Trip from McKinney, TX to Terrell Hills, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 26m

Distance

300.3 mi

483 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$41

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

5h 13m ★

6 AM

5h 26m

8 AM

5h 53m

10 AM

5h 36m

12 PM

5h 33m

3 PM

5h 37m

5 PM

5h 52m

8 PM

5h 18m

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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city in Collin County, Texas, United States

McKinney, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Terrell Hills, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Trip Overview

McKinney to Terrell Hills is 300.3 miles and takes about 5h 26m via Purple Heart Trail, South R L Thornton Freeway, and I 35, with a fuel budget near $45 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Texas, moving from the Great Plains region in McKinney to the same region near Terrell Hills. It's a drive that mostly sticks to major roadways, making it a straightforward option if you're looking for an efficient way to cover the distance. Given the duration and the primarily highway profile, it's well-suited for a single day of travel.

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

150.1 miles from McKinney, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 41m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Purple Heart Trail	99.6 mi	1h 46m
South R L Thornton Freeway	89.9 mi	1h 32m
I 35	55.8 mi	58m
Central Expressway	29.2 mi	31m
North Pan Am Expressway	7.7 mi	8m
North Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m
Austin Highway	3.3 mi	5m
Interstate Highway 35	1.7 mi	1m

Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 99.6 mi, about 1h 46m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 96 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

5 PM

~4,090 veh/hr typical

Quietest

2 AM

~671 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.1×

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 McKinney, TX and Terrell Hills, TX.

Start on North Tennessee Street

119 ft · 12 sec · North Tennessee Street

Turn left onto East Virginia Street

1.4 mi · 3 min · East Virginia Street

Turn left onto South Central Expressway

0.6 mi · 52 sec · South Central Expressway

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec

Toward US 75 South, TX 121 South Use the left lane.

Merge onto US 75; TX 121

29 mi · 31 min · Central Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

501 ft · 12 sec

Exit 284C Toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway Use the slight left lane.

Continue on North Central Expressway

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Central Expressway

Use the left / straight lanes.

Turn right onto Elm Street

304 ft · 10 sec · Elm Street

Turn left onto North Pearl Expressway

0.2 mi · 28 sec · North Pearl Expressway

Use the straight lane.

Turn right onto Young Street

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Young Street

Turn left onto South Harwood Street

315 ft · 8 sec · South Harwood Street

Use the left lane.

Turn right onto Canton Street

0.4 mi · 47 sec · Canton Street

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 38 sec

Toward I 30 West

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 14 sec

Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Waco, Denton

Keep slight left at fork

221 ft · 5 sec

Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 30 sec

Toward I 35E South: Waco Use the left / right lanes.

Continue on I 35E

0.5 mi · 44 sec · South R L Thornton Freeway

Continue on I 35E

89 mi · 1 hr 31 min · South R L Thornton Freeway

Exit 426 Toward Dallas Zoo Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35; US 77

6.6 mi · 7 min · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

38 mi · 39 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

56 mi · 58 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

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.

Continue on I 35

1.7 mi · 1 min · Interstate Highway 35

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

7.7 mi · 8 min · North Pan Am Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec

Exit 165 Toward FM 1976: Walzem Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto Interstate 35 North

431 ft · 8 sec · Interstate 35 North

Use the straight / left / right lanes.

Turn right onto Walzem Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Walzem Road

Turn left onto Loop 368

3.3 mi · 5 min · Austin Highway

Turn left onto Rittiman Road

112 ft · 6 sec · Rittiman Road

Use the left lane.

Continue on Rittiman Road

244 ft · 8 sec · Rittiman Road

Turn right onto Eldon Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · Eldon Road

Turn left onto Garraty Road

129 ft · 3 sec · Garraty Road

Arrive at destination

Garraty Road

Trip Plan

For this 5h 26m drive, leaving McKinney in the morning should give you plenty of daylight to reach Terrell Hills comfortably. Since the trip is just over 300 miles and primarily highway, you can easily complete it in one day. Plan for one stop, perhaps around the halfway point or where you feel ready to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 99.6-mile stretch on Purple Heart Trail, and use the estimated $45 fuel cost as a planning guide. The route's manageable length means you have flexibility in when you depart and how often you choose to pause.

