Trip from Leon Valley, TX to Irving, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 9m

Distance

286 mi

460 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$39

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 56m ★

6 AM

5h 9m

8 AM

5h 36m

10 AM

5h 19m

12 PM

5h 16m

3 PM

5h 20m

5 PM

5h 35m

8 PM

5h 1m

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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Leon Valley, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Irving, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 286-mile drive from Leon Valley, TX, to Irving, TX, is a solid day trip, estimated to take about 5 hours and 9 minutes. You'll be navigating primarily on the Purple Heart Trail and I-35E, with a section of Connally Loop. With a fuel cost estimated at $43 and only one recommended stop, it's a straightforward journey across the Great Plains region of Texas. The route is characterized by its turn-heavy local drive profile, suggesting you'll encounter more varied road conditions than a pure interstate cruise. This trip is best tackled in a single day, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay.

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

143 miles from Leon Valley, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 36m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Purple Heart Trail	188.3 mi	3h 18m
I 35E	47.3 mi	48m
Connally Loop	13.2 mi	15m
North Pan Am Expressway	6.8 mi	7m
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway	6.6 mi	7m
South Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m
South Walton Walker Boulevard	5.4 mi	5m
Patriot Parkway	3.9 mi	4m

Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 188.3 mi, about 3h 18m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 88 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

5 PM

~3,763 veh/hr typical · worst 4,358

Quietest

2 AM

~649 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

5.8×

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 Leon Valley, TX and Irving, TX.

Start on TX 16

1.5 mi · 2 min · Bandera Road

Turn left onto Northwest Loop 410

374 ft · 7 sec · Northwest Loop 410

Use the straight lane.

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 27 sec

Toward I 410 East

Merge onto I 410

13 mi · 15 min · Connally Loop

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 41 sec

Toward I 35 North: Austin

Merge onto I 35

6.8 mi · 7 min · North Pan Am Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

12 mi · 12 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

1.9 mi · 2 min · Interstate Highway 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

48 mi · 52 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

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.

Continue on I 35

6.6 mi · 7 min · South Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35; US 77

33 mi · 33 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E

47 mi · 48 min · I 35E

Toward I 35E: Dallas Use the slight right lane.

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 2 min

Exit 418A Toward I 20 West: Fort Worth Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto I 20

6.6 mi · 7 min · Lyndon B Johnson Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min

Exit 460 Toward Spur 408 Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto Spur 408

3.9 mi · 4 min · Patriot Parkway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto Loop 12

5.4 mi · 5 min · South Walton Walker Boulevard

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

492 ft · 12 sec

Toward TX 356: Irving Boulevard Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto South Loop 12

0.3 mi · 32 sec · South Loop 12

Turn left onto TX 356

0.4 mi · 59 sec · East State Highway 356

Use the left / straight lanes.

Continue on TX 356

1.2 mi · 2 min · East Irving Boulevard

Continue on West Irving Boulevard

0.1 mi · 26 sec · West Irving Boulevard

Turn right onto North Ohio Street

58 ft · 2 sec · North Ohio Street

Arrive at destination

North Ohio Street

Trip Plan

Given the 5-hour, 9-minute duration, starting your drive from Leon Valley, TX, in the early morning is advisable to maximize daylight and minimize traffic, especially as you approach Irving, TX. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost of approximately $43, this trip is well-suited for a single-day adventure. The 'turn-heavy local drive' profile means staying alert for changes in speed limits and road direction; pay close attention to your GPS, particularly during the 188.3-mile stretch on the Purple Heart Trail. Planning your single stop strategically can break up the drive effectively without adding significant time.

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 143 miles from Leon Valley, TX, or about 2h 36m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 188.3 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 63 miles or 1h 11m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 143 miles or 2h 36m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 10m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Leon Valley, 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 Leon Valley, TX

This is one driving day of about 286 miles and 5h 9m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 63 miles from Leon Valley, 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 188.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Troy, TX

143 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

San Marcos, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 63 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Troy, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 143 miles from Leon Valley, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, right off the route

Final third 0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour

Waco, Texas

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Austin Bat Tours

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 1 mi from route ~2 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

Visit website

O. P. Schnabel Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 5 am–11 pm

+12102077275

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 83.7 and 283.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

83.7 mi into trip | ~1h 33m in | I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

