Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
38.9 mi
63 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montopolis, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Serenada, TX
Mark Direen
The drive from Montopolis, TX to Serenada, TX covers 38.9 miles and takes about 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Purple Heart Trail, Bergstrom Expressway, US 183 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20 miles on Purple Heart Trail. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.64 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 20 mi | 21m |
| Bergstrom Expressway | 7 mi | 6m |
| US 183 | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Northwest Boulevard | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| US Highway 183 South | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Bastrop Highway | 1 mi | 1m |
| South Interstate 35 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Williams Drive | 1 mi | 2m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~4,089 veh/hr typical · worst 4,726
Quietest
2 AM
~649 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 102 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Montopolis, TX and Serenada, TX.
Start on this road
Merge onto 183 Toll
Continue on US 183
Take the exit
Turn sharp left onto US 183
Continue on 183 Toll
Continue on US 183
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto East Anderson Lane
Turn right onto North Interstate 35
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 35
Take the exit
Turn straight onto South Interstate 35
Turn straight onto RM 2338
Turn right onto River Bend Drive
Turn left onto Northwest Boulevard
Turn right onto Serenada Drive
Turn left onto Luna Trail
At end of road, turn left onto Shinnecock Hills Drive
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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.
A short stop after about 38.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 19.4 miles from Montopolis, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.9 and 33.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn sharp left onto US 183 / US Highway 183 South
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Take the exit toward I 35, Loop 275: Waco, Lamar Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 35 South, Loop 275: Lamar Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Williams Drive, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$5.64 one way
$11.29 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.08 | $6.25 | $12.51 |
| premium | $4.43 | $6.79 | $13.58 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $8.57 | $17.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.08 | $1.87 |
| Efficient EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.40 | $1.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.45 | $2.49 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Montopolis on Friday
Local time
6:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Mostly Clear
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 29 at 11:03PM CDT until August 30 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
Destination
Evening in Serenada on Friday
Local time
6:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Clear
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued August 29 at 11:03PM CDT until August 30 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
38.9 mi in 50m — 31% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Purple Heart Trail.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.9 miles in.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 38.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (US 183 / US Highway 183 South): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 11.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
586 ft
Total Descent
227 ft
Highest Point
840 ft
~30.5 mi in
Elevation Range
395 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Montopolis, TX and Serenada, TX, road signs point toward Loop 275: Waco and Downtown.
Loop 275: Waco
Downtown
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 38.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
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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