Trip from Houston, TX to Fort Davis, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

10h 3m

Distance

593 mi

954 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$90

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min

4 AM

9h 55m ★

6 AM

10h 4m

8 AM

10h 22m

10 AM

10h 10m

12 PM

10h 8m

3 PM

10h 11m

5 PM

10h 21m

8 PM

9h 58m

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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Houston, TX

Trace Hudson

Fort Davis, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Trip Overview

Houston, TX to Fort Davis, TX is 593 miles and takes about 10h 3m via I 10 and TX 17, with a fuel budget near $94 and an overnight stay recommended. This long-haul drive spans across Texas, beginning in the Great Plains region and ending in the same region, offering a direct path through the state. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, making it a straightforward trip for those looking to cover ground efficiently. Given the 10-hour duration, planning for an overnight stop is wise to avoid fatigue and enjoy the drive more comfortably.

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

296.5 miles from Houston, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 8m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 10	348.5 mi	5h 31m
Katy Freeway	174.9 mi	3h 1m
TX 17	31.2 mi	38m
Anderson Loop	20.4 mi	22m
I 10 Business	7.3 mi	10m
Farm-to-Market Road 1518	5.4 mi	9m
Gordon A Blake Highway	2 mi	3m
State Street	1.3 mi	1m

Longest stretch: I 10 — 348.5 mi, about 5h 31m

Traffic on I-10

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 44 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

2 PM

~1,584 veh/hr typical · worst 2,261

Quietest

2 AM

~235 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.7×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 52 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 Houston, TX and Fort Davis, TX.

Start on Louisiana Street

0.1 mi · 24 sec · Louisiana Street

Use the straight / left lanes.

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 52 sec

Toward I 10 West: San Antonio

Merge onto I 10; US 90

175 mi · 3 hr 1 min · Katy Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 90; TX 130

1.9 mi · 1 min · I 10; US 90; TX 130

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 14 sec

Exit 591 Toward TX 1518: Schertz Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto Interstate 10 East

0.1 mi · 21 sec · Interstate 10 East

Turn right onto FM 1518

5.4 mi · 9 min · Farm-to-Market Road 1518

At end of road, turn left onto FM 78

2.0 mi · 3 min · Gordon A Blake Highway

Turn left

0.2 mi · 21 sec

Take the ramp

265 ft · 6 sec

Toward Loop 1604 North

Merge onto Loop 1604

20 mi · 22 min · Anderson Loop

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 20 sec

Toward Frontage Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto North Loop 1604 West

0.2 mi · 25 sec · North Loop 1604 West

Turn right onto Interstate 10 West

0.3 mi · 24 sec · Interstate 10 West

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 19 sec

Toward I 10 West, US 87 North

Merge onto I 10; US 87

1.1 mi · 1 min · I 10; US 87

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87

345 mi · 5 hr 28 min · I 10; US 87

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Take the exit onto TX 17

0.3 mi · 43 sec · TX 17

Exit 209 Toward I 10 Business Loop, SH 17: Balmorhea, Fort Davis

Turn left onto I 10 Business; TX 17

0.2 mi · 17 sec · I 10 Business; TX 17

Turn right onto I 10 Business; TX 17

7.1 mi · 10 min · I 10 Business; TX 17

Turn left onto TX 17

31 mi · 37 min · TX 17

At end of road, turn left onto TX 17; TX 118

1.3 mi · 1 min · State Street

Arrive at destination

TX 17; TX 118

Trip Plan

For this 10-hour drive, departing early in the morning is your best bet to maximize daylight. With two recommended stops, consider breaking the 593 miles into two manageable days, perhaps stopping around the halfway point. The longest stretch without a major exit is 348.5 miles on I 10, so ensure you have adequate fuel before embarking on that segment. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you approach Fort Davis, as services can be spread out in West Texas. Splitting the drive over two days will make the trip much more relaxed and safer.