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 150.1 miles from McKinney, TX, or about 2h 41m 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 66 miles or 1h 14m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 150.1 miles or 2h 41m 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 23m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Terrell Hills, 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 300.3 miles and 5h 26m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 66 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 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

Troy, TX

150 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

Waxahachie, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 66 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Troy, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 150.1 miles from McKinney, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

New Braunfels, Texas

Hours: 10 am–6 pm

+18304024603

Visit website

Children's Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour

San Marcos, Texas

Hours: 6 am–11 pm

+15123938400

Visit website

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour Moderately

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+12109788100

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 22

5 decision points cluster between mile 31.5 and 295.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

31.5 mi into trip | ~36m in

Take the exit toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway

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

Use the slight left lane. Exit 284C Toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway

33.6 mi into trip | ~40m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco

33.7 mi into trip | ~40m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E South: Waco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / right lanes. Toward I 35E South: Waco

224.2 mi into trip | ~3h 59m 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

295.4 mi into trip | ~5h 17m in

Take the exit toward FM 1976: Walzem Road

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 165 Toward FM 1976: Walzem Road

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$41.13 one way

$82.26 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 105 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$45.94	$91.89
premium	$4.23	$49.95	$99.90
diesel	$4.80	$56.70	$113.40

Estimated Tolls: $2.44

Central Expressway (30.5 mi) $2.44

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

$41

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$69–$94

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 105.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $32 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	90.1	1	$31.53	$14.41
Efficient EV	75.1	0	$26.28	$12.01
EV Truck/SUV	120.1	1	$42.04	$19.22

Gas CO2

105 kg

EV CO2

35 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.

Forecast as of Jul 17, 2026

Origin

McKinney, TX

Late night in McKinney on Monday

Local time

2:22 AM

CDT

Current temp

92°F

Partly Sunny

S 15 mph 19% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 17 at 2:38PM CDT until July 22 at 11:48AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 17 at 2:38PM CDT until July 20 at 4:15PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Destination

Terrell Hills, TX

Late night in Terrell Hills on Monday

Local time

2:22 AM

CDT

Current temp

89°F

Partly Sunny

SSE 10 to 15 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 17 at 2:38PM CDT until July 22 at 11:48AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 17 at 2:38PM CDT until July 20 at 4:15PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

96°F

Troy, TX

150 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

3 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

5h 26m 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...

4 mi from route ~10 min detour Free near mile 124.2

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...

11 mi from route ~28 min detour Free near mile 300.3

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 64% of this 300.3-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 99.6 miles on Purple Heart Trail, offering a substantial period of cruising. After this, expect transitions to other major roads like South R L Thornton Freeway and I 35, which will likely involve more frequent exits and urban merging as you approach your destination. The profile is mostly highway, so expect a consistent pace for the majority of the trip.

64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

34 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?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Purple Heart Trail and South R L Thornton Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 31.5 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 300.3 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 31.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

801 ft 458 ft

Total Climb

866 ft

Total Descent

693 ft

Highest Point

801 ft

~300.3 mi in

Elevation Range

342 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between McKinney, TX and Terrell Hills, TX, road signs point toward Downtown, Denton, Waco and Dallas Zoo.

Downtown

31.5 mi in | ~36m

Denton

33.5 mi in | ~40m

Waco

33.6 mi in | ~40m

Dallas Zoo

34.6 mi in | ~41m | via I 35E

About the Cities

Starting in McKinney, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1848

McKinney is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas.

Arriving in Terrell Hills, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1919

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 5h 26m. Total distance: 300.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.

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.

Expect about $2.44 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 32 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 Terrell Hills, 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 32 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.

Not recommended in a single day. At 5.4 hours each way, a round trip means 10.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Terrell Hills, 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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Explore More

Explore more options from McKinney, TX or browse trips ending in Terrell Hills, TX.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.

Trip from McKinney, TX to Terrell Hills, 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

Bell County Northbound Rest Area

Service Plaza

Hill County Northbound Rest Area

Buc-ee's

Flying J Travel Center

Walburg Travel Center & Food Court

Love's Travel Stop

Petro Stopping Centers

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

Ascent Travel Center

TA

Flying J Travel Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Road Ranger

Marlstone Retail Center

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Buc-ee's

Pilot Travel Center

TA

Service Plaza

Bell County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Love's Travel Stop

Minuteman Press

SoPac Trail Rest Area

Service Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo

Children's Park

US Army Medical Department Museum

San Antonio Botanical Garden

Calaboose African American History Museum

The DoSeum

Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary

San Antonio Museum of Art

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

McKinney, TX

Terrell Hills, TX

Same local time

3 degrees cooler at arrival

5h 26m 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

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in McKinney, TX

Arriving in Terrell Hills, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

How do I pay the tolls on this route?

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