Trip from Live Oak, TX to Fort Worth, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 23, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 28m

Distance

251.9 mi

405 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$38

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 15m ★

6 AM

4h 28m

8 AM

4h 55m

10 AM

4h 38m

12 PM

4h 35m

3 PM

4h 39m

5 PM

4h 54m

8 PM

4h 20m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time

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Live Oak, TX

Phil Evenden

city and county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, United States

Fort Worth, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 251.9-mile drive from Live Oak, TX to Fort Worth, TX is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 4 hours and 28 minutes. You'll primarily navigate along the Purple Heart Trail and I 35W, with some time spent on the South Jack Kultgen Expressway. With an estimated fuel cost of $38, this route offers a straightforward journey through the Great Plains region of Texas. The drive is characterized by its turn-heavy local road sections, suggesting a more engaged driving experience than a pure interstate cruise. Considering the duration and profile, it's a perfect day trip where you can depart in the morning and arrive at your destination with plenty of time to spare.

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

126 miles from Live Oak, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 16m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Purple Heart Trail	188.3 mi	3h 18m
I 35W	49.2 mi	51m
South Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m
North Pan Am Expressway	4.1 mi	4m
Interstate Highway 35	1.9 mi	2m
Interstate 35 North	0.8 mi	1m
South Freeway	0.2 mi	<1m
Judson Road	<0.1 mi	<1m

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

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 108 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

3 PM

~3,465 veh/hr typical · worst 4,225

Quietest

2 AM

~591 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

5.9×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 104 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 Live Oak, TX and Fort Worth, TX.

Start on I 35

1.0 mi · 1 min · North Pan Am Expressway

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec

Exit 170 Toward Judson Road Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto Interstate 35 North

0.3 mi · 35 sec · Interstate 35 North

Use the left / straight lanes.

Turn left onto Judson Road

249 ft · 12 sec · Judson Road

Turn left onto Interstate 35 North

0.5 mi · 55 sec · Interstate 35 North

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 38 sec

Toward I 35 North

Merge onto I 35

3.1 mi · 3 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 left at fork onto I 35W

49 mi · 51 min · I 35W

Toward I 35W: Fort Worth Use the slight left lane.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec

Exit 49A Toward Allen Avenue Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto South Freeway

0.1 mi · 18 sec · South Freeway

Turn left onto East Allen Avenue

210 ft · 12 sec · East Allen Avenue

Turn left onto South Freeway

258 ft · 5 sec · South Freeway

Arrive at destination

South Freeway

Trip Plan

For this 4-hour and 28-minute drive, consider an early morning departure from Live Oak, TX, to maximize your daylight hours and allow for a leisurely pace. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in where and when you choose to stretch your legs or refuel. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the long 188.3-mile stretch on the Purple Heart Trail, as services might be less frequent than on major interstates. The $38 fuel cost is a good estimate, but it's always wise to have a little extra buffer. This trip is well-suited for a single day, so you can focus on enjoying the drive rather than planning an overnight stay.

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 126 miles from Live Oak, TX, or about 2h 16m 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 55 miles or 1h 1m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 126 miles or 2h 16m 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 39m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Live Oak, 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 Live Oak, TX

This is one driving day of about 251.9 miles and 4h 28m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Live Oak, 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.

city in Williamson County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Jarrell, TX

126 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

Austin, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Troy, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 126 miles from Live Oak, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

0.4 mi from route

Children's Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

First break 0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour

San Marcos, Texas

Hours: 6 am–11 pm

+15123938400

Visit website

The Sophienburg Museum & Archives

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

First break 1 mi from route ~2 min detour

New Braunfels, Texas

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+18306291572

Visit website

Calaboose African American History Museum

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

First break 0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour

San Marcos, Texas

Hours: 10 am–2 pm

+15123938421

Visit website

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~10 min detour

3.8 mi from route ~10 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 10 am–3 pm

+12104955888

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 251.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

1 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the exit toward Judson Road

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 170 Toward Judson Road

1.5 mi into trip | ~2m in | Judson Road

Turn left onto Judson Road

Navigation decision point

67 mi into trip | ~1h 14m 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.

202.2 mi into trip | ~3h 35m in | I 35W

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W toward I 35W: Fort Worth

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 35W: Fort Worth

251.4 mi into trip | ~4h 27m in

Take the exit toward Allen Avenue

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 49A Toward Allen Avenue

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$37.81 one way

$75.63 round trip

$3.81/gal 25.4 MPG avg 88 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.22	$41.84	$83.68
premium	$4.57	$45.27	$90.55
diesel	$6.28	$62.24	$124.48

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$38

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$63–$88

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 88.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.

Driving Electric?

About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	75.6	0	$26.45	$12.09
Efficient EV	63	0	$22.04	$10.08
EV Truck/SUV	100.8	1	$35.27	$16.12

Gas CO2

88 kg

EV CO2

29 kg (67% less)

Plan for 0 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Oct 19, 2026

Origin

Live Oak, TX

Morning in Live Oak on Friday

Local time

6:06 AM

CDT

Current temp

78°F

Mostly Sunny

ENE 5 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Destination

Fort Worth, TX

Morning in Fort Worth on Friday

Local time

6:06 AM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Mostly Sunny

SE 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.

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

2 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

4h 28m 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...

5 mi from route ~14 min detour Free near mile 173.7

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...

18 mi from route ~46 min detour Free

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 dynamic driving experience on this route, as only 25% is on highways. The majority of your journey will be on local roads, including a significant 188.3-mile stretch on the Purple Heart Trail. This 'turn-heavy local drive' profile means you'll be making frequent turns and navigating through communities, offering a more grounded perspective of the Texas landscape. While not a monotonous interstate grind, it requires your attention as you transition between various road types and experience the local infrastructure. The road character shifts from more open trails to potentially busier expressways as you approach Fort Worth.

Only 25% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.

19 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?

6/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 251.9 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (Judson Road): Navigation decision point; at 67 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

911 ft 498 ft

Total Climb

788 ft

Total Descent

1,047 ft

Highest Point

911 ft

Elevation Range

413 ft

About the Cities

Arriving in Fort Worth, TX

Full guide →

“Panther city” · Founded 1849

Fort Worth is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of approximately 1,020,000, it is Texas' 5th largest city. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, which has a population exceeding 6 million. Sometimes referred to as Cowtown, it is by far closer to its cowboy roots than neighboring Dallas. This article also covers North Richland Hills, a neighboring community.

Top landmarks

• Kimbell Art Museum — art museum in Fort Worth, Texas
• Amon Carter Museum of American Art — art museum in Fort Worth, Texas
• Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth — art museum

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 28m. Total distance: 251.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 28m 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 26 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 Fort Worth, 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 26 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.

Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Fort Worth, 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Live Oak, TX or browse trips ending in Fort Worth, TX.

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Trip from Live Oak, TX to Fort Worth, 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

QuikTrip

Love's Travel Stop

Buc-ee's

QuikTrip

QuikTrip

Ascent Travel Center

TA

Bell County Northbound Rest Area

Bell County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Walburg Travel Center & Food Court

Road Ranger

Love's Travel Stop

Buc-ee's

Pilot Travel Center

TA

Service Plaza

Marlstone Retail Center

Children's Park

The Sophienburg Museum & Archives

Calaboose African American History Museum

Tube Chute

Forest Park Miniature Railroad

Toybrary Austin

Pioneer Farms

Morgan's Wonderland

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Live Oak, TX

Fort Worth, TX

Same local time

2 degrees cooler at arrival

4h 28m 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

Arriving in Fort Worth, 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 Fort Worth, TX

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