Trip from Henderson, TX to Brownsville, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

10h 6m

Distance

534.7 mi

860 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$73

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min

4 AM

9h 58m ★

6 AM

10h 7m

8 AM

10h 25m

10 AM

10h 13m

12 PM

10h 11m

3 PM

10h 14m

5 PM

10h 24m

8 PM

10h 1m

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

Best Time

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city in and county seat of Rusk County, Texas, United States

Henderson, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Brownsville, TX

Eddie O.

Trip Overview

This 534.7-mile journey from Henderson, TX to Brownsville, TX is a substantial undertaking, estimated to take 10 hours and 6 minutes of pure driving time. Given its length and the estimated fuel cost of $81, it's best planned as a two-day trip, with two recommended stops along the way. You'll primarily travel on Diboll Relief Route and U.S. Highways 77 and 59, covering about 68% of the route on highways. This long-distance drive traverses the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward path south through Texas.

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

267.3 miles from Henderson, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 6m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Diboll Relief Route	113.5 mi	2h 4m
U.S. Highway 77	105 mi	1h 56m
US Highway 59	74.7 mi	1h 22m
Alamo Street	37.1 mi	43m
Southwest Freeway	34.7 mi	40m
US Highway 77 South	33.2 mi	37m
I 69E	31.3 mi	33m
South US Highway 59	19.4 mi	22m

Longest stretch: Diboll Relief Route — 113.5 mi, about 2h 4m

Traffic on I-69

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 6 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~682 veh/hr typical · worst 936

Quietest

2 AM

~109 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 Henderson, TX and Brownsville, TX.

Start on US 79 Business; TX 64 Business

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Main Street

Turn right onto US 79; US 259

0.5 mi · 38 sec · Highway 79

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto US 259

16 mi · 18 min · US Route 259

Continue on US 259

2.9 mi · 3 min · North Railroad Avenue

Continue on US 259

3.0 mi · 3 min · US Route 259

Continue on US 259

11 mi · 12 min · US Highway 259

Take the exit

224 ft · 6 sec

Toward US 59 South: Lufkin

Continue on this road

420 ft · 11 sec · this road

Continue on this road

0.1 mi · 16 sec · this road

Turn left

104 ft · 4 sec

Turn right onto US 59

0.7 mi · 47 sec · North US Highway 59

Continue on US 59

6.4 mi · 7 min · Northwest Stallings Drive

Continue on US 59; TX 7; TX 21; Loop 224

0.4 mi · 25 sec · Stallings Drive

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec

Turn straight

223 ft · 6 sec

Merge onto US 59

1.3 mi · 1 min · South Street

Continue on US 59

19 mi · 22 min · South US Highway 59

Take the exit

396 ft · 9 sec

Toward South First Street

Turn straight onto South Medford Drive

0.2 mi · 23 sec · South Medford Drive

Turn left onto US 59 Bus

4.1 mi · 5 min · South First Street

Continue on US 59

1.3 mi · 1 min · US 59

Continue on US 59

114 mi · 2 hr 4 min · Diboll Relief Route

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 69; US 59

35 mi · 40 min · Southwest Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Exit 94 Toward Spur 10: Cottonwood, Church Road, Hartledge Road

Turn straight onto Southwest Freeway Frontage Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · Southwest Freeway Frontage Road

Continue on Southwest Freeway Frontage Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · Southwest Freeway Frontage Road

Continue on US 59 Southbound Frontage Road

0.9 mi · 2 min · US 59 Southbound Frontage Road

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 25 sec

Merge onto US 59

9.2 mi · 10 min · US 59

Keep slight left at fork onto US 59

6.6 mi · 7 min · US 59

Take the exit

1.5 mi · 2 min

Continue on US 59

75 mi · 1 hr 22 min · US Highway 59

Keep slight left at fork onto Spur 91

1.0 mi · 1 min · Spur 91

Merge onto US 77

33 mi · 37 min · US Highway 77 South

Turn straight onto US 77

37 mi · 43 min · Alamo Street

Take the exit onto US 77

0.1 mi · 13 sec · US 77

Toward I 37, US 77, I 69E

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 47 sec

Merge onto I 37; US 77; I 69E

2.5 mi · 2 min · I 37; US 77; I 69E

Use the straight lane.

