Origin
Watauga, TX
Late night in Watauga on Tuesday
Local time
4:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Watauga, TX to Fort Worth, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
12.6 mi
20 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Watauga, TX
Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE
Fort Worth, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 12.6-mile drive from Watauga, TX to Fort Worth, TX should take you about 18 minutes, making it an easy day trip. You'll primarily be on I 35W TEXpress and North South Freeway, with a portion on Northeast Loop 820. Given the short distance and minimal time commitment, you won't need an overnight stay. Your estimated fuel cost is a low $2, which is great for budget-conscious travelers. Both Watauga and Fort Worth are located within the Great Plains region, so expect a landscape consistent with that of North Texas.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35W TEXpress | 4 mi | 3m |
| North South Freeway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Northeast Loop 820 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Denton Highway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| North Freeway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Northeast Loop | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Shipp Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| US 287 Bus | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35W TEXpress
— 4 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Watauga, TX and Fort Worth, TX.
1
Start on Whitley Road
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Whitley Road
2
Turn right onto Shipp Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Shipp Drive
3
At end of road, turn left onto US 377
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Denton Highway
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto Northeast Loop 820
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Loop 820
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 820 West
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
6
Merge onto I 820
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
Northeast Loop
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 16B
Toward I 35W, US 287: Fort Worth, Denton
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 35W South, US 287 South: Downtown, Ft Worth
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto I 35W; US 287
0.7 mi
·
47 sec
·
North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 35W Express Toll South
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto I 35W TEXpress
4.0 mi
·
3 min
·
I 35W TEXpress
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 35W
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
North South Freeway
13
Take the exit onto US 287 Bus
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 287 Bus
Exit 49B
Toward US 287 Business: Rosedale Street, Allen Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
14
Continue on South Freeway
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
South Freeway
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
South Freeway
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 11.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 377 / Denton Highway
At end of road, turn left onto US 377 / Denton Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
3.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward I 35W, US 287: Fort Worth, Denton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 16B
Toward I 35W, US 287: Fort Worth, Denton
8
4.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35W South, US 287 South: Downtown, Ft Worth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35W South, US 287 South: Downtown, Ft...
6
6 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward I 35W Express Toll South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35W Express Toll South
8
11.7 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
US 287 Bus
Take the exit onto US 287 Bus toward US 287 Business: Rosedale Street, Allen Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 49B
Toward US 287 Business: Rosedale Street, Allen...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.90 one way
$3.81 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $2.08 | $4.17 |
| premium | $4.54 | $2.25 | $4.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.78 | $5.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.32 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.10 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.76 | $0.81 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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
Fort Worth, TX
Late night in Fort Worth on Tuesday
Local time
4:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
S 15 mph
20% chance
Live forecast
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
19 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
18m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed drive with 53% of your journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is about 4 miles on the I 35W TEXpress. This route offers a blend of faster highway driving and potentially some local road transitions as you approach your destination. While not a particularly challenging drive, the mix of major freeways like North South Freeway and Northeast Loop 820 provides a taste of urban Texas commuting.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4 mi on I 35W TEXpress.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near US 377 / Denton Highway.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 12.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 18m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (US 377 / Denton Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Watauga, TX and Fort Worth, TX, road signs point toward Denton and Ft Worth.
Denton
3.8 mi in
|
~7m
Ft Worth
4.2 mi in
|
~8m
About the Cities
Starting in Watauga, TX
Full guide →Arriving in Fort Worth, TX
Full guide →“Panther city” · Founded 1849
Fort Worth is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of approximately 1,020,000, it is Texas' 5th largest city. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, which has a population exceeding 6 million. Sometimes referred to as Cowtown, it is by far closer to its cowboy roots than neighboring Dallas. This article also covers North Richland Hills, a neighboring community.
Top landmarks
- • Amon Carter Museum of American Art — art museum in Fort Worth, Texas
- • Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth — art museum
- • St. Patrick Cathedral in Fort Worth — church located in Fort Worth, 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 18m. Total distance: 12.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4 miles on I 35W TEXpress. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Fort Worth, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (US 377 / Denton Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fort Worth, TX before heading back.
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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