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Trip from Waxahachie, TX to Fort Worth, TX

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

50m

Distance

41.7 mi

67 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 46m ★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

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

Waxahachie, TX

Wikimedia Commons

city and county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, United States

Fort Worth, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Waxahachie to Fort Worth is 41.7 miles and takes about 50m via US 287, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward journey between two Texas cities. Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience, making it a quick and efficient trip. With no designated stops in the data, you'll likely find ample services along the main roads. This route is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination with plenty of time to spare.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 287 32.7 mi 36m
South Freeway 3.4 mi 3m
West US 287 Business 1.9 mi 2m
West Main Street 1.3 mi 1m
West US Highway 287 Business 1.1 mi 1m
East Allen Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
North Rogers Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 287 — 32.7 mi, about 36m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Waxahachie, TX and Fort Worth, TX.

1

Start on this road

159 ft · 13 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto North Rogers Street

132 ft · 10 sec · North Rogers Street
3

Turn right onto US 287 Bus

1.3 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
4

Turn straight onto US 287 Bus

1.9 mi · 2 min · West US 287 Business
5

Continue on US 287 Bus

1.1 mi · 1 min · West US Highway 287 Business
6

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Toward US 287 Business North
7

Merge onto US 287

33 mi · 36 min · US 287
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Exit 437 Toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, Denton Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Toward I 35W North: Denton Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 14 sec
Toward I 35W North: Fort Worth
11

Merge onto I 35W

3.2 mi · 3 min · South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Exit 49A Toward Allen Avenue Use the slight right lane.
13

Turn straight onto South Freeway

0.1 mi · 18 sec · South Freeway
14

Turn left onto East Allen Avenue

210 ft · 12 sec · East Allen Avenue
15

Turn left onto South Freeway

258 ft · 5 sec · South Freeway
16

Arrive at destination

South Freeway

Where to Stop

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

city in Texas, USA; suburb of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Mansfield, TX

21 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.

Popular next leg

Mansfield, TX to Fort Worth, TX

20.2 mi · 25m

Pacing Suggestions

Haltom City, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 41.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mansfield, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.9 miles from Waxahachie, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 4.6 and 41.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
4.6 mi into trip | ~7m in | US 287

Merge onto US 287

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
37.3 mi into trip | ~43m in

Take the exit toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, Denton

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 437 Toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, Denton
7
37.5 mi into trip | ~44m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 35W North: Denton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 35W North: Denton
5
37.9 mi into trip | ~45m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 35W North: Fort Worth

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 35W North: Fort Worth
7
41.3 mi into trip | ~48m in

Take the exit toward Allen Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 49A Toward Allen Avenue

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.30 one way

$12.60 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $6.90 $13.79
premium $4.54 $7.45 $14.89
diesel $5.61 $9.21 $18.41

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.5 0 $4.38 $2.00
Efficient EV 10.4 0 $3.65 $1.67
EV Truck/SUV 16.7 0 $5.84 $2.67

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (67% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Waxahachie, TX

Morning in Waxahachie on Sunday

Local time

6:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fort Worth, TX

Morning in Fort Worth on Sunday

Local time

6:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

65°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

N 15 to 20 mph 38% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 18 at 10:34AM CDT until April 18 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Fort Worth TX

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 10:29AM CDT until April 19 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX

73°F

Mansfield, TX

21 mi in

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

9 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

50m 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?

This is a highway-focused drive, with 94% of the route taking place on major roads. You'll spend most of your time on US 287, experiencing a consistent driving pace. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 32.7 miles on US 287, indicating long periods of steady travel. The South Freeway and West US 287 Business are also part of this efficient path. Overall, the character of this drive is one of directness and speed, minimizing complexity.

94% 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: 32.7 mi on US 287.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 287 and South Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.6 miles in near US 287.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 41.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 4.6 miles (US 287): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Waxahachie, TX to Fort Worth, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Denton along the way.

Denton

37.3 mi in | ~43m

About the Cities

Starting in Waxahachie, TX

Full guide →

Founded 1850

Waxahachie is a city in Blackland Prairie region of Texas.

Top landmarks

  • Joshua Chapel A.M.E. Church — historic place in Waxahachie, Ellis County, Texas
  • Saint Paul's Episcopal Church — building in Waxahachie, Ellis County, Texas
  • Chautauqua Auditorium — historic place in Waxahachie, Ellis County, Texas

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 50m. Total distance: 41.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

50m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 32.7 miles on US 287. 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 4.6 miles (US 287): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

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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