Take the exit onto I 69E; US 77

31 mi · 33 min · I 69E; US 77

Toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto US 77

61 mi · 1 hr 9 min · U.S. Highway 77

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69E; US 77

44 mi · 46 min · U.S. Highway 77

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 69E; US 77; US 83

2.1 mi · 2 min · North Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69E; US 77; US 83

9.0 mi · 10 min · North Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec

Exit 1B Toward 12th-14th Street Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto South Expressway

331 ft · 8 sec · South Expressway

Turn right onto East 12th Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · East 12th Street

Use the right lane.

Turn right onto US 77 Business

29 ft · 0 sec · East Washington Street

Arrive at destination

US 77 Business

Trip Plan

For this 10-hour drive, planning for an overnight split is highly recommended to avoid fatigue. Aim to start your first day early to maximize daylight driving. With two recommended stops, you can break up the 534.7 miles into manageable segments, ensuring you have opportunities to refuel and rest. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the longer stretches like the 113.5 miles on Diboll Relief Route, and consider filling up before you hit those extended highway portions. The estimated fuel cost of $81 is a good baseline for budgeting your trip.

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 267.3 miles from Henderson, TX, or about 5h 6m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 113.5 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 118 miles or 2h 15m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 267.3 miles or 5h 6m 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 267.3 miles or 5h 6m

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 9h

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Henderson, 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 Henderson, TX

Aim for roughly 267 miles and 5.1 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Brownsville, TX

Aim for roughly 267 miles and 5.1 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 118 miles from Henderson, 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 Diboll Relief Route for about 113.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Houston, TX

176 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 and county seat of Nueces County, Texas, United States

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Corpus Christi, TX

353 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 Corpus Christi, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Houston, TX

267 mi · about 5.1h in

A practical overnight split lands near Houston, TX after about 267 miles or 5.1 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Houston, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 118 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Houston, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 267.3 miles from Henderson, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Diboll Relief Route if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 113.5 miles.

Overnight split

2.1 mi from route

Washington Plaza

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Brownsville, Texas

Hours: Open 24 hours

+19565422064

Visit website

Stillman House Museum

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.1 mi from route

Brownsville, Texas

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+19565415560

Visit website

Gladys Porter Zoo

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour

Brownsville, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+19565467187

Visit website

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour

Brownsville, Texas

Hours: 8 am–10 pm

+19569974875

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 24

5 decision points cluster between mile 217.1 and 533.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

217.1 mi into trip | ~4h 7m in

Take the exit toward Spur 10: Cottonwood, Church Road, Hartledge Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 94 Toward Spur 10: Cottonwood, Church Road, Hartle...

386.1 mi into trip | ~7h 21m in | I 69E; US 77

Take the exit onto I 69E; US 77 toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville

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 I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville

478.7 mi into trip | ~9h 5m in | I 69E; US 77 / U.S. Highway 77

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69E; US 77 / U.S. Highway 77

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

524.5 mi into trip | ~9h 53m in | I 69E; US 77; US 83 / North Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 69E; US 77; US 83 / North Expressway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

533.5 mi into trip | ~10h 4m in

Take the exit toward 12th-14th Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 1B Toward 12th-14th Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$73.24 one way

$146.47 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 187 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$81.80	$163.61
premium	$4.23	$88.94	$177.88
diesel	$4.80	$100.96	$201.92

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: 187.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $56 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	160.4	1	$56.14	$25.67
Efficient EV	133.7	1	$46.79	$21.39
EV Truck/SUV	213.9	2	$74.86	$34.22

Gas CO2

187 kg

EV CO2

63 kg (66% 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 Jul 16, 2026

Origin

Henderson, TX

Morning in Henderson on Sunday

Local time

10:28 AM

CDT

Current temp

92°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 5 mph 29% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:47PM CDT until July 16 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 16 at 4:46PM CDT until July 16 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA

Destination

Brownsville, TX

Morning in Brownsville on Sunday

Local time

10:28 AM

CDT

Current temp

94°F

Partly Sunny

SE 17 mph 5% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 4:47PM CDT until July 16 at 7:45PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 16 at 4:46PM CDT until July 16 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA

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

2 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

10h 6m 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.

