Trip from Plano, TX to Wimberley, TX

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

Drive Time

4h 36m

Distance

250.7 mi

403 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$38

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 23m ★

6 AM

4h 36m

8 AM

5h 3m

10 AM

4h 46m

12 PM

4h 43m

3 PM

4h 47m

5 PM

5h 2m

8 PM

4h 28m

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

Best Time

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city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas, United States

Plano, TX

Wikimedia Commons

city in Hays County, Texas, United States

Wimberley, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Plano, TX to Wimberley, TX is 250.7 miles and takes about 4h 36m via South R L Thornton Freeway and I 35, with a fuel budget near $36 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you from the Great Plains region of North Texas down into the same region near the Texas Hill Country. With a recommended one-day drive, you'll spend most of your time on major highways, making it a straightforward trip if you're looking for a direct route. Plan for about 250 miles of travel, keeping an eye on your fuel and the clock for a smooth arrival.

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

125.3 miles from Plano, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 13m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
South R L Thornton Freeway	89.9 mi	1h 32m
Purple Heart Trail	58.2 mi	1h 2m
I 35	55.8 mi	58m
Central Expressway	16.8 mi	18m
North Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m
Ranch Road 150 West	6.5 mi	8m
Ranch Road 3237	5.2 mi	6m
Ranch to Market Road 3237	3.8 mi	6m

Longest stretch: South R L Thornton Freeway — 89.9 mi, about 1h 32m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 92 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~4,008 veh/hr typical · worst 4,757

Quietest

2 AM

~665 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Plano, TX and Wimberley, TX.

Start on East 15th Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · East 15th Street

Use the straight lane.

Turn left onto Central Expressway

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Central Expressway

Use the left / straight lanes.

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 19 sec

Toward US 75 South

Merge onto US 75

17 mi · 17 min · Central Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

501 ft · 12 sec

Exit 284C Toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway Use the slight left lane.

Continue on North Central Expressway

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Central Expressway

Use the left / straight lanes.

Turn right onto Elm Street

304 ft · 10 sec · Elm Street

Turn left onto North Pearl Expressway

0.2 mi · 28 sec · North Pearl Expressway

Use the straight lane.

Turn right onto Young Street

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Young Street

Turn left onto South Harwood Street

315 ft · 8 sec · South Harwood Street

Use the left lane.

Turn right onto Canton Street

0.4 mi · 47 sec · Canton Street

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 38 sec

Toward I 30 West

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 14 sec

Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Waco, Denton

Keep slight left at fork

221 ft · 5 sec

Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 30 sec

Toward I 35E South: Waco Use the left / right lanes.

Continue on I 35E

0.5 mi · 44 sec · South R L Thornton Freeway

Continue on I 35E

89 mi · 1 hr 31 min · South R L Thornton Freeway

Exit 426 Toward Dallas Zoo Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35; US 77

6.6 mi · 7 min · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

38 mi · 39 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

56 mi · 58 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290

20 mi · 23 min · Purple Heart Trail

Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street Use the slight left lane.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec

Exit 215 Toward FM 1626: Kyle Parkway Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto South Interstate 35

0.2 mi · 24 sec · South Interstate 35

Turn right onto CR 171

2.3 mi · 4 min · Kohlers Crossing

Turn left onto FM 2770

1.1 mi · 1 min · Jack C Hays Trail

Use the left lane.

Turn right onto RM 150

6.5 mi · 8 min · Ranch Road 150 West

Enter roundabout onto RM 3237

210 ft · 4 sec · Ranch Road 3237

Continue on RM 3237

5.2 mi · 6 min · Ranch Road 3237

Continue on RM 3237

3.8 mi · 6 min · Ranch to Market Road 3237

Use the straight lane.

Turn right onto Old Kyle Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · Old Kyle Road

Continue on RM 12

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Ranch Road 12

Arrive at destination

RM 12

Trip Plan

For this 4-hour and 36-minute drive, leaving Plano early in the morning, perhaps around 8 AM, will help you avoid the worst of any potential traffic. Since it's a single-day trip, you have flexibility, but consider breaking up the drive around the halfway point. A single planned stop should be sufficient for fuel and a quick break. Keep in mind the longest stretch is nearly 90 miles, so ensure you have enough fuel before you begin that segment. The total fuel cost is estimated at $36.

