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Trip from Los Indios, TX to Dallas, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 38m
Distance
515.5 mi
830 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$77
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 30m
★
6 AM
9h 38m
8 AM
9h 56m
10 AM
9h 44m
12 PM
9h 43m
3 PM
9h 45m
5 PM
9h 55m
8 PM
9h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Los Indios, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Los Indios, TX to Dallas, TX is 515.5 miles and takes about 9h 38m via U.S. Highway 77 and Purple Heart Trail, with a fuel budget near $75 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive is a long-haul trip, recommended for two days, and will take you across the vast Great Plains region of Texas. Given the distance and duration, planning for an overnight stop is a good idea to break up the 9.5-hour driving time. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, making it a straightforward, if lengthy, transit between South Texas and the Dallas area.
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
257.7 miles from Los Indios, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 8m 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 35E | 58.1 mi | 1h |
| 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
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,895 veh/hr typical · worst 4,744
Quietest
2 AM
~570 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.8×
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 Los Indios, TX and Dallas, TX.
1
Start on Robertson Street
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
·
Robertson Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto US 281
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Military Highway
3
Turn left onto FM 509
8.5 mi
·
10 min
·
FM 509
4
Turn left onto West Expressway 83
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
West Expressway 83
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 69E North, US 77 North, US 83 North
6
Merge onto I 69E; US 77; US 83
92 mi
·
1 hr 42 min
·
U.S. Highway 77
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
8
Merge onto I 69E; US 77
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
I 69E; US 77
9
Continue on U.S. Highway 77
12 mi
·
12 min
·
U.S. Highway 77
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
11
Turn straight onto US Highway 77 Frontage Road
485 ft
·
17 sec
·
US Highway 77 Frontage Road
12
Turn right onto County Road 10
1.0 mi
·
4 min
·
County Road 10
13
Turn left onto County Road 79
4.0 mi
·
15 min
·
County Road 79
14
Turn left onto County Road 18
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
County Road 18
15
Turn sharp right
1.1 mi
·
2 min
16
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
17
Merge onto US 77
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Driscoll Bypass
18
Continue on US 77
13 mi
·
14 min
·
U.S. Highway 77
19
Merge onto I 37; US 77; I 69E
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
I 37; US 77; I 69E
20
Keep slight left at fork
1.3 mi
·
1 min
21
Continue on I 37
18 mi
·
18 min
·
I 37
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward TX 359: Mathis, Skidmore
23
Turn right onto TX 359
12 mi
·
16 min
·
State Highway 359
24
At end of road, turn left onto US 181
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
·
South 8th Street
25
Continue on US 181
40 mi
·
45 min
·
US Highway 181 South
26
Continue on US 181
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
South Sunset Strip Drive
27
Turn right onto TX 72; TX 239
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
28
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 72; TX 239
233 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Main Street
29
Continue on FM 792
8.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Helena Road
30
Turn straight onto TX 80
24 mi
·
25 min
·
State Highway 80
31
Continue on TX 80
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Nixon Avenue
32
Continue on TX 80; TX 97
31 mi
·
35 min
·
State Highway 80 North
33
Continue on US 183
10 mi
·
11 min
·
US 183
34
Continue on US 183
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
South Colorado Street
35
Continue on US 183
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
United States Highway 183
36
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
37
Merge onto TX 130 Toll
59 mi
·
54 min
·
Pickle Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
38
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 35 North: Waco
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
39
Merge onto I 35
65 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
40
Continue on I 35
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
South Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
41
Continue on I 35; US 77
33 mi
·
33 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
42
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
58 mi
·
1 hr
·
I 35E
Toward I 35E: Dallas
Use the slight right lane.
43
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 429A
Toward Continental Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
44
Turn right onto Continental Avenue
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Continental Avenue
Use the right lane.
45
Turn slight right onto North Lamar Street
433 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Lamar Street
46
Arrive at destination
North Lamar Street
Trip Plan
For this 9.5-hour drive, consider splitting it over two days to avoid fatigue. Departing early in the morning on your first day will allow you to cover a good portion of the 515.5 miles and reach a suitable stopping point. Your longest stretch without a major road change is 117 miles on U.S. Highway 77, so plan your fuel stops accordingly, especially as the fuel cost is estimated around $75. With two recommended stops, you can aim to drive about half the distance on day one and the remainder on day two, arriving in Dallas with plenty of time.
