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Trip from Nurillo, TX to El Paso, TX

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

13h 11m

Distance

783 mi

1,260 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$118

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 35 min
4 AM
13h 0m ★
6 AM
13h 12m
8 AM
13h 35m
10 AM
13h 20m
12 PM
13h 18m
3 PM
13h 21m
5 PM
13h 34m
8 PM
13h 4m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Nurillo, TX, TX

Nurillo, TX

Alexa Heinrich

Downtown El Paso, TX, TX

El Paso, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 783-mile journey from Nurillo, TX to El Paso, TX is a substantial undertaking, requiring approximately 13 hours and 11 minutes of driving time. Given its length, it's best split over two days rather than attempting it as a single day trip. The route primarily utilizes I-10 and I-69C, with a significant portion on US-281, making it a high-speed interstate drive. You can expect a fuel cost of around $118 for this trip. This long-distance drive traverses the Great Plains region for both its origin and destination, offering a consistent landscape throughout.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

3 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

391.5 miles from Nurillo, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 55m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 10 535.3 mi 8h 33m
I 69C 143.6 mi 2h 37m
US 281 68.5 mi 1h 11m
McDermott Freeway 15.5 mi 18m
Nueces Street 14.7 mi 18m
East Canton Road 1.8 mi 4m
East César E. Chávez Boulevard 1.4 mi 3m
East Missouri Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 10 — 535.3 mi, about 8h 33m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Nurillo, TX and El Paso, TX.

1

Start on South Cesar Chavez Road

0.2 mi · 30 sec · South Cesar Chavez Road
2

Turn left onto East Canton Road

1.8 mi · 4 min · East Canton Road
3

Turn right

97 ft · 2 sec
4

Turn right

0.2 mi · 30 sec
5

At end of road, turn right onto South Expressway 281

0.3 mi · 49 sec · South Expressway 281
6

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward I 69C North, US 281 North
7

Merge onto I 69C; US 281

73 mi · 1 hr 17 min · I 69C; US 281
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 69C; US 281

70 mi · 1 hr 19 min · I 69C; US 281
9

Keep slight left at fork onto US 281

15 mi · 18 min · Nueces Street
10

Continue on US 281

0.2 mi · 15 sec · US 281
11

Take the exit onto US 281

68 mi · 1 hr 10 min · US 281
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Exit 140B Toward Cesar Estrada Chavez Boulevard, Alamodome Use the slight right lane.
13

Turn left onto East César E. Chávez Boulevard

1.4 mi · 3 min · East César E. Chávez Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
14

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward I 10 West, I 35 North
15

Merge onto I 10; I 35; US 87

93 ft · 1 sec · South Pan Am Expressway
16

Take the exit onto I 10; US 87

0.9 mi · 1 min · McDermott Freeway
Exit 156 Toward I 10 West, US 87 North: El Paso Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 87

15 mi · 17 min · McDermott Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87

535 mi · 8 hr 33 min · I 10; US 87
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
19

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 20 sec
Exit 19B Toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Turn straight onto East Missouri Avenue

0.3 mi · 49 sec · East Missouri Avenue
21

Turn left onto TX 20

0.3 mi · 27 sec · North Mesa Street
22

Arrive at destination

North Mesa Street

Trip Plan

For this 13-hour drive, departing early in the morning is highly recommended to maximize daylight hours and break up the journey effectively over two days. Plan for at least three stops to stretch your legs and refuel, especially considering the longest stretch is over 500 miles. The fuel cost is estimated at $118, so factor that into your budget. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, particularly during the long I-10 segment, as services can sometimes be spaced out in this part of Texas.

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.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 391.5 miles from Nurillo, TX, or about 6h 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 535.3 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 172 miles or 3h 14m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 391.5 miles or 6h 55m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 391.5 miles or 6h 55m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 12h 13m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near El Paso, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Nurillo, 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.

