Trip from Los Indios, TX to Arlington, TX

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

9h 46m

Distance

518.8 mi

835 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$78

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min

4 AM

9h 38m ★

6 AM

9h 47m

8 AM

10h 4m

10 AM

9h 53m

12 PM

9h 51m

3 PM

9h 54m

5 PM

10h 4m

8 PM

9h 42m

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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Los Indios, TX

Jeff Stapleton

suburban city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States

Arlington, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 518.8-mile journey from Los Indios, TX, to Arlington, TX, will take approximately 9 hours and 46 minutes of driving time. Given its length, it's best split over two days, allowing for a more relaxed pace and avoiding a marathon 10-hour day. You'll primarily travel on U.S. Highway 77, Purple Heart Trail, and Pickle Parkway, with about 72% of the route being highway driving. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is $78. This drive is a long-distance trek across the Great Plains region of Texas, offering a straightforward path north.

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

259.4 miles from Los Indios, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 10m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
U.S. Highway 77	117 mi	2h 9m
Purple Heart Trail	97.7 mi	1h 39m
Pickle Parkway	58.5 mi	54m
I 35W	45.1 mi	47m
US Highway 181 South	40.2 mi	45m
State Highway 80 North	30.8 mi	35m
State Highway 80	23.6 mi	25m
I 37	19.7 mi	19m

Longest stretch: U.S. Highway 77 — 117 mi, about 2h 9m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Los Indios, TX and Arlington, TX.

Start on Robertson Street

0.2 mi · 47 sec · Robertson Street

At end of road, turn right onto US 281

0.5 mi · 55 sec · Military Highway

Turn left onto FM 509

8.5 mi · 10 min · FM 509

Turn left onto West Expressway 83

0.1 mi · 15 sec · West Expressway 83

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec

Toward I 69E North, US 77 North, US 83 North

Merge onto I 69E; US 77; US 83

92 mi · 1 hr 42 min · U.S. Highway 77

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 14 sec

Merge onto I 69E; US 77

1.2 mi · 1 min · I 69E; US 77

Continue on U.S. Highway 77

12 mi · 12 min · U.S. Highway 77

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec

Turn straight onto US Highway 77 Frontage Road

485 ft · 17 sec · US Highway 77 Frontage Road

Turn right onto County Road 10

1.0 mi · 4 min · County Road 10

Turn left onto County Road 79

4.0 mi · 15 min · County Road 79

Turn left onto County Road 18

0.2 mi · 43 sec · County Road 18

Turn sharp right

1.1 mi · 2 min

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 57 sec

Merge onto US 77

2.3 mi · 2 min · Driscoll Bypass

Continue on US 77

13 mi · 14 min · U.S. Highway 77

Merge onto I 37; US 77; I 69E

1.4 mi · 1 min · I 37; US 77; I 69E

Keep slight left at fork

1.3 mi · 1 min

Continue on I 37

18 mi · 18 min · I 37

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 32 sec

Toward TX 359: Mathis, Skidmore

Turn right onto TX 359

12 mi · 16 min · State Highway 359

At end of road, turn left onto US 181

0.8 mi · 55 sec · South 8th Street

Continue on US 181

40 mi · 45 min · US Highway 181 South

Continue on US 181

1.2 mi · 1 min · South Sunset Strip Drive

Turn right onto TX 72; TX 239

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Main Street

Keep slight left at fork onto TX 72; TX 239

233 ft · 3 sec · East Main Street

Continue on FM 792

8.4 mi · 10 min · Helena Road

Turn straight onto TX 80

24 mi · 25 min · State Highway 80

Continue on TX 80

1.0 mi · 2 min · South Nixon Avenue

Continue on TX 80; TX 97

31 mi · 35 min · State Highway 80 North

Continue on US 183

10 mi · 11 min · US 183

Continue on US 183

4.9 mi · 8 min · South Colorado Street

Continue on US 183

0.2 mi · 16 sec · United States Highway 183

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 35 sec

Toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco

Merge onto TX 130 Toll

59 mi · 54 min · Pickle Parkway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 49 sec

Toward I 35 North: Waco Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 35

65 mi · 1 hr 6 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

45 mi · 47 min · I 35W

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

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec

Exit 45B Toward I 20 East: Dallas Use the right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 58 sec

Toward I 20 East: Dallas Use the slight left lane.

Merge onto I 20

5.7 mi · 6 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 20

4.6 mi · 4 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

Toward I 20 East: Dallas

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec

Exit 449A Toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on West Interstate 20

0.3 mi · 24 sec · West Interstate 20

Turn left onto FM 157

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Cooper Street

Use the left / straight lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto FM 157

1.7 mi · 2 min · South Cooper Street

Use the left lane.

Turn right onto Spur 303

0.5 mi · 50 sec · West Pioneer Parkway

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto South Center Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · South Center Street

Use the left lane.

Continue on South Mesquite Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · South Mesquite Street

Turn left onto East Abram Street

0.1 mi · 26 sec · East Abram Street

Arrive at destination

West Abram Street

Trip Plan

For this nearly 10-hour drive, departing early in the morning is highly recommended, especially if you plan to split it over two days. Aim for two stops to break up the 518.8 miles; this will help you manage fatigue. The longest stretch without a significant change in road is 117 miles on U.S. Highway 77, so be sure to fuel up before you begin that segment. Considering the $78 fuel cost, keeping an eye on your gas gauge is always a good idea on longer Texas drives.

