Origin
Dalhart, TX
Afternoon in Dalhart on Sunday
Local time
1:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dalhart, TX to Houston, TX
Drive Time
12h 14m
Distance
687.7 mi
1,107 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$105
one way
Photo: Trace Hudson
Trip Overview
Spanning 686.5 miles across the vast landscapes of Texas, this journey from Dalhart to Houston is a significant undertaking that requires careful planning. While the drive takes approximately 10 hours and 11 minutes of pure road time, attempting this in a single day is exhausting for most travelers. For a more manageable experience, plan to split the trip over two days to avoid driver fatigue. Expect to spend roughly $102 on fuel, so factor that into your travel budget before heading out. Both the origin and destination sit within the Great Plains, meaning you will experience the expansive, open terrain that defines this region of the state. Ultimately, this route is best approached as a multi-day trek rather than a quick sprint.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
3 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
343.8 miles from Dalhart, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 8m into the drive .
Drive Character
Navigating this route requires you to transition away from high-speed interstates, as the path relies heavily on US 385 South, East 7th Street, and US 87 South. Because your highway share is 0%, you should prepare for a drive that prioritizes local roads and smaller thoroughfares over major expressways. The character of the road is consistent, favoring steady, long-distance travel through the heart of Texas. Without the fast-paced nature of an interstate, the pace feels more deliberate and grounded. You will spend your time navigating the changing landscape of the Great Plains, moving steadily from the northern plains down toward the coast.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 57 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Julius Schepps Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 237.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Julius Schepps Freeway and US Highway 287. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 415.8 miles in.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 36 significant decision points across 687.7 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 415.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 416.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 447.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 36 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
415.8 mi into trip
|
~7h 25m in
Take the exit toward I 820
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 57
Toward I 820
7
416.2 mi into trip
|
~7h 25m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 820 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 820 East
8
447.2 mi into trip
|
~7h 58m in
Take the exit toward Continental Avenue, Commerce Street West
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 429B
Toward Continental Avenue, Commerce Street West
7
448.7 mi into trip
|
~8h 1m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 45 South: Houston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 45 South: Houston
7
686.4 mi into trip
|
~12h 11m in
Take the exit toward I 10 East: Beaumont
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 48A
Toward I 10 East: Beaumont
Towns Along This Route
Between Dalhart, TX and Houston, TX, road signs point toward Loop 335 and Commerce Street West.
Loop 335
81.2 mi in
|
~1h 25m
Commerce Street West
447.2 mi in
|
~7h 58m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Julius Schepps Freeway | 237.2 mi | 4h 9m |
| US Highway 287 | 112.6 mi | 1h 58m |
| Central East Freeway | 99.2 mi | 1h 46m |
| US 287 | 77.2 mi | 1h 21m |
| US Highway 287 East | 40.5 mi | 42m |
| East 7th Street | 21.3 mi | 21m |
| SH 183 TEXpress | 15 mi | 14m |
| US 385 | 14.6 mi | 16m |
Longest stretch:
Julius Schepps Freeway
— 237.2 mi, about 4h 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dalhart, TX and Houston, TX.
1
Start on US 87; US 385
9.5 mi
·
11 min
·
Railroad Street
Use the none lane.
2
Continue on US 87; US 385
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
US 87; US 385
Use the none lane.
3
Take the exit onto US 385
15 mi
·
16 min
·
US 385
Toward US 385 South: Channing
4
Turn left onto TX 354
21 mi
·
21 min
·
East 7th Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward US 87 South, US 287 South: Amarillo
6
Merge onto US 87; US 287
31 mi
·
30 min
·
US Highway 287
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward Loop 335
8
Continue on Dumas Drive
477 ft
·
11 sec
·
Dumas Drive
9
Turn left onto Loop 335
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
West Saint Francis Avenue
10
Continue on Loop 335
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
·
East Loop 335 North
11
Continue on Loop 335
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
North Lakeside Drive
12
Turn left onto East Interstate Drive
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
East Interstate Drive
13
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
14
Merge onto I 40; US 287
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I 40; US 287
15
Take the exit onto US 287
77 mi
·
1 hr 21 min
·
US 287
Exit 78
Toward US 287 South: Fort Worth
16
Turn slight right onto US 287
14 mi
·
13 min
·
US Highway 287
17
Continue on US 287
0.7 mi
·
58 sec
·
Burnett Street
18
Continue on US 287
14 mi
·
14 min
·
US Highway 287
19
Continue on US 287
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Avenue F Northwest
20
Continue on US 287
54 mi
·
58 min
·
US Highway 287
21
Continue on US 287
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Continue on US 70; US 183; US 287
41 mi
·
42 min
·
US Highway 287 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Continue on US 287
4.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Northwest Freeway
24
Keep slight right at fork onto US 287
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
Northwest Freeway
Toward I 44 West, US 277 South, US 281 South, US 287 South: Wichita Falls
25
Merge onto I 44; US 277; US 281; US 287
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Central Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Continue on US 277; US 281; US 287
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Lloyd Ruby Overpass
Use the straight lane.
