Bell County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Maud, TX to San Antonio, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 43m
Distance
409.8 mi
659 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$56
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
7h 34m
★
6 AM
7h 43m
8 AM
8h 2m
10 AM
7h 50m
12 PM
7h 48m
3 PM
7h 51m
5 PM
8h 1m
8 PM
7h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Maud, TX
Thomas balabaud
San Antonio, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Maud to San Antonio is 409.8 miles and takes about 7 hours 43 minutes via Purple Heart Trail and I-35, with a fuel budget near $62 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip moves you from the Great Plains region of Texas to another area within the same region. Expect a drive that predominantly utilizes surface roads, making it a more leisurely pace than a pure interstate haul. With two recommended stops and a longest stretch of nearly 100 miles on surface roads, it's a manageable single-day drive that allows for some flexibility.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
204.9 miles from Maud, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 58m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 99.6 mi | 1h 46m |
| TX 155 | 66.1 mi | 1h 15m |
| I 35 | 55.8 mi | 58m |
| State Highway 31 East | 30.9 mi | 35m |
| West State Highway 31 | 18.8 mi | 21m |
| State Highway 31 | 17.2 mi | 17m |
| North Pan Am Expressway | 17 mi | 20m |
| State Highway 8 | 12.5 mi | 13m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 99.6 mi, about 1h 46m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 40 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~3,916 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~672 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 Maud, TX and San Antonio, TX.
1
Start on Fincher Drive
127 ft
·
5 sec
·
Fincher Drive
2
Turn right onto Main Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Main Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto TX 8
8.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Houston Drive
4
Continue on TX 8
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
North Street
5
Continue on TX 8
12 mi
·
13 min
·
State Highway 8
6
Turn sharp right onto TX 155
40 mi
·
45 min
·
TX 155
7
Turn left onto US 271; TX 155
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Wood Street
8
Turn straight onto TX 155
13 mi
·
15 min
·
TX 155
9
Turn right onto US 80; TX 155
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West Broadway Street
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto TX 155
13 mi
·
14 min
·
TX 155
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto US 271; TX 155
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
US Highway 271
12
Turn right onto Loop 323
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
East Northeast Loop 323
13
Continue on Loop 323
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
West Northwest Loop 323
14
Continue on Loop 323
0.6 mi
·
43 sec
·
South Southwest Loop 323
15
Turn right onto TX 31
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Chandler Highway
16
Continue on TX 31
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
State Highway 31 West
17
Continue on TX 31
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Highway 31
18
Continue on TX 31
21 mi
·
23 min
·
State Highway 31 East
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
20
Merge onto US 175; TX 19; TX 31; Loop 7
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Jed Robinson Loop
21
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
22
Keep slight left at fork
445 ft
·
14 sec
23
Turn right onto TX 31
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 31 West
24
Continue on TX 31
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
East Royall Boulevard
25
Continue on TX 31
9.9 mi
·
11 min
·
State Highway 31 East
26
Continue on TX 31
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Northwest 2nd Street
27
Turn left onto TX 31
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Corsicana Bypass
Use the straight lane.
28
At end of road, turn left onto TX 31
19 mi
·
21 min
·
West State Highway 31
29
Continue on TX 31
5.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Hubbard Bypass
30
Continue on TX 31
17 mi
·
17 min
·
State Highway 31
31
Continue on US 84
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
East US Highway 84
32
Continue on US 84
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Bellmead Drive
33
Turn straight onto US 84
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Waco Drive
34
Turn left onto North Jack Kultgen Expressway
519 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the left / straight lanes.
35
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 35 South, US 77 South
36
Merge onto I 35; US 77
6.1 mi
·
6 min
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
37
Continue on I 35
38 mi
·
39 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
38
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
56 mi
·
58 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
39
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
50 mi
·
54 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Use the slight left lane.
40
Continue on I 35
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
41
Continue on I 35
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
42
Continue on I 35
10.0 mi
·
11 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
43
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
44
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
North Pan Am Expressway
Toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
Use the slight left lane.
