Trip from Dalhart, TX to Rhode Island, TX

Drive Time

9h 29m

Distance

531.1 mi

855 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$81

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min

4 AM

9h 21m ★

6 AM

9h 29m

8 AM

9h 46m

10 AM

9h 35m

12 PM

9h 33m

3 PM

9h 36m

5 PM

9h 45m

8 PM

9h 24m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Dalhart, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Rhode Island, TX

Beth Fitzpatrick

Trip Overview

The drive from Dalhart, TX to Rhode Island, TX covers 531.1 miles and takes about 9h 29m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on US Highway 287, Central East Freeway, Julius Schepps Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 112.6 miles on US Highway 287. At current regular gas prices, budget about $81.13 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

265.6 miles from Dalhart, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 44m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 531.1 miles and 9h 29m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are US Highway 287 and Central East Freeway.

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.

US Highway 287 is the longest continuous segment at about 112.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 287 and Central East Freeway. 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 37 significant decision points across 531.1 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 37 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

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

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

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

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

528.5 mi into trip | ~9h 24m in

Take the exit toward FM 833

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 206 Toward FM 833

Towns Along This Route

Between Dalhart, TX and Rhode Island, 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
US Highway 287	112.6 mi	1h 58m
Central East Freeway	99.2 mi	1h 46m
Julius Schepps Freeway	79.4 mi	1h 21m
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: US Highway 287 — 112.6 mi, about 1h 58m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Dalhart, TX and Rhode Island, TX.

Start on US 87; US 385

9.5 mi · 11 min · Railroad Street

Continue on US 87; US 385

4.7 mi · 5 min · US 87; US 385

Take the exit onto US 385

15 mi · 16 min · US 385

Toward US 385 South: Channing

Turn left onto TX 354

21 mi · 21 min · East 7th Street

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec

Toward US 87 South, US 287 South: Amarillo

Merge onto US 87; US 287

31 mi · 30 min · US Highway 287

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 20 sec

Toward Loop 335

Continue on Dumas Drive

477 ft · 11 sec · Dumas Drive

Turn left onto Loop 335

4.9 mi · 5 min · West Saint Francis Avenue

Continue on Loop 335

0.4 mi · 25 sec · East Loop 335 North

Continue on Loop 335

4.7 mi · 5 min · North Lakeside Drive

Turn left onto East Interstate Drive

0.1 mi · 16 sec · East Interstate Drive

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 20 sec

Merge onto I 40; US 287

2.2 mi · 2 min · I 40; US 287

Take the exit onto US 287

77 mi · 1 hr 21 min · US 287

Exit 78 Toward US 287 South: Fort Worth

Turn slight right onto US 287

14 mi · 13 min · US Highway 287

Continue on US 287

0.7 mi · 58 sec · Burnett Street

Continue on US 287

14 mi · 14 min · US Highway 287

Continue on US 287

2.8 mi · 3 min · Avenue F Northwest

Continue on US 287

54 mi · 58 min · US Highway 287

Continue on US 287

4.1 mi · 4 min · Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on US 70; US 183; US 287

41 mi · 42 min · US Highway 287 East

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on US 287

4.6 mi · 4 min · Northwest Freeway

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

Merge onto I 44; US 277; US 281; US 287

2.5 mi · 3 min · Central Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on US 277; US 281; US 287

0.9 mi · 1 min · Lloyd Ruby Overpass

Use the straight lane.

Continue on US 281; US 287

0.9 mi · 1 min · Central East Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 82; US 287

1.8 mi · 1 min · Central East Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 82; US 287

97 mi · 1 hr 43 min · Central East Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on US 81; US 287

4.6 mi · 4 min · US 81; US 287

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 35W; US 287

2.3 mi · 2 min · North Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 24 sec

Exit 57 Toward I 820 Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

1.0 mi · 1 min

Toward I 820 East Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 820

0.4 mi · 24 sec · Northeast Loop

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 7 sec

Toward I 820 Express East Toll

Merge onto I 820 TEXpress

5.5 mi · 5 min · I 820 TEXpress

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on TX 121 TEXpress; TX 183 TEXpress

4.4 mi · 4 min · SH 121/183 TEXpress

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on TX 183 TEXpress

12 mi · 11 min · SH 183 TEXpress

Toward TX 183 Express East Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto TX 183 TEXpress

3.3 mi · 3 min · SH 183 TEXpress

Merge onto TX 183

0.8 mi · 50 sec · John W Carpenter Freeway

Merge onto I 35E

3.9 mi · 4 min · North Stemmons Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 22 sec

Exit 429B Toward Continental Avenue, Commerce Street West Use the slight right lane.

