Navarro County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from McKinney, TX to Bellaire, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 24, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 57m
Distance
277.6 mi
447 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 44m
★
6 AM
4h 58m
8 AM
5h 25m
10 AM
5h 7m
12 PM
5h 4m
3 PM
5h 8m
5 PM
5h 23m
8 PM
4h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McKinney, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Bellaire, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
McKinney, TX to Bellaire, TX is 277.6 miles and takes about 4h 57m via Julius Schepps Freeway, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip primarily sticks to major freeways, making it a straightforward drive. You'll be traveling across the Great Plains region of Texas for the entirety of this route. With 95% of the drive on highways, it’s a quick and efficient way to get from one point to the other. If you're looking for a direct path with minimal fuss, this route fits the bill.
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
138.8 miles from McKinney, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 29m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Julius Schepps Freeway | 234.5 mi | 4h 5m |
| Central Expressway | 29.2 mi | 31m |
| North Loop | 10.9 mi | 13m |
| East Virginia Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| South Central Expressway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| West Loop South Frontage Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Bellaire Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Tennessee Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Julius Schepps Freeway
— 234.5 mi, about 4h 5m
Traffic on I-45
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,160 veh/hr typical · worst 3,825
Quietest
2 AM
~396 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 100 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 McKinney, TX and Bellaire, TX.
1
Start on North Tennessee Street
119 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Tennessee Street
2
Turn left onto East Virginia Street
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
East Virginia Street
3
Turn left onto South Central Expressway
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Central Expressway
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward US 75 South, TX 121 South
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto US 75; TX 121
29 mi
·
31 min
·
Central Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 45
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 45
231 mi
·
4 hr 1 min
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
518 ft
·
12 sec
Exit 51
Toward I 610
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
430 ft
·
10 sec
Toward I 610 West: Airline Drive
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 610 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 610
11 mi
·
13 min
·
North Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 6
Toward Bellaire Boulevard, Evergreen Street
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn straight onto West Loop South Frontage Road
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
West Loop South Frontage Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
Turn left onto Bellaire Boulevard
351 ft
·
20 sec
·
Bellaire Boulevard
15
Turn left onto West Loop South Frontage Road
28 ft
·
0 sec
·
West Loop South Frontage Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Arrive at destination
West Loop South Frontage Road
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour 57-minute estimated drive time, leaving McKinney in the morning is ideal for a same-day arrival in Bellaire. The $41 fuel cost estimate can help you budget accordingly. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility to depart whenever suits you best. Pay attention to your fuel gauge, especially on longer highway stretches like the 234.5 miles on Julius Schepps Freeway, as services can be spaced out. The high highway share means you'll likely encounter more dense traffic and exit ramps as you approach urban areas.
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 138.8 miles from McKinney, TX, or about 2h 29m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 234.5 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 61 miles or 1h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 138.8 miles or 2h 29m 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 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bellaire, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving McKinney, 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 McKinney, TX
This is one driving day of about 277.6 miles and 4h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from McKinney, 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 Julius Schepps Freeway for about 234.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
139 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 61 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 138.8 miles from McKinney, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Julius Schepps Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 234.5 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.
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
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Navarro County Southbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.1 mi from route
TA Express
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Walker County Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Walker County Northbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
TA Express
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.2 mi from route
Minuteman Press
1.3 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
1.4 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
1.4 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.4 mi from route
TA
1.6 mi from route
SoPac Trail Rest Area
1.9 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.4 mi from route
ExitusVR
4.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
1.8 mi from route
~4 min detour
Houston, Texas
+17133440525
Visit websiteThe Escape Game Houston (Galleria)
5.0
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
2.3 mi from route
~6 min detour
Houston, Texas
Hours: 8 am–12 pm
+17136365541
Visit websiteHeard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
2.7 mi from route
~7 min detour
McKinney, Texas
Hours: 9 am–4 pm
+19725625566
Visit websiteThe Woodlands Waterway
4.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, ~9 min detour
Home stretch
3.6 mi from route
~9 min detour
The Woodlands, Texas
Visit websiteHouston Zoo
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, ~10 min detour
Home stretch
4.2 mi from route
~10 min detour
Houston, Texas
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+17135336500
Visit websiteDark Hour Haunted House
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, ~11 min detour
First break
4.5 mi from route
~11 min detour
Plano, Texas
+14692980556
Visit websiteChildren's Museum Houston
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, ~11 min detour
Home stretch
4.6 mi from route
~11 min detour
Houston, Texas
Hours: 9 am–8 pm
+17135221138
Visit websiteHeritage Farmstead Museum
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, ~12 min detour
First break
4.8 mi from route
~12 min detour
Plano, Texas
Hours: Closed
+19728810140
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 266 and 277.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
266 mi into trip
|
~4h 42m in
Take the exit toward I 610
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 51
Toward I 610
8
266.1 mi into trip
|
~4h 42m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 610 West: Airline Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 610 West: Airline Drive
8
266.2 mi into trip
|
~4h 42m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 610 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 610 West
8
277.2 mi into trip
|
~4h 56m in
Take the exit toward Bellaire Boulevard, Evergreen Street
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 6
Toward Bellaire Boulevard, Evergreen Street
7
277.6 mi into trip
|
~4h 57m in
|
West Loop South Frontage Road
Turn left onto West Loop South Frontage Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.67 one way
$83.35 round trip
$3.81/gal
25.4 MPG avg
97 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $46.11 | $92.22 |
| premium | $4.57 | $49.89 | $99.78 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $68.59 | $137.18 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.38
Central Expressway
(29.7 mi)
$2.38
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Tolls
$2
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 97.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 83.3 | 1 | $29.15 | $13.32 |
| Efficient EV | 69.4 | 0 | $24.29 | $11.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 111 | 1 | $38.86 | $17.77 |
Gas CO2
97 kg
EV CO2
32 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
McKinney, TX
Evening in McKinney on Saturday
Local time
6:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Mostly Sunny
SE 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Bellaire, TX
Evening in Bellaire on Saturday
Local time
6:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Partly Sunny
NE 5 to 10 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
60°F
Italy, TX
139 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
4 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
4h 57m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway experience, with 95% of the 277.6 miles on freeways. You'll spend a significant stretch, 234.5 miles, on Julius Schepps Freeway. Surface roads will likely appear closer to your destination. Given the high highway percentage, anticipate a steady pace with fewer interruptions until the final approach.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 234.5 mi on Julius Schepps Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Julius Schepps Freeway and Central Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 266 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 277.6 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 266 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 266.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 266.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
647 ft
52 ft
Total Climb
272 ft
Total Descent
848 ft
Highest Point
647 ft
~19.8 mi in
Elevation Range
595 ft
About the Cities
Starting in McKinney, TX
Full guide →Founded 1848
McKinney is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas.
Top landmarks
- • Heard-Craig House — historic place in McKinney, Collin County, Texas
Arriving in Bellaire, TX
Full guide →Founded 1918
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 57m. Total distance: 277.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 234.5 miles on Julius Schepps Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.38 in tolls one way, starting with Central Expressway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 27 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 Bellaire, 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 27 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 266 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 266.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 266.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 5.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Bellaire, 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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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