Midland, TX to Montopolis, TX is 328.2 miles and takes about 6h 17m via US 87 and TX 29, with a fuel budget near $50 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This highway-focused drive stays within Texas, traversing the Great Plains region for its entirety. Expect a straightforward journey with a high percentage of highway driving, making it a practical choice for a single-day trip. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to cover ground without significant detours.
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
164.1 miles from Midland, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 87
104.4 mi
1h 55m
East State Highway 158
61.4 mi
1h 9m
TX 29
55.6 mi
1h 14m
State Highway 71
47.2 mi
50m
US 183
14.8 mi
17m
US Highway 87 South
14.6 mi
14m
183A Toll Road
13.3 mi
13m
Bergstrom Expressway
4.8 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
US 87
— 104.4 mi, about 1h 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Midland, TX and Montopolis, TX.
1
Start on Loop 269
44 ft·6 sec·West Wall Street
2
Turn left onto TX 349 Bus
0.6 mi·48 sec·South Big Spring Street
3
Turn left onto TX 140
1.0 mi·1 min·West Florida Avenue
4
Continue on TX 140
2.7 mi·4 min·Garden City Highway
5
Continue on TX 158
61 mi·1 hr 9 min·East State Highway 158
6
Merge onto US 87; TX 158; TX 163
2.6 mi·2 min·US Highway 87 North
7
Continue on US 87; TX 158; TX 163
1.2 mi·2 min·4th Street
8
Continue on US 87
15 mi·14 min·US Highway 87 South
9
Continue on US 87
104 mi·1 hr 55 min·US 87
10
Turn right onto US 87; US 190; US 377
2.8 mi·3 min·Bridge Street
11
Turn left onto TX 71
47 mi·50 min·State Highway 71
12
Turn left onto TX 29; TX 71
56 mi·1 hr 14 min·TX 29; TX 71
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto US 183
0.3 mi·20 sec·North US Highway 183
14
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·42 sec
15
Merge onto 183A Toll
13 mi·13 min·183A Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on US 183
15 mi·17 min·US 183
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on 183 Toll
4.8 mi·5 min·Bergstrom Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward Montopolis Drive, Patton AvenueUse the slight right lane.
19
Turn straight onto US 183
0.4 mi·30 sec·Ed Bluestein Boulevard
20
Take the ramp
486 ft·11 sec
Toward 183 Toll South: Lockhart
21
Arrive at destination
Toward 183 Toll South: Lockhart
Trip Plan
With a duration of just over 6 hours, this route is easily manageable in a single day, allowing for flexibility in your departure time. Aim to leave Midland, TX in the morning to ensure you have ample daylight for the 328.2-mile drive. While there's only one recommended stop, plan for brief breaks as needed, especially during the 104.4-mile stretch on US 87. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge; while the estimated cost is around $50, local prices can vary, and it's wise to refuel before hitting longer stretches with fewer services.
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 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 164.1 miles from Midland, TX, or about 3h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 104.4 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 72 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 164.1 miles or 3h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Montopolis, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Midland, 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 Midland, TX
This is one driving day of about 328.2 miles and 6h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 72 miles from Midland, 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 US 87 for about 104.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 327.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|TX 349 Bus / South Big Spring Street
Turn left onto TX 349 Bus / South Big Spring Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip|~0m in|TX 140 / West Florida Avenue
Turn left onto TX 140 / West Florida Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
238.4 mi into trip|~4h 25m in|TX 29; TX 71
Turn left onto TX 29; TX 71
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
294.5 mi into trip|~5h 40m in|183A Toll / 183A Toll Road
Merge onto 183A Toll / 183A Toll Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
327.4 mi into trip|~6h 16m in
Take the exit toward Montopolis Drive, Patton 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.
Toward Montopolis Drive, Patton Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$49.59 one way
$99.18 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg115 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$54.28
$108.56
premium
$4.54
$58.60
$117.20
diesel
$5.61
$72.46
$144.92
Estimated Tolls: $0.93
183A Toll Road
(13.3 mi)$0.93
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
$50
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 114.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
98.5
1
$34.46
$15.75
Efficient EV
82.1
0
$28.72
$13.13
EV Truck/SUV
131.3
1
$45.95
$21.00
Gas CO2
115 kg
EV CO2
38 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Midland, TX
Late night
in Midland on Sunday
Local time
1:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Montopolis, TX
Late night
in Montopolis on Sunday
Local time
1:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
83°F
Brady, TX
164 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
17 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
6h 17m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is largely a highway-focused drive, with 93% of the route utilizing major roads like US 87 and TX 29. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 104.4 miles on US 87, so be prepared for some extended periods of consistent driving. While primarily highway, the route does incorporate state highways, offering a consistent pace for the majority of the journey. The character remains fairly uniform, emphasizing efficient travel over varied terrain.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 104.4 mi on US 87.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 87 and East State Highway 158. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near TX 349 Bus / South Big Spring Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 17m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 11 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (TX 349 Bus / South Big Spring Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (TX 140 / West Florida Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 238.4 miles (TX 29; TX 71): Lane positioning matters here.
Midland is a city in the Permian Basin region of Texas. Its warm climate, friendly people, and central location are the primary reasons for the city's popularity. It is home to about 133,000 people (census, 1 April 2020) Twenty minutes to the west is Odessa, with a population of about 100,000. Nearly a quarter of a million people reside in the Midland/Odessa metropolitan area.
The longest stretch is about 104.4 miles on US 87. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.93 in tolls one way, starting with 183A Toll Road. 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.
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 is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Montopolis, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (TX 349 Bus / South Big Spring Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (TX 140 / West Florida Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 238.4 miles (TX 29; TX 71): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.3 hours each way, a round trip means 12.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Montopolis, TX before the return drive.