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 296.5 miles from Houston, TX, or about 5h 8m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 348.5 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 130 miles or 2h 15m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 296.5 miles or 5h 8m 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 296.5 miles or 5h 8m

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 8h 53m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Houston, 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 Houston, TX

Aim for roughly 297 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Fort Davis, TX

Aim for roughly 297 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 130 miles from Houston, 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 I 10 for about 348.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

census designated place in Bexar County, Texas, United States

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Timberwood Park, TX

196 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 and county seat of Kimble County, Texas, United States

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Junction, TX

391 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 Junction, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Junction, TX

297 mi · about 5h in

A practical overnight split lands near Junction, TX after about 297 miles or 5 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Montopolis, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 130 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Junction, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 296.5 miles from Houston, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 10 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 348.5 miles.

Overnight split

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Houston, Texas

Hours: 10 am–8:30 pm

+17132233474

Visit website

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour

Houston, Texas

Hours: 9 am–8 pm

+17135221138

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 19

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 553.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in | I 10; US 90 / Katy Freeway

Merge onto I 10; US 90 / Katy Freeway

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

177.4 mi into trip | ~3h 5m in

Take the exit toward TX 1518: Schertz

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 591 Toward TX 1518: Schertz

205.7 mi into trip | ~3h 41m in

Take the exit toward Frontage Road

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Frontage Road

207.7 mi into trip | ~3h 44m in | I 10; US 87

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

553.1 mi into trip | ~9h 12m in | TX 17

Take the exit onto TX 17 toward I 10 Business Loop, SH 17: Balmorhea, Fort Davis

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

Exit 209 Toward I 10 Business Loop, SH 17: Balmorhea, Fo...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$90.02 one way

$180.05 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 208 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$99.22	$198.44
premium	$4.58	$106.93	$213.85
diesel	$5.35	$124.90	$249.81

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$90

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$220–$330

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 207.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.

Driving Electric?

About $62 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	177.9	2	$62.27	$28.46
Efficient EV	148.3	1	$51.89	$23.72
EV Truck/SUV	237.2	2	$83.02	$37.95

Gas CO2

207 kg

EV CO2

69 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 Jun 3, 2026

Origin

Houston, TX

Afternoon in Houston on Wednesday

Local time

3:35 PM

CDT

Current temp

75°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

E 5 mph 47% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued June 3 at 12:52AM CDT until June 3 at 2:30AM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued June 3 at 12:51AM CDT until June 3 at 3:45AM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Destination

Fort Davis, TX

Afternoon in Fort Davis on Wednesday

Local time

3:35 PM

CDT

Current temp

58°F

Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms

NE 5 to 10 mph 29% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued June 3 at 12:52AM CDT until June 3 at 2:30AM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued June 3 at 12:51AM CDT until June 3 at 3:45AM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

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

17 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

10h 3m 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.

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...

18 mi from route ~45 min detour Free near mile 184

View on nps.gov

Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park tells the story of our 36th president beginning with his ancestors until his final resting place on his beloved LBJ Ranch. This entire "circle of life" gives...

27 mi from route ~67 min detour Free near mile 245.4

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

This route is predominantly highway driving, with 95% of the 593 miles on major roads like I 10 and the Katy Freeway. You'll experience a substantial stretch of 348.5 miles on I 10 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect to encounter more rural cruising as you move away from urban areas. The transition from highway to TX 17 marks the shift to surface roads, which will likely involve more varied traffic conditions.

95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 348.5 mi on I 10.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and Katy Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near I 10; US 90 / Katy Freeway.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 593 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 0.6 miles (I 10; US 90 / Katy Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 177.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 205.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes

4,897 ft 35 ft

Total Climb

4,918 ft

Total Descent

57 ft

Highest Point

4,897 ft

~593 mi in

Elevation Range

4,861 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Houston, TX and Fort Davis, TX, road signs point toward Loop 1604 North and Sh 17: Balmorhea.

Loop 1604 North

185.3 mi in | ~3h 19m

Sh 17: Balmorhea

553.1 mi in | ~9h 12m | via TX 17

About the Cities

Starting 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

Arriving in Fort Davis, TX

Full guide →

Fort Davis is a town in the Big Bend Country region of Texas.

Top landmarks

• Fort Davis National Historic Site — historic site in Fort Davis, Jeff Davis County, Texas

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 348.5 miles on I 10. 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 297 miles on day one.

Yes — we found about 60 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 Fort Davis, 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 60 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park. 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 20.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Fort Davis, 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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