+

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Nurillo, TX

Aim for roughly 392 miles and 6.6 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into El Paso, TX

Aim for roughly 392 miles and 6.6 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 172 miles from Nurillo, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 10 for about 535.3 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown San Antonio, TX, TX

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

San Antonio, TX

258 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Popular next leg

San Antonio, TX to El Paso, TX

552.1 mi · 8h 56m

Downtown Big Lake, TX, TX

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Big Lake, TX

517 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Big Lake, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Kerrville, TX

392 mi · about 6.6h in

A practical overnight split lands near Kerrville, TX after about 392 miles or 6.6 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

San Antonio, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 172 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Live Oak, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 391.5 miles from Nurillo, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 10 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 535.3 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 392 miles or 6.6 hours on the road.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 18

5 decision points cluster between mile 229.6 and 782.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
229.6 mi into trip | ~4h 14m in

Take the exit toward Cesar Estrada Chavez Boulevard, Alamodome

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 140B Toward Cesar Estrada Chavez Boulevard, Alamodom...
8
231.4 mi into trip | ~4h 18m in | I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway

Take the exit onto I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway toward I 10 West, US 87 North: El Paso

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 156 Toward I 10 West, US 87 North: El Paso
6
232.3 mi into trip | ~4h 19m in | I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
246.9 mi into trip | ~4h 36m in | I 10; US 87

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
782.2 mi into trip | ~13h 9m in

Take the exit toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 19B Toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$118.31 one way

$236.63 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 274 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $129.50 $259.01
premium $4.54 $139.80 $279.60
diesel $5.61 $172.88 $345.75

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$118

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$248–$358

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 274 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $82 in charging · 2 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 234.9 2 $82.21 $37.58
Efficient EV 195.8 2 $68.51 $31.32
EV Truck/SUV 313.2 3 $109.62 $50.11

Gas CO2

274 kg

EV CO2

92 kg (66% less)

Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 18, 2026

Origin

Nurillo, TX

Evening in Nurillo on Saturday

Local time

8:09 PM

CDT

Current temp

92°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

El Paso, TX

Evening in El Paso on Saturday

Local time

7:09 PM

MDT

Current temp

85°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

60°F

Big Lake, TX

517 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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

Time zone

1 hour earlier

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

7 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

13h 11m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

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.

Chamizal National Memorial

Chamizal National Memorial

National Memorial

Chamizal is more than just an urban park to recreate or enjoy a quiet afternoon. These grounds are a reminder of the harmonious settlement of a 100-year boundary dispute between the United States and...

2 mi from route ~5 min detour Free near mile 785
View on nps.gov
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

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...

6 mi from route ~14 min detour Free near mile 216.5
View on nps.gov
Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park

Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park tells the story of our 36th president beginning with his ancestors until his final resting place on his beloved LBJ Ranch. This entire "circle of life" gives...

28 mi from route ~71 min detour Free near mile 270.7
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

The vast majority of this drive, 97%, is on highways, indicating a fast-paced experience. You'll encounter one very long stretch of 535.3 miles solely on I-10, which means extended periods of consistent driving. While predominantly interstate, the inclusion of US-281 might introduce slightly different road conditions before merging back onto major highways. Expect a consistent, straightforward driving environment with minimal deviations from high-speed travel.

97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 535.3 mi on I 10.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and I 69C. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 229.6 miles in.

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 18 significant decision points across 783 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 229.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 231.4 miles (I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 232.3 miles (I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

On the drive from Nurillo, TX to El Paso, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Alamodome along the way.

Alamodome

229.6 mi in | ~4h 14m

About the Cities

Arriving in El Paso, TX

Full guide →

El Paso is the sixth largest city in Texas, with 679,000 residents (2020). It is on the United States-Mexico border. The city on the other side of the border is Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. El Paso is often called the Sun City. Collectively, the city of El Paso and other nearby cities, such as Juarez and Las Cruces, New Mexico are referred to as The Borderland.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 535.3 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 392 miles on day one.

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 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 El Paso, 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 3 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 229.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 231.4 miles (I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 232.3 miles (I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Chamizal National Memorial, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 13.2 hours each way, a round trip means 26.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at El Paso, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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