Traveling from Yorktown to San Antonio covers 77 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 28 minutes. Since this is a relatively short trip, it works perfectly as a straightforward day trip, allowing you to reach the city in under an hour and a half. You should expect to spend roughly $11 on fuel for the journey. Both locations are situated within the Great Plains region of Texas, ensuring a consistent landscape throughout your transit. Because there are no mandatory stops required by the route, you have the flexibility to power through or take your time depending on your schedule. It is a practical, no-fuss drive that serves as an efficient connection between these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
37 miles from Yorktown, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
North Mehnert Street
33.7 mi
46m
US Highway 87 East
29.6 mi
35m
Rigsby Avenue
4.7 mi
8m
Jose Lopez Freeway
1.6 mi
1m
William J Bordelon Freeway
1.2 mi
1m
East Commerce Street
0.9 mi
1m
Roland Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
East Main Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
North Mehnert Street
— 33.7 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yorktown, TX and San Antonio, TX.
1
Start on TX 72
0.4 mi·44 sec·East Main Street
2
Turn right onto TX 119
34 mi·46 min·North Mehnert Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto US 87; TX 97
30 mi·35 min·US Highway 87 East
4
Continue on US 87
4.7 mi·8 min·Rigsby Avenue
5
Turn slight right onto US 87
0.6 mi·1 min·Roland Avenue
6
Turn left onto US 87
0.2 mi·30 sec·US 87
Toward I 10 West, US 90 WestUse the straight / left lanes.
7
Merge onto I 10; US 87; US 90
1.6 mi·1 min·Jose Lopez Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi·15 sec
Exit 574Toward I 37, US 281: Corpus Christi, Johnson CityUse the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward I 37 North, US 281 North: Johnson CityUse the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 37; US 281
1.2 mi·1 min·William J Bordelon Freeway
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Exit 141Toward Commerce Street, Downtown, The AlamoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn straight onto Interstate 37 South
380 ft·11 sec·Interstate 37 South
13
Turn left onto East Commerce Street
0.9 mi·1 min·East Commerce Street
14
Turn left onto Military Plaza
392 ft·15 sec·Military Plaza
15
Turn left onto Dolorosa Street
327 ft·8 sec·Dolorosa Street
16
Arrive at destination
Dolorosa Street
Trip Plan
Given the 77-mile distance and the turn-heavy nature of the roads, try to plan your departure for daylight hours to ensure better visibility on the local turns. Since the drive takes less than 90 minutes, you do not need to worry about complex rest stops, though you should factor the $11 fuel cost into your overall travel budget before heading out. The lack of highway segments means you should anticipate a slower pace compared to interstate travel, so build in a little extra cushion time if you have a hard arrival deadline in San Antonio. Flexibility is your biggest advantage on this route, so feel free to adjust your departure time to avoid the busiest local traffic patterns. Keep your focus on the road, as the technical, turn-heavy design requires more concentration than your typical highway cruise.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 37 miles from Yorktown, TX, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 33.7 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 16 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37 miles or 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Antonio, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Yorktown, TX so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Yorktown, TX
This is one driving day of about 74 miles and 1h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Yorktown, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on North Mehnert Street for about 33.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 34.2 and 72.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
34.2 mi into trip|~47m in|US 87; TX 97 / US Highway 87 East
At end of road, turn left onto US 87; TX 97 / US Highway 87 East
Navigation decision point
7
69.1 mi into trip|~1h 32m in|US 87
Turn left onto US 87 toward I 10 West, US 90 West
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I 10 West, US 90 West
8
70.9 mi into trip|~1h 35m in
Take the exit toward I 37, US 281: Corpus Christi, Johnson City
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 574
Toward I 37, US 281: Corpus Christi, Johnson Ci...
8
71.1 mi into trip|~1h 35m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 37 North, US 281 North: Johnson City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 37 North, US 281 North: Johnson City
8
72.7 mi into trip|~1h 37m in
Take the exit toward Commerce Street, Downtown, The Alamo
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 141
Toward Commerce Street, Downtown, The Alamo
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.18 one way
$22.36 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg26 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$12.24
$24.48
premium
$4.54
$13.21
$26.42
diesel
$5.61
$16.34
$32.68
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.2
0
$7.77
$3.55
Efficient EV
18.5
0
$6.48
$2.96
EV Truck/SUV
29.6
0
$10.36
$4.74
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Yorktown, TX
Morning
in Yorktown on Sunday
Local time
6:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
San Antonio, TX
Morning
in San Antonio on Sunday
Local time
6:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
63°F
China Grove, TX
37 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 40m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 66.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate experience on this 77-mile stretch. With a highway share of 0%, the route relies entirely on local roads, requiring your full attention as you navigate winding segments. There is no monotony here, as the lack of highway miles means you will be actively engaged behind the wheel for the duration of the 1-hour and 28-minute trip. You will not encounter any long, uninterrupted stretches of road, so prepare for a drive that demands constant adjustments. The personality of this route is defined by its local character, making it feel more like a deliberate journey through the countryside than a simple commute.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.7 mi on North Mehnert Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 34.2 miles in near US 87; TX 97 / US Highway 87 East.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 74 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 34.2 miles (US 87; TX 97 / US Highway 87 East): Navigation decision point; at 69.1 miles (US 87): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 70.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 in San Antonio — 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
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 40m. Total distance: 74 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.7 miles on North Mehnert Street. 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 San Antonio, 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 34.2 miles (US 87; TX 97 / US Highway 87 East): Navigation decision point; at 69.1 miles (US 87): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 70.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at San Antonio, TX before heading back.
