If you are planning to travel from San Antonio to Lamesa, prepare for a 346.2-mile journey that typically takes about 6 hours of drive time. This route is designed as a single-day trip, meaning you can easily reach your destination by evening without needing an overnight stop. You should budget approximately $52 for fuel to cover the distance across the Great Plains. Because this path relies on local roads rather than major interstates, the pace is steady but requires your full attention. It is a straightforward trek for those who prefer navigating through the heart of Texas rather than sticking to high-speed corridors.
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
173.1 miles from San Antonio, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 10
98.7 mi
1h 37m
US Highway 87 North
75.3 mi
1h 15m
West Broadway Street
39.2 mi
39m
North Main Street
29.3 mi
30m
Frisco Avenue
21.5 mi
23m
South US Highway 87
18.1 mi
18m
US 87
15.8 mi
16m
North US Highway 87
15.2 mi
15m
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 98.7 mi, about 1h 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Antonio, TX and Lamesa, 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
99 mi·1 hr 37 min·I 10; US 87
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Take the exit onto US 83
0.3 mi·44 sec·US 83
Exit 456Toward US 83 North, US 377: Junction, Menard
13
Turn right onto US 83; US 377
29 mi·30 min·North Main Street
Use the right lane.
14
Continue on US 83
21 mi·23 min·Frisco Avenue
15
Turn left onto US 87
39 mi·39 min·West Broadway Street
16
Continue on US 87; Loop 306
4.1 mi·5 min·South Bryant Boulevard
17
Continue on US 87; US 277
1.4 mi·2 min·South Koenigheim Street
18
Continue on US 87; US 277; US 67 Bus
4.3 mi·6 min·North Bryant Boulevard
19
Continue on US 87
23 mi·23 min·US Highway 87 North
20
Continue on US 87
16 mi·16 min·US 87
21
Turn straight onto US 87; TX 158; TX 163
52 mi·52 min·US Highway 87 North
22
Continue on US 87
15 mi·15 min·North US Highway 87
23
Continue on US 87
4.3 mi·4 min·William Crooker Highway
24
Continue on US 87
18 mi·18 min·South US Highway 87
25
Continue on US 87; US 180
1.3 mi·1 min·South Dallas Avenue
26
Continue on US 87; US 180
1.2 mi·1 min·South Lynn Avenue
27
Turn left
160 ft·11 sec
28
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this is a 6-hour trek, departing early in the morning is your best strategy to avoid mid-day traffic congestion on local roads. Plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and refresh, as the constant turns can be more fatiguing than highway driving. Keep your fuel gauge in mind and try to fill up before leaving the city limits, as the $52 budget estimate is a baseline for your trip. Because the route is entirely comprised of local roads, stay alert for changing speed limits and intersection transitions. Having a reliable GPS is essential here, as you will be relying on city streets rather than following a single highway sign for the duration of the trip.
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 173.1 miles from San Antonio, TX, or about 3h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 98.7 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 76 miles or 1h 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 173.1 miles or 3h 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
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lamesa, 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 346.2 miles and 6h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 76 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 98.7 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 114.7 — 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
114.7 mi into trip|~1h 58m in|US 83
Take the exit onto US 83 toward US 83 North, US 377: Junction, Menard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 456
Toward US 83 North, US 377: Junction, Menard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$52.31 one way
$104.62 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg121 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$57.26
$114.52
premium
$4.54
$61.81
$123.62
diesel
$5.61
$76.44
$152.87
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$52
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 121.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
103.9
1
$36.35
$16.62
Efficient EV
86.6
0
$30.29
$13.85
EV Truck/SUV
138.5
1
$48.47
$22.16
Gas CO2
121 kg
EV CO2
41 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 15, 2026
Origin
San Antonio, TX
Night
in San Antonio on Saturday
Local time
11:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lamesa, TX
Night
in Lamesa on Saturday
Local time
11:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
54°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
23 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 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...
26 mi from route
~64 min detour
Free
near mile 47.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands consistent engagement behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this route relies on surface streets like West Market Street, Navarro Street, and San Pedro Avenue to get you moving. With 0% highway share, you will experience the road in its most granular form. Don't look for long, uninterrupted stretches of cruising, as the longest segment on West Market Street is effectively zero miles. This drive is best suited for those who don't mind navigating local transit patterns as you transition between urban and rural settings.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 98.7 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and US Highway 87 North. 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, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 10 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 Lamesa, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Menard 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
Lamesa is a city in the Llano Estacado region of Texas. It is heavy on the agriculture sector and gives off an authentic feel of provincial Texan life.
The longest stretch is about 98.7 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 Lamesa, 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 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 12.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Lamesa, TX before the return drive.