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 257.7 miles from Los Indios, TX, or about 5h 8m 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 113 miles or 2h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 257.7 miles or 5h 8m 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 257.7 miles or 5h 8m
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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dallas, 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 258 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Dallas, TX
Aim for roughly 258 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 113 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
170 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.
Overnight Options
Night 1
258 mi · about 4.8h in
A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 258 miles or 4.8 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 113 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 257.7 miles from Los Indios, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before U.S. Highway 77 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 117 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 258 miles or 4.8 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Hill County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
San Patricio County Southbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Flying J Travel Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Hill County Southbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Kenedy County Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Texas Travel Information Center at Harlingen
0.1 mi from route
San Patricio County Northbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.1 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Circle K
0.1 mi from route
Ascent Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Bell County Northbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.9 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
2.5 mi from route
City Park
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
1.4 mi from route
~3 min detour
Dallas, Texas
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+19724823055
Visit websiteVillage of Salado Visitors Center
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Later in the drive, short detour
Final third
2.5 mi from route
~6 min detour
Salado, Texas
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+12549478634
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 275 decision points cluster between mile 293.2 and 515.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
293.2 mi into trip
|
~5h 52m in
Keep slight left at fork toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
7
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
7
456.9 mi into trip
|
~8h 36m 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
514.9 mi into trip
|
~9h 37m in
Take the exit toward Continental Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 429A
Toward Continental Avenue
6
515.1 mi into trip
|
~9h 37m in
|
Continental Avenue
Turn right onto Continental Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$77.39 one way
$154.77 round trip
$3.81/gal
25.4 MPG avg
180 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $85.63 | $171.25 |
| premium | $4.57 | $92.65 | $185.30 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $127.37 | $254.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$77
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$207–$317
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 180.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $54 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 154.7 | 1 | $54.13 | $24.74 |
| Efficient EV | 128.9 | 1 | $45.11 | $20.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 206.2 | 2 | $72.17 | $32.99 |
Gas CO2
180 kg
EV CO2
60 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.
Origin
Los Indios, TX
Evening in Los Indios on Thursday
Local time
5:46 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Cloudy
NNW 7 mph
2% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Dallas, TX
Evening in Dallas on Thursday
Local time
5:46 PM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Cloudy
0 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.
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
13 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 38m 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...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 426.6
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
~68 min detour
$25
near mile 71.1
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
About 75% of this 515.5-mile drive is on highways. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch of highway cruising on U.S. Highway 77, covering 117 miles. As you transition from highway to surface roads, expect more frequent exits and potentially slower speeds in populated areas. This route involves significant time on U.S. Highway 77, suggesting a profile of long-distance driving with periods of rural cruising interspersed with more developed sections.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
46 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 293.2 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 27 significant decision points across 515.5 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 293.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 352.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 456.9 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
742 ft
37 ft
Total Climb
794 ft
Total Descent
422 ft
Highest Point
742 ft
~391.2 mi in
Elevation Range
704 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Dallas, 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
Starting in Los Indios, TX
Full guide →Arriving in Dallas, TX
Full guide →“Big D” · Founded 1841
Dallas, with a population of more than 1.3 million residents, is the ninth largest city in the United States and the third largest in the state of Texas. It is an impressive melting pot of culture and character. Boasting high-end luxury hotels, innumerable fine dining spots, and one of the busiest airports in the world, Dallas maintains an upscale ethos reflected by an affluent population, world-class museums, and a shimmering modern skyline. Its history was marred by the infamous assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, but there is more historic and contemporary heritage to be discovered in the city. As a center of the oil and cotton industries in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Dallas was a classic American boom town and remains one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.
Top landmarks
- • Dallas Museum of Art — art museum in Dallas, Texas
- • Texas School Book Depository — building in Dallas, Texas, United States
- • George W. Bush Presidential Center — Presidential library and museum for U.S. President George W. Bush, located in Da...
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 258 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 37 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 Dallas, 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. There are 37 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 293.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 352.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 456.9 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 9.6 hours each way, a round trip means 19.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Dallas, 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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