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 125.3 miles from Plano, TX, or about 2h 13m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89.9 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 55 miles or 1h in

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

Halfway reset

Around 125.3 miles or 2h 13m 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 37m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Plano, 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 Plano, TX

This is one driving day of about 250.7 miles and 4h 36m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Plano, 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 South R L Thornton Freeway for about 89.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Troy, TX

125 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Italy, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Troy, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 125.3 miles from Plano, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

2.5 mi from route

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

Visit website

Heritage Farmstead Museum

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour

Plano, Texas

Hours: Closed

+19728810140

Visit website

Village of Salado Visitors Center

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Final third 1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour

Salado, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+12549478634

Visit website

Botanical Gates of Paradise

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 22

5 decision points cluster between mile 17.5 and 230.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

17.5 mi into trip | ~19m in

Take the exit toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway

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

Use the slight left lane. Exit 284C Toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway

19.7 mi into trip | ~24m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco

19.7 mi into trip | ~24m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E South: Waco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / right lanes. Toward I 35E South: Waco

210.3 mi into trip | ~3h 42m in | I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street

230.6 mi into trip | ~4h 5m in

Take the exit toward FM 1626: Kyle Parkway

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 215 Toward FM 1626: Kyle Parkway

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$38.38 one way

$76.77 round trip

$3.89/gal 25.4 MPG avg 88 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.29	$42.36	$84.72
premium	$4.64	$45.78	$91.55
diesel	$6.18	$60.99	$121.97

Estimated Tolls: $1.40

Central Expressway (17.5 mi) $1.40

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

$38

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$65–$90

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 87.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.

Driving Electric?

About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	75.2	0	$26.32	$12.03
Efficient EV	62.7	0	$21.94	$10.03
EV Truck/SUV	100.3	1	$35.10	$16.04

Gas CO2

88 kg

EV CO2

29 kg (67% 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 18, 2026

Origin

Plano, TX

Morning in Plano on Monday

Local time

7:12 AM

CDT

Current temp

73°F

Mostly Sunny

ESE 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued October 18 at 2:18AM CDT until October 20 at 7:32PM CDT by NWS Norman OK

Destination

Wimberley, TX

Morning in Wimberley on Monday

Local time

7:12 AM

CDT

Current temp

73°F

Sunny

NE 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued October 18 at 2:18AM CDT until October 20 at 7:32PM CDT by NWS Norman OK

86°F

Troy, TX

125 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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

4h 36m 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

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...

5 mi from route ~12 min detour Free near mile 112.4

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

You'll be on the highway for about 68% of this 250.7-mile drive. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 89.9 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway. Expect to transition from the urban merging around the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex to more open highway cruising as you head south. The majority of your time will be spent on Interstate 35.

68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

32 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 89.9 mi on South R L Thornton Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South R L Thornton Freeway and Purple Heart Trail. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 17.5 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 250.7 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 17.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

853 ft 474 ft

Total Climb

965 ft

Total Descent

780 ft

Highest Point

853 ft

~250.7 mi in

Elevation Range

378 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Plano, TX and Wimberley, TX, road signs point toward Downtown, Denton, Waco and Dallas Zoo.

Downtown

17.5 mi in | ~19m

Denton

19.5 mi in | ~23m

Waco

19.7 mi in | ~24m

Dallas Zoo

20.6 mi in | ~25m | via I 35E

About the Cities

Starting in Plano, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1873

Plano is a city of 285,000 people (2020) in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex region of Texas and is north of Dallas. It is home to the headquarters of several large corporations.

Top landmarks

• Heritage Farmstead Museum — building in Texas, United States
• Plano Station, Texas Electric Railway — historic place in Plano, Collin County, Texas

Arriving in Wimberley, TX

Full guide →

Founded 2000

San Marcos is a college town in the Central Hill Country region of Texas in the United States of America, about half an hour's drive south of the state's capital, Austin. The site of human habitation for over 10,000 years, it was settled in 1808 by Mexican families, and is now the home to Texas State University-San Marcos. In 2020, it had a population of 58,000 people.

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 36m. Total distance: 250.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 89.9 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $1.40 in tolls one way, starting with Central Expressway. 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.

Yes — we found about 28 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.

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 Wimberley, 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. There are 28 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

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

Possible but tiring. At 4.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Wimberley, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Plano, TX or browse trips ending in Wimberley, TX.

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Trip from Plano, TX to Wimberley, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-35

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Bell County Northbound Rest Area

Service Plaza

Hill County Northbound Rest Area

Flying J Travel Center

Walburg Travel Center & Food Court

Love's Travel Stop

Petro Stopping Centers

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

Ascent Travel Center

Flying J Travel Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Road Ranger

Marlstone Retail Center

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Buc-ee's

TA

Service Plaza

Bell County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Love's Travel Stop

SoPac Trail Rest Area

Service Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Dark Hour Haunted House

City Park

11th Hour Escape

Cultural Activities Center

Austin Bat Tours

Heritage Farmstead Museum

Village of Salado Visitors Center

Botanical Gates of Paradise

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Plano, TX

Wimberley, TX

Same local time

Very similar conditions

4h 36m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Waco Mammoth National Monument

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Plano, TX

Arriving in Wimberley, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

How do I pay the tolls on this route?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Are there national parks near this route?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

Continue From Wimberley, TX

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