45
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 157A
Toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
46
Turn straight onto East Elmira Street
526 ft
·
17 sec
·
East Elmira Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
47
Turn left onto North Main Avenue
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
North Main Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
48
Enter roundabout onto Navarro Street
159 ft
·
3 sec
·
Navarro Street
49
Continue on Navarro Street
111 ft
·
2 sec
·
Navarro Street
50
Keep slight right at fork onto North Main Avenue
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
North Main Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
51
Turn right onto West Travis Street
222 ft
·
10 sec
·
West Travis Street
52
Turn left onto North Flores Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
North Flores Street
53
Continue on Military Plaza
392 ft
·
15 sec
·
Military Plaza
54
Turn left onto Dolorosa Street
327 ft
·
8 sec
·
Dolorosa Street
55
Arrive at destination
Dolorosa Street
Trip Plan
Given the 7 hour 43 minute estimated drive time, leaving Maud in the morning is your best bet to arrive in San Antonio before evening. You have two stops planned, and with the longest stretch being under 100 miles, you can space them out comfortably. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is $62, and plan your final fill-up accordingly. Since this is a single-day trip, you have the flexibility to adjust your timing based on traffic or how you feel during the drive.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 204.9 miles from Maud, TX, or about 3h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.6 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 90 miles or 1h 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 204.9 miles or 3h 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Antonio, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Maud, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Maud, TX
This is one driving day of about 409.8 miles and 7h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 90 miles from Maud, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Purple Heart Trail for about 99.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
205 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 90 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 204.9 miles from Maud, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 99.6 miles.
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.
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Marlstone Retail Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
0.4 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.4 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
2.3 mi from route
QuikTrip
2.3 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
2.4 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 315 decision points cluster between mile 169.3 and 408.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
169.3 mi into trip
|
~3h 18m in
|
TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass
Turn left onto TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
328.2 mi into trip
|
~6h 10m in
|
I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
7
401.6 mi into trip
|
~7h 31m in
|
I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 South
8
408 mi into trip
|
~7h 39m in
|
I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35 South: Lower Level, Laredo
8
408.6 mi into trip
|
~7h 40m in
Take the exit toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 157A
Toward Lexington Avenue, Main Avenue, San Pedro...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$56.13 one way
$112.26 round trip
$3.48/gal
25.4 MPG avg
143 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.89 | $62.70 | $125.39 |
| premium | $4.23 | $68.17 | $136.33 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $77.38 | $154.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$56
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$81–$106
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 143.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $43 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 122.9 | 1 | $43.03 | $19.67 |
| Efficient EV | 102.5 | 1 | $35.86 | $16.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 163.9 | 2 | $57.37 | $26.23 |
Gas CO2
143 kg
EV CO2
48 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.
Origin
Maud, TX
Late night in Maud on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
0 mph
20% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 9:36PM CDT until July 19 at 3:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 9:36PM CDT until July 19 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Destination
San Antonio, TX
Late night in San Antonio on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 5 to 10 mph
25% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 9:36PM CDT until July 19 at 3:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 16 at 9:36PM CDT until July 19 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX
77°F
Italy, TX
205 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
1 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
7h 43m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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
~13 min detour
Free
near mile 226.1
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...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
Free
near mile 409.8
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 40% of this 409.8-mile drive on highways like I-35, with the remaining 60% on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch without a major highway transition is 99.6 miles along the Purple Heart Trail. Be prepared for a significant portion of your drive to be on surface roads, which often means more varied speed limits and potentially more intersections compared to interstate cruising.
60% 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: 99.6 mi on Purple Heart Trail.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 169.3 miles in near TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 31 significant decision points across 409.8 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 169.3 miles (TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass): Lane positioning matters here; at 328.2 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 401.6 miles (I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
934 ft
266 ft
Total Climb
896 ft
Total Descent
534 ft
Highest Point
934 ft
~292.7 mi in
Elevation Range
668 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Maud, TX
Full guide →Arriving in San Antonio, TX
Full guide →Founded 1718
San Antonio is the second largest city in the state of Texas and the 7th largest in the United States. It's the 24th largest metropolitan area in the country. Visited by more than 31 million annual visitors, San Antonio is a beautiful city at the axis of three different geological terrains: Hill Country, South Texas Plains and Prairie and Lakes. There's a lot to do in this city: fine art museums, historical missions and plenty of amusement parks in addition to great dining and lots of drinking. The culture and people are vibrant and interesting. San Antonio's downtown is one of the most lively in the nation.
Top landmarks
- • Alamo Mission in San Antonio — historic place in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
- • San Antonio Missions National Historical Park — historic district in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
- • Fort Sam Houston — military base in San Antonio, Texas
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 7h 43m. Total distance: 409.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 43m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 99.6 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 19 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 San Antonio, 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 19 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 169.3 miles (TX 31 / Corsicana Bypass): Lane positioning matters here; at 328.2 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 401.6 miles (I 35 / North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 7.7 hours each way, a round trip means 15.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at San Antonio, 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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