218.9 mi into trip | ~3h 54m 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

266.2 mi into trip | ~4h 43m in

Take the exit toward I 20 West: Fort Worth

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 418A Toward I 20 West: Fort Worth

273.8 mi into trip | ~4h 52m in

Take the exit toward Spur 408

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 460 Toward Spur 408

283.9 mi into trip | ~5h 4m in

Take the exit toward TX 356: Irving Boulevard

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward TX 356: Irving Boulevard

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$39.17 one way

$78.35 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 100 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$43.76	$87.51
premium	$4.23	$47.57	$95.15
diesel	$4.80	$54.00	$108.00

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$39

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$64–$89

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 100.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $30 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	85.8	1	$30.03	$13.73
Efficient EV	71.5	0	$25.03	$11.44
EV Truck/SUV	114.4	1	$40.04	$18.30

Gas CO2

100 kg

EV CO2

33 kg (67% 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 20, 2026

Origin

Leon Valley, TX

Late night in Leon Valley on Monday

Local time

1:58 AM

CDT

Current temp

73°F

Partly Cloudy

SE 5 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 19 at 7:22PM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 19 at 6:49PM CDT until July 19 at 9:45PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Destination

Irving, TX

Late night in Irving on Monday

Local time

1:58 AM

CDT

Current temp

81°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Clear

S 5 to 10 mph 17% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 19 at 7:22PM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 19 at 6:49PM CDT until July 19 at 9:45PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

96°F

Troy, TX

143 mi in

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

8 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

5h 9m 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...

4 mi from route ~11 min detour Free near mile 195.4

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...

15 mi from route ~36 min detour Free near mile 10.3

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this 286-mile journey. While 26% of your trip will be on highways, a significant portion involves navigating local roads, indicated by the 'Purple Heart Trail' and 'Connally Loop' in your route. The longest uninterrupted stretch is a considerable 188.3 miles on the Purple Heart Trail, offering a chance to settle in before the landscape shifts. This route isn't a monotonous interstate grind; instead, it offers a mix of faster highway segments and more involved local road driving, requiring your attention as you transition between them.

Only 26% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.

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

Longest single stretch: 188.3 mi on Purple Heart Trail.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 83.7 miles in near I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail.

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 15 significant decision points across 286 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 83.7 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 218.9 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 266.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

902 ft 438 ft

Total Climb

554 ft

Total Descent

897 ft

Highest Point

902 ft

~122.6 mi in

Elevation Range

464 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Leon Valley, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1952

Arriving in Irving, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1903

Irving is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. Part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Irving has experienced exponential growth over the past fifty years, and is home to a multitude of attractions of all types, from modern art to major sporting events. Founded in 1902 out of the remnants of the small community of Kit, Irving is now a bustling city of approximately 197,000 residents. Rather like Dallas, it is divided into a highly affluent northern half and less affluent but highly diverse southern half. It is bounded to the east by the northern fork (Elm Fork) of the Trinity River and to the northwest by the sprawling D/FW International Airport.

Top landmarks

• Ruth Paine Home — house in Irving, Texas, United States

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 5h 9m. Total distance: 286 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 188.3 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 29 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 Irving, 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 29 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

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 5.2 hours each way, a round trip means 10.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Irving, 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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Trip from Leon Valley, TX to Irving, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-35

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Hill County Northbound Rest Area

Service Plaza

Love's Travel Stop

Flying J Travel Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

Buc-ee's

Flying J Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

QuikTrip

Love's Travel Stop

Petro Stopping Centers

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

TA

Bell County Northbound Rest Area

Bell County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Walburg Travel Center & Food Court

Road Ranger

Love's Travel Stop

QuikTrip

Buc-ee's

Pilot Travel Center

TA

Service Plaza

Marlstone Retail Center

QuikTrip

Doris D Miller Park

Austin Bat Tours

O. P. Schnabel Park

Botanical Gates of Paradise

Denman Estate Park

Morgan's Wonderland

Barton Creek Greenbelt

Tube Chute

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Leon Valley, TX

Irving, TX

Same local time

8 degrees warmer at arrival

5h 9m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Waco Mammoth National Monument

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

About the Cities

Starting in Leon Valley, TX

Arriving in Irving, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

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 Irving, TX

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