Origin
Scissors, TX
Evening in Scissors on Saturday
Local time
8:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
91°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Scissors, TX to El Paso, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
11h 56m
Distance
800.2 mi
1,288 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$121
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
11h 45m
★
6 AM
11h 56m
8 AM
12h 18m
10 AM
12h 4m
12 PM
12h 2m
3 PM
12h 5m
5 PM
12h 17m
8 PM
11h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Scissors, TX
Wikimedia Commons
El Paso, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Embarking on a journey from Scissors, Texas, to El Paso, Texas, covers 800.2 miles and will take approximately 11 hours and 56 minutes of driving time. Given the distance and duration, this trip is best split over two recommended days to avoid fatigue. With a projected fuel cost of around $122, it's a significant but manageable expense for this long-distance drive. You'll navigate primarily on Grande Street, Lott Road, and South Salinas Boulevard, experiencing the vastness of the Great Plains region throughout your travel. This route offers a straightforward path across the state, focusing on covering ground efficiently.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
3 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
400.1 miles from Scissors, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 58m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Grande Street | — | — |
| Lott Road | — | — |
| South Salinas Boulevard | — | — |
| West Expressway 83 | — | — |
| I 69C North | — | — |
| Nueces Street | — | — |
| Cesar Estrada Chavez Boulevard | — | — |
| East César E | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Grande Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Scissors, TX and El Paso, TX.
1
Start on Cortez Street
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
Cortez Street
2
At the end of the road, turn left onto Grande Street
361 ft
·
18 sec
·
Grande Street
3
Turn right onto Lott Road
0.2 mi
·
57 sec
·
Lott Road
4
At the end of the road, turn left onto South Salinas Boulevard
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
South Salinas Boulevard
5
Turn left onto West Expressway 83
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
West Expressway 83
6
Take the ramp slight left
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
7
Merge slight left
7.8 mi
·
8 min
8
Take the exit slight right toward I 69C North, US 281: Edinburg
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 69C North, US 281: Edinburg
9
Continue straight
22 mi
·
23 min
10
Continue straight
57 mi
·
1 hr
11
Keep slight right
70 mi
·
1 hr 19 min
12
Keep slight left to continue on Nueces Street
15 mi
·
18 min
·
Nueces Street
13
Continue straight
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
14
Take the exit straight
68 mi
·
1 hr 10 min
15
Take the exit slight right toward Cesar Estrada Chavez Boulevard, Alamodome
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Cesar Estrada Chavez Boulevard, Alamodome
16
Turn left onto East César E. Chávez Boulevard
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
East César E. Chávez Boulevard
17
Take the ramp straight toward I 10 West, I 35 North
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
I 10 West, I 35 North
18
Merge slight left onto South Pan Am Expressway
92 ft
·
1 sec
·
South Pan Am Expressway
19
Take the exit slight right toward I 10 West, US 87 North: El Paso
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10 West, US 87 North: El Paso
20
Keep slight left to continue on McDermott Freeway
15 mi
·
17 min
·
McDermott Freeway
21
Keep slight right
535 mi
·
8 hr 33 min
22
Take the exit slight right toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Missouri Avenue, Downtown
23
Turn straight onto East Missouri Avenue
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
East Missouri Avenue
24
Turn left onto North Mesa Street
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Mesa Street
25
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
For this 800.2-mile journey, splitting the drive over two days is highly recommended, allowing for approximately six hours of driving each day. Aim to start early in the morning to maximize daylight and make the most of your stops, of which there are three planned. Keep a close eye on your fuel levels, especially since you'll be on local roads for the entirety of the trip and might encounter fewer services than on major highways. Budgeting around $122 for fuel is a good estimate, but it's always wise to have a buffer. A practical tip for this route is to plan your overnight stop roughly halfway, around the 400-mile mark, to ensure a balanced driving experience.
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 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 400.1 miles from Scissors, TX, or about 5h 58m into the drive.
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 176 miles or 2h 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 400.1 miles or 5h 58m 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 400.1 miles or 5h 58m
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 11h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near El Paso, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Scissors, 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 Scissors, TX
Aim for roughly 400 miles and 6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into El Paso, TX
Aim for roughly 400 miles and 6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 176 miles from Scissors, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
264 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.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
528 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 Big Lake, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
400 mi · about 6h in
A practical overnight split lands near Kerrville, TX after about 400 miles or 6 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 176 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 400.1 miles from Scissors, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 400 miles or 6 hours on the road.
Final-third reset
Rest stopPlan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$120.91 one way
$241.82 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
280 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $132.35 | $264.70 |
| premium | $4.54 | $142.87 | $285.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $176.67 | $353.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$121
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$251–$361
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 280 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $84 in charging · 2 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 240.1 | 2 | $84.02 | $38.41 |
| Efficient EV | 200.1 | 2 | $70.02 | $32.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 320.1 | 4 | $112.03 | $51.21 |
Gas CO2
280 kg
EV CO2
94 kg (66% less)
Plan for 2 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.
Destination
El Paso, TX
Evening in El Paso on Saturday
Local time
7:08 PM
MDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
60°F
Big Lake, TX
528 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.
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
6 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
11h 56m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized by its extensive use of local roads, with a 0% highway share, meaning you'll be on surface streets for the entire 800.2 miles. The drive is predominantly on Grande Street, Lott Road, and South Salinas Boulevard, offering a consistent pace without the high speeds of interstate travel. While there isn't a specified longest uninterrupted stretch of road, expect a continuous driving experience primarily on these main thoroughfares. The character of the drive remains consistent, focusing on direct travel through Texas, rather than dramatic shifts in scenery or road type.
0% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Grande Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
At 11h 56m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. Navigation is simple, but the total wheel time makes endurance and break timing the real challenge.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
Navigation is easy, but the length (11h 56m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Scissors, TX to El Paso, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Arriving in El Paso, TX
Full guide →El Paso is the sixth largest city in Texas, with 679,000 residents (2020). It is on the United States-Mexico border. The city on the other side of the border is Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. El Paso is often called the Sun City. Collectively, the city of El Paso and other nearby cities, such as Juarez and Las Cruces, New Mexico are referred to as The Borderland.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 3 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
11h 56m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Long-haul drive route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 400 miles on day one.
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 El Paso, 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 3 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Scissors, TX to El Paso, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Not recommended in a single day. At 11.9 hours each way, a round trip means 23.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at El Paso, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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