost, having a full tank before you leave Hemphill will ensure you don't have to hunt for stations on unfamiliar local roads. Focus on staying alert, as the winding nature of these roads makes them more demanding than a standard highway cruise.
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 84.2 miles from Hemphill, TX, or about 1h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 68.5 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 37 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84.2 miles or 1h 37m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Houston, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hemphill, 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 Hemphill, TX
This is one driving day of about 168.5 miles and 3h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from Hemphill, 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 US 59 for about 68.5 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 167.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|TX 87 / Mann Street
Turn right onto TX 87 / Mann Street
Navigation decision point
5
12.1 mi into trip|~15m in|US 96
At end of road, turn left onto US 96
Navigation decision point
8
166.3 mi into trip|~3h 9m in
Take the exit toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Beaumont, San Antonio
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 132
Toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Beaumont, San Anto...
8
166.5 mi into trip|~3h 9m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 West: San Antonio
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 10 West: San Antonio
8
167.2 mi into trip|~3h 10m in
Take the exit toward San Jacinto Street, Main 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.
Exit 769B
Toward San Jacinto Street, Main Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.46 one way
$50.92 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg59 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$27.87
$55.74
premium
$4.54
$30.08
$60.17
diesel
$5.61
$37.20
$74.41
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
50.6
0
$17.69
$8.09
Efficient EV
42.1
0
$14.74
$6.74
EV Truck/SUV
67.4
0
$23.59
$10.78
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Hemphill, TX
Night
in Hemphill on Saturday
Local time
9:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Houston, TX
Night
in Houston on Saturday
Local time
9:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
81°F
Onalaska, TX
84 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
22 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
3h 13m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Because the highway share for this route is 0%, you will spend the entire 169.3 miles navigating local roads rather than high-speed interstates. This results in a more technical driving experience where you will constantly adapt to the rhythm of the road. You won't find monotonous, straight-line stretches here; instead, the path requires steady focus as you transition between local corridors. Be prepared for a slower, more deliberate pace compared to typical freeway travel, as the nature of these local roads keeps the drive feeling intimate and engaging from start to finish.
54% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 68.5 mi on US 59.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near TX 87 / Mann Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 168.5 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.1 miles (TX 87 / Mann Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.1 miles (US 96): Navigation decision point; at 166.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Hemphill is in Deep East Texas. It is the county seat of Sabine County in the easternmost reaches of Texas. The area is a gateway to Toledo Bend Reservoir, but also has a more pensive recent history, as the area where many of the crashing remains of the Space Shuttle Columbia fell on February 1, 2003. The town has a NASA museum and memorial dedicated to fallen astronauts.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 13m. Total distance: 168.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 68.5 miles on US 59. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Houston, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (TX 87 / Mann Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.1 miles (US 96): Navigation decision point; at 166.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Houston, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.
