Medina County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Laredo, TX to Sherman, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 23, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 41m
Distance
492.7 mi
793 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$74
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 34m
★
6 AM
8h 42m
8 AM
8h 57m
10 AM
8h 47m
12 PM
8h 46m
3 PM
8h 48m
5 PM
8h 56m
8 PM
8h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Laredo, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Sherman, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Laredo, TX to Sherman, TX is 492.7 miles and takes about 8h 41m via Purple Heart Trail and I 35E, with a fuel budget near $70 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route traverses Texas, starting in the Great Plains region and ending in the same region. It's a straightforward trip primarily on major highways, making it a practical choice for getting from South Texas northwards. Consider this if you need an efficient way to cover ground within the state, with a predictable drive and manageable fuel costs.
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
246.3 miles from Laredo, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 21m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 332.7 mi | 5h 45m |
| I 35E | 56.2 mi | 58m |
| North Central Expressway | 45 mi | 48m |
| South Pan Am Expressway | 21.5 mi | 26m |
| South Henry Hynds Expressway | 10.1 mi | 10m |
| North Pan Am Expressway | 7.4 mi | 8m |
| South Jack Kultgen Expressway | 6.6 mi | 7m |
| South Sam Rayburn Freeway | 6.6 mi | 7m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 332.7 mi, about 5h 45m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 144 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~3,113 veh/hr typical · worst 3,676
Quietest
2 AM
~514 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 105 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 Laredo, TX and Sherman, TX.
1
Start on Matamoros Street
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Matamoros Street
2
Turn left onto San Dario Avenue
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
San Dario Avenue
3
Continue on I 35; I 27; US 83
144 mi
·
2 hr 27 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Continue on I 35
9.3 mi
·
11 min
·
South Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
South Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
10 mi
·
13 min
·
South Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 37, US 281: Upper Level, Corpus Christi, Johnson City
Use the straight lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto North Pan Am Expressway
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35: Austin
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 35
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 35
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 35
48 mi
·
52 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290
96 mi
·
1 hr 40 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 35
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
South Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 35; US 77
33 mi
·
33 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
56 mi
·
58 min
·
I 35E
Toward I 35E: Dallas
Use the slight right lane.
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 427A
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street
Use the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
422 ft
·
5 sec
Toward I 35E North, I 30 West: Denton, Fort Worth, Texarkana
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Convention Center
18
Keep slight left at fork
385 ft
·
6 sec
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana
19
Continue on I 30; US 67
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East R L Thornton Freeway
20
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 46
Toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney
Use the slight right lane.
21
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 75 North: McKinney
Use the slight left lane.
22
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Toward US 75 North: McKinney, Bryan Street East
23
Merge onto US 75
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Continue on US 75
45 mi
·
48 min
·
North Central Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
25
Continue on US 75
10 mi
·
10 min
·
South Henry Hynds Expressway
26
Continue on US 75
6.4 mi
·
6 min
·
South Sam Rayburn Freeway
27
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward TX 56: Lamar Street, Houston Street
28
Turn straight onto South Sam Rayburn Freeway
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
South Sam Rayburn Freeway
29
Turn right onto TX 56
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
West Lamar Street
30
Arrive at destination
TX 56
Trip Plan
For this 8h 41m drive, consider leaving Laredo early to maximize your daylight hours, especially since it's a single-day option. With two recommended stops, you can break up the 492.7 miles effectively. The longest stretch is 332.7 miles on the Purple Heart Trail, so plan your first major stop shortly after completing that segment. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $70, and refueling options might be less frequent on parts of the Purple Heart Trail compared to the interstate sections.
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 246.3 miles from Laredo, TX, or about 4h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 332.7 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 108 miles or 1h 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 246.3 miles or 4h 21m 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 246.3 miles or 4h 21m
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 7h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sherman, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Laredo, 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 Laredo, TX
Aim for roughly 246 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Sherman, TX
Aim for roughly 246 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 108 miles from Laredo, 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 Purple Heart Trail for about 332.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
246 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 San Antonio, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
246 mi · about 4.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 246 miles or 4.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 108 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 246.3 miles from Laredo, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 332.7 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 246 miles or 4.3 hours on the road.
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.