Turn straight onto North Stemmons Freeway

0.1 mi · 18 sec · North Stemmons Freeway

Turn left onto Continental Avenue

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Continental Avenue

Use the left / straight lanes.

Turn left onto McKinney Avenue

0.2 mi · 24 sec · McKinney Avenue

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 29 sec

Toward US 75 North

Merge onto Spur 366

0.4 mi · 37 sec · Woodall Rodgers Freeway

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 49 sec

Toward I 45 South: Houston Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto I 45

3.1 mi · 3 min · Julius Schepps Freeway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 45

76 mi · 1 hr 18 min · Julius Schepps Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec

Exit 206 Toward FM 833 Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn left onto North Interstate 45

307 ft · 10 sec · North Interstate 45

Turn left onto FM 833

1.3 mi · 3 min · FM 833

At end of road, turn right onto TX 75; FM 833

52 ft · 1 sec · North State Highway 75

Turn left onto FM 833

0.9 mi · 1 min · East FM 833

Turn right onto County Road 161

10 ft · 0 sec · County Road 161

Arrive at destination

County Road 161

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 265.6 miles from Dalhart, TX, or about 4h 44m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 112.6 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 117 miles or 2h 5m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 265.6 miles or 4h 44m 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 265.6 miles or 4h 44m

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 8h 25m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rhode Island, 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 266 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Rhode Island, TX

Aim for roughly 266 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 117 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.

The longest stretch is on US Highway 287 for about 112.6 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 265.6 mi from Dalhart, TX · 4h 44m into the drive

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Childress, TX

175 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

Keller, TX

351 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 Keller, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Wichita Falls, TX

266 mi · about 4.7h in

A practical overnight split lands near Wichita Falls, TX after about 266 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Panhandle, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 117 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Wichita Falls, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 265.6 miles from Dalhart, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US Highway 287 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 112.6 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 266 miles or 4.7 hours on the road.

Arriving in Rhode Island, TX

The final approach into Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island, TX.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Rhode Island, 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument

National Monument

13,000 years ago, Alibates Flint was used by mammoth hunters as a source of flint for tools. Learn how important this site was to the survival, commerce, and culture of the people of the High Plains.

16 mi from route ~41 min detour Free near mile 73.3

View on nps.gov

Lake Meredith National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

Set within the wide‑open Texas Plains, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area offers a peaceful retreat in the heart of rugged grasslands. Over thousands of years, the Canadian River carved dramatic 2...

16 mi from route ~39 min detour Free near mile 54.9

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$81.13 one way

$162.26 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 186 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$88.91	$177.81
premium	$4.59	$96.00	$191.99
diesel	$5.64	$117.99	$235.98

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$81

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$211–$321

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 185.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $56 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	159.3	1	$55.77	$25.49
Efficient EV	132.8	1	$46.47	$21.24
EV Truck/SUV	212.4	2	$74.35	$33.99

Gas CO2

186 kg

EV CO2

62 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 data refreshed 1 hour ago

Origin

Dalhart, TX

Morning in Dalhart on Monday

Local time

8:36 AM

CDT

Current temp

40°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Rhode Island, TX

Morning in Rhode Island on Monday

Local time

8:36 AM

CDT

Current temp

82°F

Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 10 mph 24% chance 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

42 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

9h 29m 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 Rhode Island, TX covers 531.1 miles and takes about 9h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US Highway 287, Central East Freeway, Julius Schepps 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 266 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 265.6 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 $81.13 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.

Between Dalhart, TX and Rhode Island, TX, road signs point toward Loop 335 and Commerce Street West.

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Trip from Dalhart, TX to Rhode Island, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Along This Route

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Overnight Options

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Rhode Island, TX

National Parks Near This Route

Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument

Lake Meredith National Recreation Area

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Dalhart, TX

Rhode Island, TX

Same local time

42 degrees warmer at arrival

9h 29m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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