Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Kilgore, TX to Killeen, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 5m
Distance
215.1 mi
346 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$29
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 52m
★
6 AM
4h 5m
8 AM
4h 31m
10 AM
4h 14m
12 PM
4h 12m
3 PM
4h 15m
5 PM
4h 30m
8 PM
3h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kilgore, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Killeen, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 215.1-mile drive from Kilgore, TX to Killeen, TX is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in a single day, taking approximately 4 hours and 5 minutes. You'll primarily be on State Highway 31 East and West, with a significant portion on the Purple Heart Trail. With a fuel cost estimated at $33, this is an economical option for a day trip. The route offers a mixed driving experience as you traverse the Great Plains region of Texas. Given its manageable length and duration, it's well-suited for a one-day adventure without the need for an overnight stop.
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
107.5 miles from Kilgore, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 6m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 37.9 mi | 39m |
| State Highway 31 West | 36 mi | 42m |
| State Highway 31 East | 30.9 mi | 35m |
| West State Highway 31 | 18.8 mi | 21m |
| State Highway 31 | 17.2 mi | 17m |
| Central Texas Expressway | 13.1 mi | 13m |
| Corsicana Bypass | 11.8 mi | 13m |
| Northwest 2nd Street | 9.3 mi | 10m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 37.9 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kilgore, TX and Killeen, TX.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn left onto Gladewater Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Gladewater Street
3
Turn right onto TX 135
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
State Highway 135 North
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Toward TX 31
5
Turn left onto TX 31
26 mi
·
30 min
·
State Highway 31 West
6
Continue on TX 31
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Chandler Highway
7
Continue on TX 31
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
State Highway 31 West
8
Continue on TX 31
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Highway 31
9
Continue on TX 31
21 mi
·
23 min
·
State Highway 31 East
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
11
Merge onto US 175; TX 19; TX 31; Loop 7
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Jed Robinson Loop
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
13
Keep slight left at fork
445 ft
·
14 sec
14
Turn right onto TX 31
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 31 West
15
Continue on TX 31
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
East Royall Boulevard
16
Continue on TX 31
9.9 mi
·
11 min
·
State Highway 31 East
17
Continue on TX 31
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Northwest 2nd Street
18
Turn left onto TX 31
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Corsicana Bypass
Use the straight lane.
19
At end of road, turn left onto TX 31
19 mi
·
21 min
·
West State Highway 31
20
Continue on TX 31
5.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Hubbard Bypass
21
Continue on TX 31
17 mi
·
17 min
·
State Highway 31
22
Continue on US 84
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
East US Highway 84
23
Continue on US 84
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Bellmead Drive
24
Turn straight onto US 84
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Waco Drive
25
Turn left onto North Jack Kultgen Expressway
519 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the left / straight lanes.
26
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 35 South, US 77 South
27
Merge onto I 35; US 77
6.1 mi
·
6 min
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Continue on I 35
38 mi
·
39 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Keep slight right at fork onto I 14; US 190
13 mi
·
13 min
·
Central Texas Expressway
Toward US 190 West: Killeen, Fort Cavazos
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 287
Toward FM 3470: Rosewood Drive, Stan Schlueter Loop
Use the slight right lane.
31
Turn straight onto West Central Texas Expressway
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West Central Texas Expressway
32
Turn right onto South W.S. Young Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South W.S. Young Drive
33
Turn left onto US 190 Bus
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Veterans Memorial Boulevard
34
Turn right
83 ft
·
8 sec
35
Turn right
74 ft
·
5 sec
36
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour, 5-minute journey, leaving in the morning will give you plenty of daylight to reach Killeen. Since it's a single-day trip, you have flexibility with stops; plan for one main stop around the halfway point or whenever you feel the need to stretch. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 37.9-mile stretch on the Purple Heart Trail, as services might be less frequent there. The $33 fuel cost is a good estimate, but always factor in a little extra buffer.
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 107.5 miles from Kilgore, TX, or about 2h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37.9 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 47 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 107.5 miles or 2h 6m 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 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Killeen, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kilgore, 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 Kilgore, TX
This is one driving day of about 215.1 miles and 4h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Kilgore, 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 Purple Heart Trail for about 37.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
108 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 47 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 107.5 miles from Kilgore, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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.