Medina County Southbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Hill County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Hill County Southbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Texas Travel Information Center at Laredo
0.1 mi from route
La Salle County Northbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
La Salle County Southbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.1 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Stripes
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Ascent Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.2 mi from route
Bell County Northbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
TA
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Marlstone Retail Center
0.4 mi from route
Minuteman Press
0.5 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.9 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.9 mi from route
SoPac Trail Rest Area
1.9 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
2.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.4 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
2.4 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
2.5 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 155.9 and 428.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
155.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 41m in
|
I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway toward I 37, US 281: Upper Level, Corpus Christi, Johnson City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 37, US 281: Upper Level, Corpus Christ...
7
166.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 54m in
|
North Pan Am Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35: Austin
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35: Austin
7
370.6 mi into trip
|
~6h 31m in
|
I 35E
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E toward I 35E: Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 35E: Dallas
8
426.8 mi into trip
|
~7h 29m in
Take the exit toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Boulevard, Griffin Street
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 427A
Toward I 30 East: Texarkana, Riverfront Bouleva...
8
428.5 mi into trip
|
~7h 32m in
Take the exit toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney
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 46
Toward I 45, US 75: Houston, McKinney
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$73.96 one way
$147.93 round trip
$3.81/gal
25.4 MPG avg
172 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $81.84 | $163.68 |
| premium | $4.57 | $88.55 | $177.10 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $121.74 | $243.48 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.60
Central Expressway
(45 mi)
$3.60
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$74
Tolls
$4
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$208–$318
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 172.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 147.8 | 1 | $51.73 | $23.65 |
| Efficient EV | 123.2 | 1 | $43.11 | $19.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 197.1 | 2 | $68.98 | $31.53 |
Gas CO2
172 kg
EV CO2
58 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.
Origin
Laredo, TX
Night in Laredo on Thursday
Local time
9:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
ENE 3 to 8 mph
24% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Sherman, TX
Night in Sherman on Thursday
Local time
9:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Sunny
ESE 0 to 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
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
5 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
8h 41m 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.
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...
5 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 339.8
View on nps.gov
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...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
Free
near mile 152.9
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 32% of your time on highways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 332.7 miles on the Purple Heart Trail. After this significant segment, you'll transition to I 35E and North Central Expressway, which often feature dense exit patterns and increased traffic as you approach urban areas. Expect a mixed driving experience with some rural cruising and urban merging.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 332.7 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 155.9 miles in near I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway.
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 16 significant decision points across 492.7 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 155.9 miles (I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 166.4 miles (North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 370.6 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
819 ft
413 ft
Total Climb
831 ft
Total Descent
510 ft
Highest Point
819 ft
~176 mi in
Elevation Range
405 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.
Between Laredo, TX and Sherman, TX, road signs point toward Corpus Christi, Johnson City, Fort Worth, Texarkana, Convention Center and Mckinney - among others.
Corpus Christi
155.9 mi in
|
~2h 41m
|
via I 35
Johnson City
155.9 mi in
|
~2h 41m
|
via I 35
Fort Worth
427.2 mi in
|
~7h 30m
Texarkana
427.2 mi in
|
~7h 30m
Convention Center
427.2 mi in
|
~7h 30m
Mckinney
428.5 mi in
|
~7h 32m
Bryan Street East
429.4 mi in
|
~7h 33m
About the Cities
Starting in Laredo, TX
Full guide →“The Gateway City” · Founded 1755
Laredo is a city with 262,000 (2019) inhabitants on the South Texas Plains. Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, is just across the Rio Grande.
Top landmarks
- • Cathedral of San Agustin — historic place in Laredo, Webb County, Texas
- • Fort McIntosh — historic district in Laredo, Webb County, Texas
- • Barrio Azteca Historic District — historic district in Laredo, Webb County, Texas
Arriving in Sherman, TX
Full guide →Founded 1846
Sherman is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of North Texas.
Top landmarks
- • Paul Brown Federal Building and United States Courthouse — building in Sherman, Grayson County, Texas
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Solo Traveler
8h 41m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 332.7 miles on Purple Heart Trail. 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 246 miles on day one.
Expect about $3.60 in tolls one way, starting with Central Expressway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 59 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 Sherman, 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 59 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 155.9 miles (I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 166.4 miles (North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 370.6 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.7 hours each way, a round trip means 17.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Sherman, 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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