The drive from Austin, TX to Fort Stockton, TX covers 336.9 miles and takes about 5h 50m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 10, West US Highway 290, South US Highway 281 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 215.9 miles on I 10.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $50.91 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
168.5 miles from Austin, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 11m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 50m. Total distance: 336.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 5h 50m highway drive covering 336.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 10 and West US Highway 290. The longest continuous stretch is about 215.9 miles on I 10.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 10 is the longest continuous segment at about 215.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and West US Highway 290. 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 Brazos 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 16 significant decision points across 336.9 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 (Brazos Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (East 6th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Brazos Street
Turn left onto Brazos Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East 6th Street
Turn left onto East 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
6.2 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the exit toward US 290 West, TX 71 West: Johnson City, Llano
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.
Toward US 290 West, TX 71 West: Johnson City, L...
6
6.8 mi into trip|~11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 290 West, TX 71 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 290 West, TX 71 West
6
334.6 mi into trip|~5h 47m in|US 385
Take the exit onto US 385 toward I 10 Business Loop West, US 385 South: Fort Stockton, Marathon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 261
Toward I 10 Business Loop West, US 385 South: F...
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 Austin, TX to Fort Stockton, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Fredericksburg along the way.
Fredericksburg
47.3 mi in|~1h|via US 290
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 10
215.9 mi
3h 22m
West US Highway 290
96.7 mi
1h 50m
South US Highway 281
5.4 mi
6m
East Main Street
4.6 mi
9m
South Mopac Expressway
3.9 mi
4m
US 290
3.7 mi
4m
East 6th Street
1.9 mi
4m
East Dickinson Boulevard
1.1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 215.9 mi, about 3h 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Austin, TX and Fort Stockton, TX.
1
Start on East 5th Street
417 ft·15 sec·East 5th Street
2
Turn left onto Brazos Street
357 ft·23 sec·Brazos Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto East 6th Street
1.9 mi·4 min·East 6th Street
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn left onto Atlanta Street
233 ft·6 sec·Atlanta Street
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward Loop 1 South
6
Merge onto Loop 1
3.9 mi·4 min·South Mopac Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward US 290 West, TX 71 West: Johnson City, LlanoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
319 ft·7 sec
Toward US 290 West, TX 71 West
9
Merge onto US 290; TX 71
3.7 mi·4 min·US 290; TX 71
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on West US Highway 290 Frontage Rd
447 ft·6 sec·West US Highway 290 Frontage Rd
11
Continue on West US 290 Frontage Rd
0.3 mi·23 sec·West US 290 Frontage Rd
12
Turn straight onto West US 290 Bypass Lanes
0.5 mi·33 sec·West US 290 Bypass Lanes
13
Continue on US 290
378 ft·4 sec·West US Highway 290
14
Continue on US 290
30 mi·37 min·West US Highway 290
Use the left lane.
15
Merge onto US 281; US 290
5.4 mi·6 min·South US Highway 281
16
Turn left onto US 290
1.1 mi·1 min·East Main Street
Toward Fredericksburg
17
Continue on US 290
27 mi·30 min·West US Highway 290
18
Continue on US 290
3.5 mi·7 min·East Main Street
19
Continue on US 290
39 mi·42 min·West US Highway 290
20
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 10 West: Fort Stockton
21
Merge onto I 10
216 mi·3 hr 22 min·I 10
22
Take the exit onto US 385
0.4 mi·56 sec·US 385
Exit 261Toward I 10 Business Loop West, US 385 South: Fort Stockton, Marathon
23
Turn left onto I 10 Bus; US 385
0.8 mi·57 sec·East US Highway 290
24
Continue on I 10 Bus; US 385
1.1 mi·1 min·East Dickinson Boulevard
25
Turn right onto FM 1053
246 ft·10 sec·North Main Street
26
Turn left onto West 10th Street
55 ft·1 sec·West 10th Street
27
Arrive at destination
West 10th Street
Trip Plan
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 168.5 miles from Austin, TX, or about 3h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 215.9 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 74 miles or 1h 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 168.5 miles or 3h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Stockton, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Austin, 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 Austin, TX
This is one driving day of about 336.9 miles and 5h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 74 miles from Austin, 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 I 10 for about 215.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 168.5 mi from Austin, TX
· 3h 11m into the drive
The midpoint is around 168.5 miles from Austin, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Fort Stockton, TX
The final approach into Fort Stockton, TX usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Fort Stockton, TX.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park tells the story of our 36th president beginning with his ancestors until his final resting place on his beloved LBJ Ranch. This entire "circle of life" gives...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$50.91 one way
$101.81 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg118 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$55.72
$111.44
premium
$4.54
$60.15
$120.30
diesel
$5.61
$74.38
$148.77
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 117.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
101.1
1
$35.37
$16.17
Efficient EV
84.2
0
$29.48
$13.48
EV Truck/SUV
134.8
1
$47.17
$21.56
Gas CO2
118 kg
EV CO2
39 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Austin, TX
Morning
in Austin on Friday
Local time
10:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fort Stockton, TX
Morning
in Fort Stockton on Friday
Local time
10:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
59°F
Fredericksburg, TX
168 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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 50m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Austin, TX to Fort Stockton, TX covers 336.9 miles and takes about 5h 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 10, West US Highway 290, South US Highway 281. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 168.5 miles from Austin, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $50.91 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 336.9 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 (Brazos Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (East 6th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Austin, TX to Fort Stockton, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Fredericksburg along the way.
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.