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
2.3 mi from route
Doris D Miller Park
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Later in the drive, right off the route
Final third
0.7 mi from route
~2 min detour
Waco, Texas
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteCultural Activities Center
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
2.3 mi from route
~6 min detour
Temple, Texas
Hours: 8:30 am–4 pm
+12547739926
Visit websiteGreat Escape of Central Texas
4.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
3.1 mi from route
~8 min detour
Killeen, Texas
Hours: 3:30–9:30 pm
+12546802686
Visit websiteLions Club Park
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
3.3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Killeen, Texas
Hours: 5 am–10 pm
+12545016390
Visit websiteTyler Rose Garden
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, ~10 min detour
First break
3.9 mi from route
~10 min detour
Tyler, Texas
Hours: 8 am–5 pm
+19035311212
Visit websiteTyler Rose Museum & Gift Shop
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, ~10 min detour
First break
3.8 mi from route
~10 min detour
Tyler, Texas
Hours: 9 am–4:30 pm
+19035973130
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 205 decision points cluster between mile 64.8 and 209.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
64.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
93.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 50m in
|
TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass
Turn left onto TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
152.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 56m in
|
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Turn left onto North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
196.5 mi into trip
|
~3h 43m in
|
I 14; US 190 / Central Texas Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 14; US 190 / Central Texas Expressway toward US 190 West: Killeen, Fort Cavazos
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 190 West: Killeen, Fort Cavazos
8
209.6 mi into trip
|
~3h 56m in
Take the exit toward FM 3470: Rosewood Drive, Stan Schlueter Loop
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 287
Toward FM 3470: Rosewood Drive, Stan Schlueter...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.46 one way
$58.92 round trip
$3.48/gal
25.4 MPG avg
75 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.89 | $32.91 | $65.82 |
| premium | $4.23 | $35.78 | $71.56 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $40.61 | $81.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 75.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 64.5 | 0 | $22.59 | $10.32 |
| Efficient EV | 53.8 | 0 | $18.82 | $8.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 86 | 1 | $30.11 | $13.77 |
Gas CO2
75 kg
EV CO2
25 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.
Origin
Kilgore, TX
Late night in Kilgore on Tuesday
Local time
5:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Partly Sunny
SW 5 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 5:45PM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 5:44PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Destination
Killeen, TX
Late night in Killeen on Tuesday
Local time
5:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Mostly Sunny
S 10 to 15 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 5:45PM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 5:44PM 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.
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
4h 5m 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...
6 mi from route
~14 min detour
Free
near mile 155.8
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
The drive offers a blend of highway speeds and local road cruising, with about 60% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 37.9 miles on the Purple Heart Trail, providing a good opportunity to settle in. The profile is described as a 'mixed drive,' suggesting a varied experience rather than a monotonous interstate grind. Expect the character of the road to change as you move between different state highways and designated routes, offering a dynamic feel behind the wheel.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
36 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.9 mi on Purple Heart Trail.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 64.8 miles in.
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 20 significant decision points across 215.1 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 64.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 93.5 miles (TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass): Lane positioning matters here; at 152.1 miles (North Jack Kultgen Expressway): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
823 ft
274 ft
Total Climb
923 ft
Total Descent
458 ft
Highest Point
823 ft
~215.1 mi in
Elevation Range
549 ft
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 Kilgore, TX to Killeen, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Cavazos along the way.
Fort Cavazos
196.5 mi in
|
~3h 43m
|
via I 14; US 190
About the Cities
Starting in Kilgore, TX
Full guide →“Home of the Rangerettes” · Founded 1872
Kilgore is in the Central Piney Woods region of East Texas. Home to slightly less than 14,000 residents (2025), Kilgore is often identified as the "Oil Capital of East Texas", due to its proximity near the center of the vast East Texas Oilfield. Residents are proud of their heritage, and evidence of the city's prominence in petroleum production is widespread and accentuated throughout Kilgore.
Arriving in Killeen, TX
Full guide →Founded 1872
Killeen is a city in the Central Hill Country of Texas. It is home to U.S. Army installation Fort Cavasos, one of the largest military bases in the world.
Top landmarks
- • Killeen High School — historic place in Killeen, Bell 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 4h 5m. Total distance: 215.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37.9 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 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 Killeen, 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 6 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 64.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 93.5 miles (TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass): Lane positioning matters here; at 152.1 miles (North Jack Kultgen Expressway): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Killeen, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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