Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
13h 20m
Distance
764.7 mi
1,231 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$116
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Laredo, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Spearman, TX
Wikimedia Commons
This 764.7-mile journey from Laredo, TX to Spearman, TX will take approximately 13 hours and 20 minutes of driving time. Given the distance and duration, this is definitely a trip best split over two days, with the option to add more stops if you prefer a more leisurely pace. The route primarily utilizes the Purple Heart Trail and Marshall Formby Memorial Highway, with a 43% share of interstate driving. You can expect your fuel costs to be around $116 for this long-distance drive across Texas. Both your origin and destination are within the Great Plains region, so expect consistent, open landscapes.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
3 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
382.3 miles from Laredo, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 40m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 139.6 mi | 2h 22m |
| Marshall Formby Memorial Highway | 109.9 mi | 1h 51m |
| I 10 | 99.8 mi | 1h 38m |
| US 84 | 74.5 mi | 1h 14m |
| South Fillmore Street | 45.4 mi | 47m |
| Frisco Avenue | 41.9 mi | 44m |
| State Highway 153 | 29.5 mi | 33m |
| North Main Street | 29.3 mi | 30m |
Step-by-step road directions between Laredo, TX and Spearman, TX.
Start on Matamoros Street
Turn left onto San Dario Avenue
Continue on I 35; I 27; US 83
Take the exit
Continue on Interstate 35 South
Turn left onto Loop 1604
Keep slight left at fork onto Loop 1604
Take the exit
Turn straight onto North Loop 1604 West
Turn left onto Interstate 10 West
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 10; US 87
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87
Take the exit onto US 83
Turn right onto US 83; US 377
Continue on US 83
Continue on US 83
Turn right onto US 67; US 83
Turn left onto TX 158
Turn right onto FM 2111
Turn left onto TX 153
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 153
Turn right onto TX 70
Continue on TX 70
Turn left onto Northwest Georgia Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 20; US 84
Take the exit onto US 84
Keep slight left at fork onto US 84
Turn right onto Loop 46
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 207
Turn straight onto TX 207
Turn left onto Spur 575
Turn right onto US 84
Continue on US 84
Continue on US 84
Continue on US 84
Continue on US 84
Take the exit
Turn slight right onto Interstate 27
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 27; US 87
Continue on I 27; US 60; US 87
Keep slight left at fork onto US 87
Keep slight right at fork onto US 87; Original US Route 66
Continue on US 87; US 287
Turn right onto FM 119
Turn right onto FM 281
Turn left onto TX 207
Turn right onto TX 15; FM 760
Turn slight left onto FM 759; FM 760
Arrive at destination
To make the most of this 13-hour, 20-minute drive, plan to depart early in the morning to maximize daylight hours. Splitting the trip over two days is highly recommended; aim to complete roughly half the distance or driving time on your first day. You'll encounter three recommended stops, so factor those into your pacing. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longest stretch of 139.6 miles on the Purple Heart Trail, as services may be spaced out. A good tip is to fill up your tank whenever you see a station in a larger town, rather than waiting until you're on a more isolated section.
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.
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 168 miles or 2h 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 382.3 miles or 6h 40m 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 382.3 miles or 6h 40m
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 12h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Spearman, TX than in the middle of the route.
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 382 miles and 6.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Spearman, TX
Aim for roughly 382 miles and 6.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
252 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.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
505 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 Post, TXNight 1
382 mi · about 6.7h in
A practical overnight split lands near Mount Pleasant, TX after about 382 miles or 6.7 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 168 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 382.3 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 139.6 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 382 miles or 6.7 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 140 and 656.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward Loop 1604: Somerset
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto Loop 1604 / Anderson Loop
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Valero Way
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto US 87 toward US 87 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$115.55 one way
$231.10 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $126.48 | $252.95 |
| premium | $4.54 | $136.53 | $273.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $168.84 | $337.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$116
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$246–$356
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 267.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $80 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 229.4 | 2 | $80.29 | $36.71 |
| Efficient EV | 191.2 | 2 | $66.91 | $30.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 305.9 | 3 | $107.06 | $48.94 |
Gas CO2
268 kg
EV CO2
89 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Laredo on Sunday
Local time
1:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
95°F
Sunny
Destination
Late night in Spearman on Sunday
Local time
1:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Monument
13,000 years ago, Alibates Flint was used by mammoth hunters as a source of flint for tools. Learn how important this site was to the survival, commerce, and culture of the people of the High Plains.
National Recreation Area
Set within the wide‑open Texas Plains, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area offers a peaceful retreat in the heart of rugged grasslands. Over thousands of years, the Canadian River carved dramatic 2...
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...
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
The drive is characterized by its long-distance profile, featuring a mix of highway and other major roads. With 43% of the route on interstates, you'll find stretches of consistent speed, but also significant portions on roads like the Purple Heart Trail and Marshall Formby Memorial Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 139.6 miles on the Purple Heart Trail, so be prepared for extended periods between services. This route offers a substantial amount of driving, making it a true open-road experience across the state.
At 13h 20m, 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 140 miles in.
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 35 significant decision points across 764.7 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 140 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 148.4 miles (Loop 1604 / Anderson Loop): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 164.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Laredo, TX and Spearman, TX, road signs point toward Loop 1604: Somerset, Menard and Lubbock.
Loop 1604: Somerset
Menard
Lubbock
“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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Solo Traveler
13h 20m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Long-haul drive route profile with national parks nearby.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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