Origin
Dalhart, TX
Morning in Dalhart on Monday
Local time
9:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dalhart, TX to Austin, TX
Drive Time
8h 54m
Distance
580.4 mi
934 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$89
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 47m
★
6 AM
8h 55m
8 AM
9h 11m
10 AM
9h 1m
12 PM
8h 59m
3 PM
9h 1m
5 PM
9h 10m
8 PM
8h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dalhart, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Dalhart, TX to Austin, TX covers 580.4 miles and takes about 8h 54m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on US 385 South, Ranch Road 1061, West Loop 335 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $88.66 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
290.2 miles from Dalhart, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 27m into the drive .
Drive Character
At 580.4 miles and 8h 54m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are US 385 South and Ranch Road 1061.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 67 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 385 South is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 8h 54m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 54m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Dalhart, TX to Austin, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 385 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Ranch Road 1061 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Loop 335 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Helium Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Loop 335 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Hollywood Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Soncy Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Lair Rd | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
US 385 South
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dalhart, TX and Austin, TX.
1
Start on Railroad Street
9.5 mi
·
11 min
·
Railroad Street
2
Continue straight
4.7 mi
·
5 min
3
Take the exit slight right toward US 385 South: Channing
28 mi
·
30 min
·
US 385 South: Channing
4
Turn left
23 mi
·
25 min
5
Keep slight left to continue on Ranch Road 1061
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Ranch Road 1061
6
Keep slight right to continue on Ranch Road 1061
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Ranch Road 1061
7
Turn right
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
8
Continue straight
2.9 mi
·
3 min
9
Turn straight onto West Loop 335
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
West Loop 335
10
Keep slight right to continue on West Loop 335
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Loop 335
11
Continue on Helium Road
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Helium Road
12
Turn straight onto West Loop 335 South
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
·
West Loop 335 South
13
Continue on West Hollywood Road
0.7 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Hollywood Road
14
Turn right onto South Soncy Road
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
South Soncy Road
15
Turn left onto Lair Rd
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Lair Rd
16
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
17
Turn right onto Canyon Drive
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Canyon Drive
18
Take the ramp slight left
390 ft
·
10 sec
19
Merge slight left onto Canyon Expressway
1.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Canyon Expressway
20
Keep slight left to continue on Marshall Formby Memorial Highway
104 mi
·
1 hr 43 min
·
Marshall Formby Memorial Highway
21
Take the exit slight right toward Loop 289
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Loop 289
22
Turn straight onto North Interstate 27
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
North Interstate 27
23
Turn left onto North Loop 289
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
North Loop 289
24
Take the ramp slight left
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
25
Merge slight left
7.5 mi
·
8 min
26
Take the exit slight right toward Spur 331: Southeast Drive
420 ft
·
10 sec
·
Spur 331: Southeast Drive
27
Keep slight right to continue on Spur 331: Southeast Drive
233 ft
·
6 sec
·
Spur 331: Southeast Drive
28
Turn straight onto Southeast Loop 289
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Southeast Loop 289
29
Turn right onto Southeast Drive
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Southeast Drive
30
Merge slight right onto Slaton Road
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Slaton Road
31
Continue on East Highway 84
6.9 mi
·
6 min
·
East Highway 84
32
Continue on Trooper Jerry Don Davis Memorial Highway
4.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Trooper Jerry Don Davis Memorial Highway
33
Continue on East Highway 84
20 mi
·
20 min
·
East Highway 84
34
Continue on North US Highway 84
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North US Highway 84
35
Turn left onto East 15th Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
East 15th Street
36
Turn right onto Ralls Road
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Ralls Road
37
Turn straight onto North Avenue F
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Avenue F
38
At the end of the road, turn left onto US Highway 84
74 mi
·
1 hr 14 min
·
US Highway 84
39
Keep slight left to continue on I 20 East, US 84 East: Abilene
6.5 mi
·
6 min
·
I 20 East, US 84 East: Abilene
40
Take the exit slight right toward SH 70 South, SH 70 Business: Sweetwater, San Angelo
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
SH 70 South, SH 70 Business: Sweetwater, San Angelo
41
Turn slight left onto Southwest Georgia Avenue
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Southwest Georgia Avenue
42
Turn right onto Lamar Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Lamar Street
43
Continue on State Highway 70
10 mi
·
10 min
·
State Highway 70
44
Turn left onto State Highway 153
69 mi
·
1 hr 14 min
·
State Highway 153
45
Continue on West Walnut Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West Walnut Street
46
Continue on East Walnut Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Walnut Street
47
At the end of the road, turn left
9.4 mi
·
10 min
48
Continue straight
21 mi
·
24 min
49
Turn right onto Garmon Drive
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Garmon Drive
50
Continue on US Highway 84 East
29 mi
·
33 min
·
US Highway 84 East
51
Turn right
22 mi
·
25 min
52
Continue straight
15 mi
·
15 min
53
Merge slight left onto North US Highway 281
259 ft
·
4 sec
·
North US Highway 281
54
Continue on North Key Avenue
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
North Key Avenue
55
Continue on South US Highway 183
35 mi
·
38 min
·
South US Highway 183
56
Continue straight
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
57
Keep slight left to continue on 183A Toll Road
14 mi
·
14 min
·
183A Toll Road
58
Continue straight
7.5 mi
·
8 min
59
Take the exit slight right toward Loop 1: Mopac Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
Loop 1: Mopac Boulevard
60
Keep slight right to continue on Loop 1 South: Mopac Boulevard South
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
Loop 1 South: Mopac Boulevard South
61
Merge slight left onto North Mopac Expressway
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Mopac Expressway
62
Take the exit slight left toward Express 1 Toll
423 ft
·
10 sec
·
Express 1 Toll
63
Merge slight left
3.9 mi
·
4 min
64
Take the exit slight right
0.7 mi
·
1 min
65
Keep slight left to continue on West 5th Street
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
West 5th Street
66
Turn straight onto West 5th Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
West 5th Street
67
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 290.2 miles from Dalhart, TX, or about 4h 27m into the drive.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 128 miles or 1h 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 290.2 miles or 4h 27m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 290.2 miles or 4h 27m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 59m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Austin, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Dalhart, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Dalhart, TX
Aim for roughly 290 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Austin, TX
Aim for roughly 290 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 128 miles from Dalhart, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 290.2 mi from Dalhart, TX · 4h 27m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
192 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
383 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Killeen, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
290 mi · about 4.5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Rotan, TX after about 290 miles or 4.5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 128 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 290.2 miles from Dalhart, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 290 miles or 4.5 hours on the road.
Arriving in Austin, TX
The final approach into Austin, 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 Austin, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Austin, TX with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$88.66 one way
$177.32 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
203 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $97.16 | $194.32 |
| premium | $4.59 | $104.91 | $209.81 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $128.94 | $257.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$89
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$219–$329
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 203.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $61 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 174.1 | 2 | $60.94 | $27.86 |
| Efficient EV | 145.1 | 1 | $50.79 | $23.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 232.2 | 2 | $81.26 | $37.15 |
Gas CO2
203 kg
EV CO2
68 kg (67% less)
Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Austin, TX
Morning in Austin on Monday
Local time
9:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
25 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
8h 54m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Dalhart, TX to Austin, TX covers 580.4 miles and takes about 8h 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 385 South, Ranch Road 1061, West Loop 335. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 290 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 290.2 miles from Dalhart, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $88.66 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 54m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Dalhart, TX to Austin, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Dalhart, TX to Austin, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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