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
.
Step-by-step road directions between Leon Valley, TX and Irving, TX.
1
Start on TX 16
1.5 mi·2 min·Bandera Road
2
Turn left onto Northwest Loop 410
374 ft·7 sec·Northwest Loop 410
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward I 410 East
4
Merge onto I 410
13 mi·15 min·Connally Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward I 35 North: Austin
6
Merge onto I 35
6.8 mi·7 min·North Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 35
12 mi·12 min·Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 35
1.9 mi·2 min·Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 35
48 mi·52 min·Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
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.
11
Continue on I 35
6.6 mi·7 min·South Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 35; US 77
33 mi·33 min·Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
47 mi·48 min·I 35E
Toward I 35E: DallasUse the slight right lane.
14
Take the exit
0.9 mi·2 min
Exit 418AToward I 20 West: Fort WorthUse the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto I 20
6.6 mi·7 min·Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 460Toward Spur 408Use the slight right lane.
17
Merge onto Spur 408
3.9 mi·4 min·Patriot Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Merge onto Loop 12
5.4 mi·5 min·South Walton Walker Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
492 ft·12 sec
Toward TX 356: Irving BoulevardUse the slight right lane.
20
Turn straight onto South Loop 12
0.3 mi·32 sec·South Loop 12
21
Turn left onto TX 356
0.4 mi·59 sec·East State Highway 356
Use the left / straight lanes.
22
Continue on TX 356
1.2 mi·2 min·East Irving Boulevard
23
Continue on West Irving Boulevard
0.1 mi·26 sec·West Irving Boulevard
24
Turn right onto North Ohio Street
58 ft·2 sec·North Ohio Street
25
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.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
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.
6
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.
7
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
7
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
7
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
6
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
$43.22 one way
$86.43 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg100 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$47.30
$94.61
premium
$4.54
$51.06
$102.13
diesel
$5.61
$63.15
$126.29
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
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, 2026-04-13.
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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Leon Valley, TX
Morning
in Leon Valley on Sunday
Local time
11:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Irving, TX
Morning
in Irving on Sunday
Local time
11:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
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.
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
16 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
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
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
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
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 Effort10/10
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.
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
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.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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.
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.
