San Antonio, TX to Fort Davis, TX is 401.3 miles and takes about 6h 40m via I 10 and TX 17, with a fuel budget near $61 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive will take you across the Great Plains, starting in South Texas and heading west into the Big Bend region. It's a straightforward, highway-focused trip that's best tackled in a single day. Plan for a steady pace as you cover considerable ground with minimal detours.
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
200.7 miles from San Antonio, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 16m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 10
345.4 mi
5h 28m
TX 17
31.2 mi
38m
McDermott Freeway
12.8 mi
14m
I 10 Business
7.3 mi
10m
State Street
1.3 mi
1m
East Fredericksburg Road
1.2 mi
2m
Navarro Street
0.8 mi
1m
San Pedro Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 345.4 mi, about 5h 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Antonio, TX and Fort Davis, TX.
1
Start on Dolorosa Street
143 ft·4 sec·Dolorosa Street
2
Continue on West Market Street
0.2 mi·28 sec·West Market Street
3
Turn left onto Navarro Street
0.8 mi·1 min·Navarro Street
4
Enter roundabout onto San Pedro Avenue
85 ft·1 sec·San Pedro Avenue
5
Continue on San Pedro Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·San Pedro Avenue
6
Turn left onto West Cypress Street
0.1 mi·10 sec·West Cypress Street
Use the left lane.
7
Turn straight onto East Fredericksburg Road
1.2 mi·2 min·East Fredericksburg Road
8
Turn right onto Interstate 10 West
0.1 mi·13 sec·Interstate 10 West
9
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·13 sec
Toward I 10 West, US 87 North
10
Merge onto I 10; US 87
13 mi·14 min·McDermott Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87
345 mi·5 hr 28 min·I 10; US 87
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Take the exit onto TX 17
0.3 mi·43 sec·TX 17
Exit 209Toward I 10 Business Loop, SH 17: Balmorhea, Fort Davis
13
Turn left onto I 10 Business; TX 17
0.2 mi·17 sec·I 10 Business; TX 17
14
Turn right onto I 10 Business; TX 17
7.1 mi·10 min·I 10 Business; TX 17
15
Turn left onto TX 17
31 mi·37 min·TX 17
16
At end of road, turn left onto TX 17; TX 118
1.3 mi·1 min·State Street
17
Arrive at destination
TX 17; TX 118
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 40m drive time, departing San Antonio in the morning is your best bet to arrive in Fort Davis with daylight to spare. While there's only one recommended stop, you can choose to break up the 345.4-mile stretch on I 10 at any point to stretch your legs or refuel. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you get further west, as services can become more spread out. The $61 fuel cost is an estimate, so confirm prices as you go.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 200.7 miles from San Antonio, TX, or about 3h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 345.4 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 88 miles or 1h 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 200.7 miles or 3h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Davis, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving San Antonio, 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 San Antonio, TX
This is one driving day of about 401.3 miles and 6h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 88 miles from San Antonio, 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 I 10 for about 345.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 200.7 miles from San Antonio, 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 345.4 miles.
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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 361.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.6 mi into trip|~3m in|West Cypress Street
Turn left onto West Cypress Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.1 mi into trip|~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 West, US 87 North
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 10 West, US 87 North
5
3.2 mi into trip|~6m in|I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway
Merge onto I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
16.1 mi into trip|~20m 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.
6
361.5 mi into trip|~5h 49m in|TX 17
Take the exit onto TX 17 toward I 10 Business Loop, SH 17: Balmorhea, Fort Davis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 209
Toward I 10 Business Loop, SH 17: Balmorhea, Fo...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$60.64 one way
$121.27 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg140 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$66.37
$132.74
premium
$4.54
$71.65
$143.30
diesel
$5.61
$88.60
$177.20
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$61
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$86–$111
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 140.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $42 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
120.4
1
$42.14
$19.26
Efficient EV
100.3
1
$35.11
$16.05
EV Truck/SUV
160.5
2
$56.18
$25.68
Gas CO2
140 kg
EV CO2
47 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
San Antonio, TX
Night
in San Antonio on Saturday
Local time
11:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Mostly Cloudy
SSE 5 to 10 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 18 at 2:03AM CDT by NWS Fort Worth TX
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 18 at 2:01AM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Destination
Fort Davis, TX
Night
in Fort Davis on Saturday
Local time
11:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live 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
17 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
6h 40m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
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...
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...
27 mi from route
~67 min detour
Free
near mile 41.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is overwhelmingly a highway drive, with 99% of the journey on interstates and major state roads. You'll spend the vast majority of your time on I 10, experiencing a longest stretch of 345.4 miles on this interstate alone. Expect a consistent, fast-paced experience for much of the trip. The latter part of the drive, as you transition to TX 17, will offer a slight change in scenery but maintains its highway-focused character.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 345.4 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and TX 17. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near West Cypress Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 40m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 11 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (West Cypress Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.2 miles (I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 San Antonio, TX to Fort Davis, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Sh 17: Balmorhea along the way.
San Antonio is the second largest city in the state of Texas and the 7th largest in the United States. It's the 24th largest metropolitan area in the country. Visited by more than 31 million annual visitors, San Antonio is a beautiful city at the axis of three different geological terrains: Hill Country, South Texas Plains and Prairie and Lakes. There's a lot to do in this city: fine art museums, historical missions and plenty of amusement parks in addition to great dining and lots of drinking. The culture and people are vibrant and interesting. San Antonio's downtown is one of the most lively in the nation.
Top landmarks
•Alamo Mission in San Antonio — historic place in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
•San Antonio Missions National Historical Park — historic district in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
•Fort Sam Houston — military base in San Antonio, Texas
The longest stretch is about 345.4 miles on I 10. 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 is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Fort Davis, 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 1.6 miles (West Cypress Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.2 miles (I 10; US 87 / McDermott Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — 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 6.7 hours each way, a round trip means 13.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Fort Davis, TX before the return drive.
