This 264.3-mile drive from Parker, TX to Garland, TX will take you approximately 5 hours and 16 minutes, making it a feasible day trip. You'll primarily navigate US 79 and State Highway 155, with a portion on US 271, covering 85% highway driving. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $40. This route through the Great Plains region is straightforward and efficient, designed for getting you to your destination with minimal fuss. With only one recommended stop, you can maintain a good pace throughout the drive.
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
132.1 miles from Parker, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 33m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 79
86.8 mi
1h 40m
State Highway 155
39.9 mi
45m
US 271
29.8 mi
34m
I 30
17.1 mi
17m
US Highway 259 North
16.5 mi
24m
North Tyler Street
16.3 mi
18m
State Highway 155 North
11.5 mi
12m
South State Highway 6
11.4 mi
12m
Longest stretch:
US 79
— 86.8 mi, about 1h 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Parker, TX and Garland, TX.
1
Start on FM 50
1.9 mi·3 min·Farm to Market Road 50
2
Turn right onto TX 21; FM 50
3.0 mi·3 min·TX 21; FM 50
3
Turn left onto TX OSR
8.1 mi·10 min·West Old San Antonio Road
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·43 sec
5
Merge onto US 190; TX 6
11 mi·12 min·South State Highway 6
6
Continue on US 190; TX 6
2.1 mi·2 min·South Market Street
7
Continue on US 79; TX 6
0.3 mi·22 sec·North State Highway 6
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 79
79 mi·1 hr 30 min·US 79
9
Merge onto US 79; US 84
7.7 mi·10 min·US 79; US 84
10
Turn left onto TX 155
0.2 mi·21 sec·North Link Street
11
Turn straight onto TX 155
21 mi·23 min·State Highway 155
12
Continue on TX 155
0.4 mi·30 sec·South Elm Street
13
Continue on TX 155
1.5 mi·1 min·North Frankston Highway
14
Continue on TX 155
19 mi·22 min·State Highway 155
15
Continue on TX 155
2.0 mi·3 min·Frankston Highway
16
Continue on TX 155
1.2 mi·2 min·South Vine Avenue
17
Turn straight onto South Palace Avenue
0.2 mi·27 sec·South Palace Avenue
18
Turn right onto TX 31
0.9 mi·1 min·West Front Street
19
Turn left onto US 271; TX 155
1.0 mi·1 min·South Beckham Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Continue on US 271; TX 155
1.6 mi·2 min·East Gentry Parkway
21
Continue on US 271; TX 155
5.5 mi·6 min·US Highway 271
22
Turn left onto TX 155
4.9 mi·5 min·State Highway 155 North
23
Continue on TX 155
1.1 mi·1 min·South Main Street
24
Continue on TX 155
6.7 mi·7 min·State Highway 155 North
25
At end of road, turn right onto US 80; TX 155
0.9 mi·1 min·West Broadway Street
26
Turn left onto TX 155
16 mi·18 min·North Tyler Street
Use the left lane.
27
Continue on US 271
30 mi·34 min·US 271
28
Turn right onto Burton Road
0.2 mi·20 sec·Burton Road
29
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·30 sec
30
Merge onto I 30
17 mi·17 min·I 30
31
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Toward US 259: De Kalb, Daingerfield
32
Turn left onto US 259
17 mi·24 min·US Highway 259 North
33
Turn left onto FM 1701
2.1 mi·4 min·FM 1701
34
Arrive at destination
FM 1701
Trip Plan
Given the 5-hour duration, an early morning departure from Parker, TX is recommended to maximize your daylight hours in Garland, TX. Plan for one stop to break up the 264.3 miles, perhaps around the halfway point, to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the 86.8-mile stretch on US 79, as services might be less frequent. The $40 fuel estimate is a good baseline, but it's always wise to have a little extra. This drive is well-suited for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your arrival time.
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 132.1 miles from Parker, TX, or about 2h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.8 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 58 miles or 1h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 132.1 miles or 2h 33m 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 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Garland, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Parker, 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 Parker, TX
This is one driving day of about 264.3 miles and 5h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from Parker, 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 79 for about 86.8 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 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 27.1 and 245.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
27.1 mi into trip|~32m in|US 79
Keep slight left at fork onto US 79
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
113.9 mi into trip|~2h 12m in|TX 155 / North Link Street
Turn left onto TX 155 / North Link Street
Navigation decision point
6
160.3 mi into trip|~3h 8m in|US 271; TX 155 / South Beckham Avenue
Turn left onto US 271; TX 155 / South Beckham Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
181.7 mi into trip|~3h 35m in|TX 155 / North Tyler Street
Turn left onto TX 155 / North Tyler Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
245.4 mi into trip|~4h 45m in
Take the exit toward US 259: De Kalb, Daingerfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 259: De Kalb, Daingerfield
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.68 one way
$79.35 round trip
$3.81/gal25.4 MPG avg93 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$43.90
$87.80
premium
$4.57
$47.50
$95.00
diesel
$6.28
$65.30
$130.61
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$40
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$65–$90
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 92.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
79.3
0
$27.75
$12.69
Efficient EV
66.1
0
$23.13
$10.57
EV Truck/SUV
105.7
1
$37.00
$16.92
Gas CO2
92 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Parker, TX
Evening
in Parker on Thursday
Local time
8:57 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Partly Sunny
NE 0 to 5 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Garland, TX
Evening
in Garland on Thursday
Local time
8:57 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Sunny
E 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
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
5h 16m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this trip, with 85% of the route utilizing major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 86.8 miles on US 79, offering a chance to settle into a steady rhythm. While largely a high-speed journey, the transition between US 79, State Highway 155, and US 271 will provide some variety in scenery and road conditions. This drive is designed for efficiency rather than winding, scenic byways, so prepare for a consistent pace.
85% 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: 86.8 mi on US 79.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 79 and State Highway 155. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 27.1 miles in near US 79.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 16m drive. You will face about 18 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 27.1 miles (US 79): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 113.9 miles (TX 155 / North Link Street): Navigation decision point; at 160.3 miles (US 271; TX 155 / South Beckham Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
560 ft243 ft
Total Climb
610 ft
Total Descent
467 ft
Highest Point
560 ft
~132.1 mi in
Elevation Range
317 ft
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 Parker, TX to Garland, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Daingerfield along the way.
Garland is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area in the State of Texas. Mike Judge, the creator of Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill, used to live in Garland, as well as some other small towns around Texas. So, yeah. Don't be shocked if you take a wrong turn through a downscale neighborhood and see someone barbecuing hot dogs using one of those things that turns your truck's air filter into a grill. On the other hand, Garland's north side is a palacial monument to suburban living in all its McMansioned, strip malling, Starbucks-sipping glory. Garland is basically an unprepossessing, pleasant place. While it's hard to get too excited about much that happens in Garland, it is just so darned pleasant.
The longest stretch is about 86.8 miles on US 79. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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.
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 2 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 27.1 miles (US 79): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 113.9 miles (TX 155 / North Link Street): Navigation decision point; at 160.3 miles (US 271; TX 155 / South Beckham Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.3 hours each way, a round trip means 10.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Garland, TX before the return drive.