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

National Historical Park

On May 8, 1846, U.S. and Mexican troops clashed on the prairie of Palo Alto. The battle was the first in a two-year long war that changed the map of North America. Although the two countries have deve...

9 mi from route ~22 min detour Free near mile 534.7

View on nps.gov

Padre Island National Seashore

National Seashore

Protecting sixty-six miles of wild coastline along the Gulf of America, the narrow barrier island is home to one of the last intact coastal prairie habitats in the United States. Along the hypersaline...

27 mi from route ~68 min detour $25 near mile 442.5

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

The road character on this route is largely defined by its highway segments, accounting for 68% of the total mileage. You'll experience stretches of faster driving, including a significant 113.5-mile segment on the Diboll Relief Route, which suggests some extended periods of continuous travel. While not exclusively interstate, the prevalence of U.S. Highways means you'll likely encounter a mix of well-maintained, higher-speed roads and potentially some more local sections as you progress south. Expect a drive that prioritizes getting you to your destination efficiently.

68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

48 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 113.5 mi on Diboll Relief Route.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

At 10h 6m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 217.1 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 24 significant decision points across 534.7 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 217.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 386.1 miles (I 69E; US 77): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 478.7 miles (I 69E; US 77 / U.S. Highway 77): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

513 ft 24 ft

Total Climb

89 ft

Total Descent

567 ft

Highest Point

513 ft

Elevation Range

490 ft

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 Henderson, TX to Brownsville, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Spur 10: Cottonwood along the way.

Spur 10: Cottonwood

217.1 mi in | ~4h 7m

About the Cities

Starting in Henderson, TX

Full guide →

Top landmarks

• Henderson Commercial Historic District — historic district in Henderson, Rusk County, Texas

Arriving in Brownsville, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1849

Located at the southernmost tip of Texas, Brownsville is a popular location for Mexican and American beach tourists. It is part of the Rio Grande Valley, a four-county region known for its abundance in citrus fruit production and Winter Texan population. The city features a combination of different climate regimes: Gulf Coast plains and the Great Plains. There is a lot to do in this city: historical museums, art galleries, beaches, birding locations and natural wildlife refuges. As Brownsville is a border town, its culture is predominantly Hispanic.

Top landmarks

• USS Cabot — 1943 Independence-class aircraft carrier
• Fort Brown — Texas, a former US Amy post
• Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park — historic site in Brownsville (vicinity), Cameron County, Texas

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 113.5 miles on Diboll Relief Route. 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 267 miles on day one.

Yes — we found about 28 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 Brownsville, 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. There are 28 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park and Padre Island National Seashore. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 10.1 hours each way, a round trip means 20.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Brownsville, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Henderson, TX or browse trips ending in Brownsville, TX.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.

Trip from Henderson, TX to Brownsville, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-69

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Overnight Options

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Victoria County Southbound Rest Area

Service Plaza

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

TA

Flying J Travel Center

Victoria County Northbound Rest Area

Kenedy County Rest Area

Polk County Northbound Rest Area

Polk County Southbound Rest Area

Texas Travel Information Center at Harlingen

Buc-ee's

Love's Travel Stop

Pilot Travel Center

Pilot Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Road Ranger

TA

Service Plaza

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

QuikTrip

Love's Travel Stop

San Patricio County Northbound Rest Area

Washington Plaza

Stillman House Museum

Gladys Porter Zoo

ExitusVR

Southern Pacific Linear Park

Bates Allen Park

Children's Museum of Brownsville

Lincoln Park

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Henderson, TX

Brownsville, TX

Same local time

2 degrees warmer at arrival

10h 6m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

Padre Island National Seashore

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Henderson, TX

Arriving in Brownsville, TX

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Should I split this drive into multiple days?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Are there national parks near this route?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

Continue From Brownsville, TX

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