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 259.4 miles from Los Indios, TX, or about 5h 10m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 117 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 114 miles or 2h 8m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 259.4 miles or 5h 10m 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 259.4 miles or 5h 10m

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 8h 38m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Los Indios, 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 Los Indios, TX

Aim for roughly 259 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Arlington, TX

Aim for roughly 259 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 114 miles from Los Indios, 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 U.S. Highway 77 for about 117 miles.

Where to Stop

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

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

San Antonio, TX

171 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.

Popular next leg

San Antonio, TX to Arlington, TX

276.9 mi · 5h 2m

city in Travis and Williamson counties in Texas, United States

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Round Rock, TX

342 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 Round Rock, TX

Popular next leg

Round Rock, TX to Arlington, TX

180.7 mi · 3h 14m

Overnight Options

Night 1

New Braunfels, TX

259 mi · about 4.9h in

A practical overnight split lands near New Braunfels, TX after about 259 miles or 4.9 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Corpus Christi, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 114 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

New Braunfels, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 259.4 miles from Los Indios, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before U.S. Highway 77 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 117 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 259 miles or 4.9 hours on the road.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Village of Salado Visitors Center

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 370.6

Salado, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+12549478634

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 34

5 decision points cluster between mile 352.1 and 513 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

352.1 mi into trip | ~6h 48m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35 North: Waco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 35 North: Waco

456.9 mi into trip | ~8h 36m 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

502 mi into trip | ~9h 23m in

Take the exit toward I 20 East: Dallas

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

Use the right lane. Exit 45B Toward I 20 East: Dallas

502.3 mi into trip | ~9h 24m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 20 East: Dallas

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 20 East: Dallas

513 mi into trip | ~9h 36m in

Take the exit toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 449A Toward FM 157 South: UT Arlington, Mansfield

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$78.39 one way

$156.78 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 182 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.20	$85.81	$171.61
premium	$4.54	$92.63	$185.26
diesel	$5.61	$114.54	$229.09

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$78

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: 181.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $54 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	155.6	1	$54.47	$24.90
Efficient EV	129.7	1	$45.39	$20.75
EV Truck/SUV	207.5	2	$72.63	$33.20

Gas CO2

182 kg

EV CO2

61 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Los Indios, TX

Late night in Los Indios on Sunday

Local time

2:42 AM

CDT

Current temp

90°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Arlington, TX

Late night in Arlington on Sunday

Local time

2:42 AM

CDT

Current temp

88°F

Sunny

S 10 mph 3% 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

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

9h 46m 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...

6 mi from route ~15 min detour Free near mile 456.4

View on nps.gov

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

National Historical Park

On May 8, 1846, U.S. and Mexican troops clashed on the prairie of Palo Alto. The battle was the first in a two-year long war that changed the map of North America. Although the two countries have deve...

18 mi from route ~44 min detour Free

View on nps.gov

Padre Island National Seashore

National Seashore

Protecting sixty-six miles of wild coastline along the Gulf of America, the narrow barrier island is home to one of the last intact coastal prairie habitats in the United States. Along the hypersaline...

27 mi from route ~67 min detour $25 near mile 76.1

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 long-distance drive with a significant portion on highways, making up 72% of the total mileage. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 117 miles on U.S. Highway 77. While there are designated stops, the overall character is that of a steady, forward progression across the Texas landscape. This route is designed for efficient travel rather than winding scenic byways, so be prepared for a consistent pace for much of the drive.

72% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 117 mi on U.S. Highway 77.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on U.S. Highway 77 and Purple Heart Trail. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 352.1 miles in.

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 34 significant decision points across 518.8 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 352.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 456.9 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 502 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Los Indios, TX and Arlington, TX, road signs point toward Skidmore and Waco.

Skidmore

158.4 mi in | ~3h 11m

Waco

293.2 mi in | ~5h 52m

About the Cities

Arriving in Arlington, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1876

Arlington is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex metropolitan area, in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of almost 400,000 (2019), it is Texas' seventh largest, and the third largest in the Metroplex. Arlington is south of the sprawling DFW International Airport.

Top landmarks

• Six Flags Over Texas — amusement park
• Mini Mine Train — Steel roller coaster
• Arlington Museum of Art — art museum in Texas, United States

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 117 miles on U.S. Highway 77. 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 259 miles on day one.

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 Arlington, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument, Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park and Padre Island National Seashore. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 9.8 hours each way, a round trip means 19.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Arlington, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Los Indios, TX or browse trips ending in Arlington, TX.

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Trip from Los Indios, TX to Arlington, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Overnight Options

Pacing Suggestions

Nearby Places

Village of Salado Visitors Center

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Los Indios, TX

Arlington, TX

Same local time

2 degrees cooler at arrival

9h 46m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Waco Mammoth National Monument

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

Padre Island National Seashore

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Arriving in Arlington, TX

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Should I split this drive into multiple days?

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

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