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Trip from Plainview, TX to Montopolis, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 18m

Distance

236.5 mi

381 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$36

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
4h 5m ★
6 AM
4h 18m
8 AM
4h 45m
10 AM
4h 27m
12 PM
4h 25m
3 PM
4h 29m
5 PM
4h 43m
8 PM
4h 10m

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 and count sear of Hale County, Texas, United States

Plainview, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 236.5-mile journey from Plainview, TX, to Montopolis, TX, is designed for a single day of travel, taking approximately 4 hours and 18 minutes. The route primarily utilizes major highways, with 83% of the drive on high-speed roads, making it a highway-focused experience. You can expect a fuel cost of around $36 for this trip. As both your origin and destination are within the Great Plains region, the landscape will likely maintain a consistent, open feel. This drive is perfectly suited as a day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stop.

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

118.2 miles from Plainview, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 12m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North South Freeway 84.6 mi 1h 27m
I 35 55.4 mi 57m
Purple Heart Trail 37.9 mi 39m
I 35W 17.2 mi 18m
I 35W TEXpress 16.7 mi 16m
FM 1173 8.5 mi 17m
North Jack Kultgen Expressway 6.6 mi 7m
Bergstrom Expressway 4.8 mi 5m
Longest stretch: North South Freeway — 84.6 mi, about 1h 27m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Plainview, TX and Montopolis, TX.

1

Start on this road

70 ft · 6 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto Plainview Road

138 ft · 9 sec · Plainview Road
3

Turn right onto FM 1173

8.5 mi · 17 min · FM 1173
4

At end of road, turn right onto North Interstate 35

0.4 mi · 34 sec · North Interstate 35
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward I 35 South
6

Merge onto I 35; US 77

2.7 mi · 2 min · I 35; US 77
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit onto I 35W

17 mi · 18 min · I 35W
Exit 467 Toward I 35W South, FM 1515: Fort Worth Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W Express

17 mi · 16 min · I 35W TEXpress
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9

Merge onto I 35W

85 mi · 1 hr 27 min · North South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on I 35; US 77

6.6 mi · 7 min · North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 35

38 mi · 39 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

53 mi · 54 min · I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Exit 240B Toward US 183: Lockhart, Lampasas Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min
Toward US 183 South: Lockhart Use the slight left lane.
15

Merge onto US 183

2.2 mi · 2 min · US 183
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Continue on 183 Toll

4.8 mi · 5 min · Bergstrom Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Toward Montopolis Drive, Patton Avenue Use the slight right lane.
18

Turn straight onto US 183

0.4 mi · 30 sec · Ed Bluestein Boulevard
19

Take the ramp

486 ft · 11 sec
Toward 183 Toll South: Lockhart
20

Arrive at destination

Toward 183 Toll South: Lockhart

Trip Plan

Given the manageable 4-hour duration, starting your drive in Plainview, TX, after morning traffic has cleared is ideal. You'll encounter one significant stretch of 84.6 miles on the North South Freeway, so plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly. While the route is efficient, keeping an eye on your fuel gauge is always wise on longer stretches. The estimated fuel cost of $36 should help you budget for this. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility in when you depart and how you pace your single designated stop.

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 118.2 miles from Plainview, TX, or about 2h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 84.6 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 52 miles or 1h 3m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 118.2 miles or 2h 12m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 31m

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 Plainview, 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 Plainview, TX

This is one driving day of about 236.5 miles and 4h 18m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 miles from Plainview, 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 North South Freeway for about 84.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in McLennan County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

West, TX

118 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.

Popular next leg

West, TX to Montopolis, TX

121.9 mi · 2h 11m

Pacing Suggestions

Fort Worth, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 52 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

West, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 118.2 miles from Plainview, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before North South Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 84.6 miles.

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

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Doris D Miller Park

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour

Waco, Texas

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Tornado Terry's Family Amusement Center

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

First break 3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour

Fort Worth, Texas

Hours: Closed

+18174316121

Visit website

Village of Salado Visitors Center

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 2.2 mi from route ~6 min detour

Salado, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+12549478634

Visit website

Austin Bat Tours

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, ~9 min detour

Home stretch 3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

Visit website

Forest Park Miniature Railroad

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Early in the drive, ~9 min detour

Early stretch 3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour

Fort Worth, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+18179665509

Visit website

Cultural Activities Center

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, ~9 min detour

Final third 3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour

Temple, Texas

Hours: 8:30 am–4 pm

+12547739926

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 11.9 and 235.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
11.9 mi into trip | ~21m in | I 35W

Take the exit onto I 35W toward I 35W South, FM 1515: Fort Worth

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 467 Toward I 35W South, FM 1515: Fort Worth
6
29.1 mi into trip | ~40m in | I 35W Express / I 35W TEXpress

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W Express / I 35W TEXpress

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
227.6 mi into trip | ~4h 6m in

Take the exit toward US 183: Lockhart, Lampasas

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 240B Toward US 183: Lockhart, Lampasas
7
227.8 mi into trip | ~4h 7m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 183 South: Lockhart

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward US 183 South: Lockhart
7
235.8 mi into trip | ~4h 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

$35.74 one way

$71.47 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 83 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $39.12 $78.23
premium $4.54 $42.23 $84.45
diesel $5.61 $52.22 $104.43

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$36

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$61–$86

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 82.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 71 0 $24.83 $11.35
Efficient EV 59.1 0 $20.69 $9.46
EV Truck/SUV 94.6 1 $33.11 $15.14

Gas CO2

83 kg

EV CO2

28 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 Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Plainview, TX

Late night in Plainview on Tuesday

Local time

3:09 AM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Montopolis, TX

Late night in Montopolis on Tuesday

Local time

3:09 AM

CDT

Current temp

69°F

Mostly Cloudy

S 5 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 11:33PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX

Freeze Watch

Freeze Watch issued April 16 at 11:33PM CDT until April 19 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX

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

8 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

4h 18m 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

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 130.5
View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a highway-dominant experience on this route, with 83% of your travel on high-speed roads. The North South Freeway will present the longest uninterrupted stretch, a solid 84.6 miles of consistent driving. You'll be navigating primarily via the North South Freeway, I 35, and the Purple Heart Trail. While largely a highway-focused drive, the transition between these main arteries will offer some variation. This is a route where maintaining steady speed is key, with minimal technical driving required.

83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 84.6 mi on North South Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North South Freeway and I 35. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 11.9 miles in near I 35W.

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 15 significant decision points across 236.5 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 11.9 miles (I 35W): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29.1 miles (I 35W Express / I 35W TEXpress): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 227.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 Plainview, TX to Montopolis, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Fm 1515: Fort Worth along the way.

Fm 1515: Fort Worth

11.9 mi in | ~21m | via I 35W

About the Cities

Starting in Plainview, TX

Full guide →

Plainview is a city in the Llano Estacado region of Texas.

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 4h 18m. Total distance: 236.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 84.6 miles on North South Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 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: at 11.9 miles (I 35W): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29.1 miles (I 35W Express / I 35W TEXpress): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 227.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Montopolis, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.

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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