The drive from Arlington, TX to Lone Star, TX covers 154.3 miles and takes about 2h 50m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Freeway, Purple Heart Trail, Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 78 miles on South Freeway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.32 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
77.2 miles from Arlington, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 26m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 50m. Total distance: 154.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 50m highway drive covering 154.3 miles, with most of the trip on South Freeway and Purple Heart Trail. The longest continuous stretch is about 78 miles on South Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 78 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South Freeway and Purple Heart Trail. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Center Street.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 154.3 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 0.1 miles (South Center Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (FM 157 / South Cooper Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|South Center Street
Turn right onto South Center Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
4.1 mi into trip|~7m in|FM 157 / South Cooper Street
Keep slight right at fork onto FM 157 / South Cooper Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
15.9 mi into trip|~21m 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
16.1 mi into trip|~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35W South: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35W South: Waco
8
139.5 mi into trip|~2h 31m in|I 14; US 190 / Central Texas Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 14; US 190 / Central Texas Expressway toward US 190 West: Killeen, Fort Cavazos
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 190 West: Killeen, Fort Cavazos
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Arlington, TX and Lone Star, TX, road signs point toward Denton and Fort Cavazos.
Denton
15.9 mi in|~21m
Fort Cavazos
139.5 mi in|~2h 31m|via I 14; US 190
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
South Freeway
78 mi
1h 20m
Purple Heart Trail
37.9 mi
39m
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
10.3 mi
11m
Central Texas Expressway
10 mi
10m
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
6.6 mi
7m
East Veterans Memorial Boulevard
3.8 mi
6m
South Cooper Street
2.4 mi
4m
South Center Street
2 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
South Freeway
— 78 mi, about 1h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, TX and Lone Star, TX.
1
Start on West Abram Street
93 ft·8 sec·West Abram Street
2
Continue on West Abram Street
417 ft·21 sec·West Abram Street
3
Turn right onto South Center Street
2.0 mi·4 min·South Center Street
Use the right lane.
4
Turn right onto Spur 303
0.5 mi·48 sec·West Pioneer Parkway
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto FM 157
1.5 mi·2 min·South Cooper Street
Use the left lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto FM 157
1.0 mi·1 min·South Cooper Street
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 20 West: Fort Worth
8
Merge onto I 20
10 mi·11 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Exit 437Toward I 35W South, I 35W North: Waco, DentonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 35W South: WacoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 35W
78 mi·1 hr 20 min·South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 35; US 77
6.6 mi·7 min·North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 35
38 mi·39 min·Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 14; US 190
10 mi·10 min·Central Texas Expressway
Toward US 190 West: Killeen, Fort CavazosUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Exit 290Toward US 190 Business: Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Nola Ruth Street
16
Turn straight onto West Central Texas Expressway
0.6 mi·1 min·West Central Texas Expressway
17
Continue on US 190 Bus
3.8 mi·6 min·East Veterans Memorial Boulevard
18
Turn right onto 46th Street
0.1 mi·18 sec·46th Street
19
Arrive at destination
46th Street
Trip Plan
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 77.2 miles from Arlington, TX, or about 1h 26m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 78 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 34 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 77.2 miles or 1h 26m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lone Star, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Arlington, 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 Arlington, TX
This is one driving day of about 154.3 miles and 2h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 miles from Arlington, 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 South Freeway for about 78 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 77.2 mi from Arlington, TX
· 1h 26m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
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...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 95.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.32 one way
$46.63 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg54 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$25.52
$51.04
premium
$4.54
$27.55
$55.10
diesel
$5.61
$34.07
$68.13
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 54 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
46.3
0
$16.20
$7.41
Efficient EV
38.6
0
$13.50
$6.17
EV Truck/SUV
61.7
0
$21.60
$9.88
Gas CO2
54 kg
EV CO2
18 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 16, 2026
Origin
Arlington, TX
Morning
in Arlington on Friday
Local time
9:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Sunny
S 10 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Lone Star, TX
Morning
in Lone Star on Friday
Local time
9:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
28 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
2h 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Arlington, TX to Lone Star, TX covers 154.3 miles and takes about 2h 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Freeway, Purple Heart Trail, Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 77.2 miles from Arlington, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $23.32 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 154.3 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Center Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (FM 157 / South Cooper Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Arlington, TX and Lone Star, TX, road signs point toward Denton and Fort Cavazos.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Waco Mammoth National Monument.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
