Hill County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Selma, TX to Grand Prairie, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 40m
Distance
260.1 mi
419 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$36
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 27m
★
6 AM
4h 41m
8 AM
5h 7m
10 AM
4h 50m
12 PM
4h 47m
3 PM
4h 51m
5 PM
5h 6m
8 PM
4h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Selma, TX
Heber Vazquez
Grand Prairie, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Selma, TX to Grand Prairie, TX is 260.1 miles and takes about 4h 40m via Purple Heart Trail and I 35E, with a fuel budget near $38 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward drive across Texas. With a recommended one-day duration, it's a manageable distance for most drivers. Expect a mix of highway and surface roads, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B without extensive planning.
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
130.1 miles from Selma, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 19m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 187.4 mi | 3h 17m |
| I 35E | 47.3 mi | 48m |
| Lyndon B Johnson Freeway | 9 mi | 9m |
| South Jack Kultgen Expressway | 6.6 mi | 7m |
| South Belt Line Road | 5 mi | 8m |
| Interstate Highway 35 | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Interstate 35 North | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Southeast 9th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 187.4 mi, about 3h 17m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 88 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~3,763 veh/hr typical · worst 4,358
Quietest
2 AM
~649 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 51 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 Selma, TX and Grand Prairie, TX.
1
Start on North Evans Road
267 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Evans Road
2
Turn left onto Interstate 35 North
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Interstate 35 North
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 35 North
4
Merge onto I 35
11 mi
·
11 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on I 35
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Interstate Highway 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 35
48 mi
·
52 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290
96 mi
·
1 hr 40 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 35
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
South Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 35; US 77
33 mi
·
33 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
47 mi
·
48 min
·
I 35E
Toward I 35E: Dallas
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
2 min
Exit 418A
Toward I 20 West: Fort Worth
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 20
9.0 mi
·
9 min
·
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 457
Toward FM 1382
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto FM 1382
5.0 mi
·
8 min
·
South Belt Line Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
15
Turn slight right onto Southeast 9th Street
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Southeast 9th Street
16
Turn left onto TX 180
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
East Main Street
17
Turn right
74 ft
·
5 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Consider an early morning departure from Selma to maximize daylight and minimize traffic, especially as you approach the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a total duration of under five hours, this route is easily completed in a single day. You'll have one recommended stop, but with only 260.1 miles, you can be flexible with breaks. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is $38, and plan your last fill-up before entering more densely populated areas. The extensive surface road sections mean you'll be stopping and starting more frequently than on a pure highway drive.
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 130.1 miles from Selma, TX, or about 2h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 187.4 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 57 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 130.1 miles or 2h 19m 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 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Grand Prairie, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Selma, 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 Selma, TX
This is one driving day of about 260.1 miles and 4h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 57 miles from Selma, 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 Purple Heart Trail for about 187.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
130 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 57 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 130.1 miles from Selma, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 187.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Hill County Southbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Ascent Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Bell County Northbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
TA
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Marlstone Retail Center
0.4 mi from route
Cultural Activities Center
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Halfway reset
0.9 mi from route
~2 min detour
Temple, Texas
Hours: 8:30 am–4 pm
+12547739926
Visit websiteRipley's Believe It or Not!
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
1.1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Grand Prairie, Texas
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+19722632391
Visit websiteLouis Tussaud's Palace of Wax
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
1.1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Grand Prairie, Texas
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+19722632391
Visit websiteVillage of Salado Visitors Center
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Halfway reset
0.7 mi from route
~2 min detour
Salado, Texas
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+12549478634
Visit websiteBarton Creek Greenbelt
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Early in the drive, ~11 min detour
Early stretch
4.4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Austin, Texas
Hours: 5 am–10 pm
+15129746700
Visit websiteTube Chute
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, ~10 min detour
First break
4.1 mi from route
~10 min detour
New Braunfels, Texas
+18302214000
Visit websiteAustin Bat Tours
4.4
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Early in the drive, ~12 min detour
Early stretch
4.6 mi from route
~12 min detour
Austin, Texas
Hours: 9 am–10 pm
Visit websiteThe Sophienburg Museum & Archives
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, ~11 min detour
First break
4.6 mi from route
~11 min detour
New Braunfels, Texas
Hours: 10 am–4 pm
+18306291572
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 254.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 35 / Purple Heart Trail
Merge onto I 35 / Purple Heart Trail
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
61.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
197 mi into trip
|
~3h 29m in
|
I 35E
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E toward I 35E: Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 35E: Dallas
7
244.3 mi into trip
|
~4h 17m in
Take the exit toward I 20 West: Fort Worth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 418A
Toward I 20 West: Fort Worth
7
254.2 mi into trip
|
~4h 29m in
Take the exit toward FM 1382
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 457
Toward FM 1382
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.63 one way
$71.25 round trip
$3.48/gal
25.4 MPG avg
91 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.89 | $39.79 | $79.59 |
| premium | $4.23 | $43.26 | $86.53 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $49.11 | $98.22 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 91 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 78 | 0 | $27.31 | $12.48 |
| Efficient EV | 65 | 0 | $22.76 | $10.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 104 | 1 | $36.41 | $16.65 |
Gas CO2
91 kg
EV CO2
30 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.
Origin
Selma, TX
Night in Selma on Monday
Local time
9:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 19 at 11:05PM CDT until July 20 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Fort Worth TX
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 19 at 10:55PM CDT until July 20 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
Destination
Grand Prairie, TX
Night in Grand Prairie on Monday
Local time
9:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Clear
SSW 5 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 19 at 11:05PM CDT until July 20 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Fort Worth TX
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 19 at 10:55PM CDT until July 20 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA
96°F
Troy, TX
130 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
6 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
4h 40m 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 161.5
View on nps.gov
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...
20 mi from route
~50 min detour
Free
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 features 25% highway travel, with the longest continuous stretch being 187.4 miles on the Purple Heart Trail. After this significant portion, you'll transition to I 35E and the Lyndon B Johnson Freeway. Be aware that the majority of the route is on surface roads, which means you'll encounter more traffic signals and varied speed limits as you navigate through populated areas.
Only 25% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 187.4 mi on Purple Heart Trail.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near I 35 / Purple Heart Trail.
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 11 significant decision points across 260.1 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 1 miles (I 35 / Purple Heart Trail): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 61.8 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 197 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
832 ft
490 ft
Total Climb
575 ft
Total Descent
810 ft
Highest Point
832 ft
~74.3 mi in
Elevation Range
341 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Selma, TX
Full guide →Founded 1964
Arriving in Grand Prairie, TX
Full guide →Founded 1863
Grand Prairie is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas.
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 40m. Total distance: 260.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 187.4 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Grand Prairie, 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (I 35 / Purple Heart Trail): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 61.8 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 197 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Grand Prairie, 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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