Trip from San Antonio, TX to Tornillo, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

8h 20m

Distance

518.5 mi

834 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$78

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min

4 AM

8h 13m ★

6 AM

8h 21m

8 AM

8h 36m

10 AM

8h 26m

12 PM

8h 24m

3 PM

8h 27m

5 PM

8h 35m

8 PM

8h 16m

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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San Antonio, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Tornillo, TX

Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE

Trip Overview

San Antonio to Tornillo is 518.5 miles and takes about 8h 20m via West Market Street, Navarro Street, and San Pedro Avenue, with a fuel budget near $74 and enough daylight to finish in a day, though it's better as an overnight trip. This long-haul drive stays within Texas, traversing the Great Plains region for its entirety. Given the 2 recommended days, this route offers a chance to break up the substantial mileage and explore a bit more at your own pace. It's a straightforward trip, mostly on surface roads, so plan accordingly for traffic and varying speed limits.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

259.3 miles from San Antonio, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 11m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 10	499.5 mi	7h 53m
McDermott Freeway	12.8 mi	14m
O T Smith Road	2.8 mi	5m
East Fredericksburg Road	1.2 mi	2m
Navarro Street	0.8 mi	1m
San Pedro Avenue	0.6 mi	1m
West Market Street	0.2 mi	<1m
Interstate 10 West	0.1 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: I 10 — 499.5 mi, about 7h 53m

Traffic on I-10

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 52 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

2 PM

~458 veh/hr typical · worst 800

Quietest

3 AM

~94 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

4.9×

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 San Antonio, TX and Tornillo, TX.

Start on Dolorosa Street

143 ft · 4 sec · Dolorosa Street

Continue on West Market Street

0.2 mi · 28 sec · West Market Street

Turn left onto Navarro Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · Navarro Street

Enter roundabout onto San Pedro Avenue

85 ft · 1 sec · San Pedro Avenue

Continue on San Pedro Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · San Pedro Avenue

Turn left onto West Cypress Street

0.1 mi · 10 sec · West Cypress Street

Use the left lane.

Turn straight onto East Fredericksburg Road

1.2 mi · 2 min · East Fredericksburg Road

Turn right onto Interstate 10 West

0.1 mi · 13 sec · Interstate 10 West

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 13 sec

Toward I 10 West, US 87 North

Merge onto I 10; US 87

13 mi · 14 min · McDermott Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10; US 87

499 mi · 7 hr 53 min · I 10; US 87

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 34 sec

Toward Tornillo

Turn left onto FM 3380

1.0 mi · 1 min · O T Smith Road

Continue on O T Smith Road

1.8 mi · 4 min · O T Smith Road

Turn left onto TX 20

77 ft · 1 sec · Alameda Avenue

Arrive at destination

TX 20

Trip Plan

Given the 8h 20m estimated drive time, splitting this 518.5-mile trip over two days is a good idea. Aim to leave San Antonio in the morning to make steady progress. Plan your overnight stop around the halfway point to avoid a single, very long day of driving. With 2 recommended days, you have flexibility to explore smaller towns or take breaks as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the $74 budget is an estimate and local prices can vary; it's wise to top off whenever you see a good price, especially since you won't be on major highways with readily available services.

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.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.

Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 259.3 miles from San Antonio, TX, or about 4h 11m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 499.5 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 114 miles or 1h 53m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 259.3 miles or 4h 11m in

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

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 259.3 miles or 4h 11m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 7h 20m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tornillo, 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.

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from San Antonio, TX

Aim for roughly 259 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Tornillo, TX

Aim for roughly 259 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 114 miles from San Antonio, TX.

This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on I 10 for about 499.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in and county seat of Kimble County, Texas, United States

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Junction, TX

171 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

city in and county seat of Reeves County, Texas, United States

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Pecos, TX

342 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Pecos, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Big Lake, TX

259 mi · about 4.2h in

A practical overnight split lands near Big Lake, TX after about 259 miles or 4.2 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Kerrville, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 114 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Big Lake, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 259.3 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 499.5 miles.

Overnight split

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

+12102271373

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 16.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Navarro Street

Turn left onto Navarro Street

Navigation decision point

1.6 mi into trip | ~3m in | West Cypress Street

Turn left onto West Cypress Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

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

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.

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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$77.84 one way

$155.67 round trip

$3.81/gal 25.4 MPG avg 181 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.22	$86.12	$172.25
premium	$4.57	$93.19	$186.37
diesel	$6.28	$128.11	$256.23

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$78

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$208–$318

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 181.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.

Driving Electric?

About $54 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	155.6	1	$54.44	$24.89
Efficient EV	129.6	1	$45.37	$20.74
EV Truck/SUV	207.4	2	$72.59	$33.18

Gas CO2

181 kg

EV CO2

61 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 Oct 19, 2026

Origin

San Antonio, TX

Morning in San Antonio on Thursday

Local time

8:14 AM

CDT

Current temp

55°F

Mostly Cloudy

NE 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Tornillo, TX

Morning in Tornillo on Thursday

Local time

7:14 AM

MDT

Current temp

58°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers

E 3 mph 15% chance 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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

Time zone

1 hour earlier

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

3 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

8h 20m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

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...

9 mi from route ~22 min detour Free

View on nps.gov

Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park

National Historical Park

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 53.6

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

This drive involves 0% highway travel, meaning you'll be on surface streets for the entire 518.5 miles. The route begins on West Market Street, Navarro Street, and San Pedro Avenue in San Antonio, transitioning to other local roads as you head west. Expect to navigate through towns and cities, encountering numerous intersections and varying speed limits typical of non-highway driving. There isn't a 'longest stretch' of uninterrupted driving, suggesting frequent opportunities to stop or navigate through populated areas.

99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 499.5 mi on I 10.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and McDermott Freeway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Navarro Street.

Driving Effort 4/10

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 8h 20m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 9 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Navarro Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (West Cypress Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes

4,475 ft 649 ft

Total Climb

4,006 ft

Total Descent

1,068 ft

Highest Point

4,475 ft

~444.5 mi in

Elevation Range

3,826 ft

Notable High Points

4,475 ft at ~444.5 miles +80 ft prominence

About the Cities

Starting in San Antonio, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1718

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 — 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, United States

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

8h 20m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (99%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 499.5 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 259 miles on day one.

Yes — we found about 51 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 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 Tornillo, 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 2 meaningful breaks. There are 51 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

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 8.3 hours each way, a round trip means 16.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Tornillo, TX before the return drive.

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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