27
Continue on US 281; US 287
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Central East Freeway
28
Keep slight right at fork onto US 82; US 287
1.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Central East Freeway
29
Keep slight right at fork onto US 82; US 287
97 mi
·
1 hr 43 min
·
Central East Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
30
Continue on US 81; US 287
4.6 mi
·
4 min
·
US 81; US 287
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
31
Merge onto I 35W; US 287
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
32
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 57
Toward I 820
Use the slight right lane.
33
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 820 East
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
34
Merge onto I 820
0.4 mi
·
24 sec
·
Northeast Loop
35
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
Toward I 820 Express East Toll
36
Merge onto I 820 TEXpress
5.5 mi
·
5 min
·
I 820 TEXpress
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
37
Continue on TX 121 TEXpress; TX 183 TEXpress
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
SH 121/183 TEXpress
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
38
Continue on TX 183 TEXpress
12 mi
·
11 min
·
SH 183 TEXpress
Toward TX 183 Express East
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
39
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 183 TEXpress
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
SH 183 TEXpress
Use the none lane.
40
Merge onto TX 183
0.8 mi
·
50 sec
·
John W Carpenter Freeway
41
Merge onto I 35E
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
North Stemmons Freeway
Use the none lane.
42
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 429B
Toward Continental Avenue, Commerce Street West
Use the slight right lane.
43
Turn straight onto North Stemmons Freeway
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
North Stemmons Freeway
44
Turn left onto Continental Avenue
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Continental Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
45
Turn left onto McKinney Avenue
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
McKinney Avenue
46
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward US 75 North
47
Merge onto Spur 366
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Woodall Rodgers Freeway
Use the none lane.
48
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 45 South: Houston
Use the slight right lane.
49
Merge onto I 45
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the none lane.
50
Keep slight left at fork onto I 45
234 mi
·
4 hr 5 min
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
51
Continue on I 45
271 ft
·
3 sec
·
Gulf Freeway
Use the left / straight lanes.
52
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 48A
Toward I 10 East: Beaumont
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
53
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward Milam Street
Use the slight left lane.
54
Continue on Milam Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Milam Street
Use the none lane.
55
Turn right onto Prairie Street
328 ft
·
13 sec
·
Prairie Street
56
Turn right onto Louisiana Street
516 ft
·
16 sec
·
Louisiana Street
57
Arrive at destination
Louisiana Street
Trip Plan
To keep your energy levels high, incorporate at least two planned stops into your itinerary. Since this is a lengthy drive, hitting the road early in the morning is essential to maximize daylight and reduce the pressure of finishing your transit after dark. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge throughout the trip, as relying on non-highway roads means you should be proactive about identifying refueling points before your tank gets too low. If you choose to break the trip into two days, look for lodging options roughly halfway to ensure an even split of your 686.5-mile journey. Staying flexible with your pace will make the long stretches behind the wheel feel much more manageable.
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 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 343.8 miles from Dalhart, TX, or about 6h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 237.2 miles.
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 151 miles or 2h 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 343.8 miles or 6h 8m 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 343.8 miles or 6h 8m
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 11h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Houston, 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 344 miles and 6.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Houston, TX
Aim for roughly 344 miles and 6.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 151 miles from Dalhart, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Julius Schepps Freeway for about 237.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 343.8 mi from Dalhart, TX · 6h 8m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
227 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
454 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 Irving, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
344 mi · about 6.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near Denton, TX after about 344 miles or 6.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 151 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 343.8 miles from Dalhart, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Julius Schepps Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 237.2 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 344 miles or 6.1 hours on the road.
Arriving in Houston, TX
The final approach into Houston, 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 Houston, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Houston, TX with some flexibility left in the schedule.
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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$105.05 one way
$210.10 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
241 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $115.12 | $230.24 |
| premium | $4.59 | $124.30 | $248.60 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $152.78 | $305.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$105
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$235–$345
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 240.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $72 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 206.3 | 2 | $72.21 | $33.01 |
| Efficient EV | 171.9 | 1 | $60.17 | $27.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 275.1 | 3 | $96.28 | $44.01 |
Gas CO2
241 kg
EV CO2
80 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
Houston, TX
Afternoon in Houston on Sunday
Local time
1:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
30 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
12h 14m 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 Houston, TX covers 687.7 miles and takes about 12h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Julius Schepps Freeway, US Highway 287, Central East Freeway. 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 344 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 343.8 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 $105.05 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 3 meaningful breaks 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 36 significant decision points across 687.7 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 415.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 416.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 447.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Dalhart, TX and Houston, TX, road signs point toward Loop 335 and Commerce Street West.
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