If you are looking to escape the city for a quick getaway, the 49.8-mile trek from Dallas to Gunter is a straightforward journey. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 2 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect one-day trip that requires no overnight planning. Budget roughly $8 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Great Plains locales. Since the route stays entirely within Texas, you will find the transition from the heart of Dallas to the quieter atmosphere of Gunter to be efficient and simple. This drive is ideal for those who prefer a manageable commute over a multi-day expedition.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 49.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This trip features a turn-heavy profile that keeps you engaged as you navigate through local corridors. You will spend the majority of your time on the Dallas North Tollway, which provides the longest uninterrupted stretch of 30.6 miles. With only 9% of the route categorized as highway, the experience shifts quickly from high-speed transit to local road driving on South Preston Road and South Dallas Parkway. You should anticipate a transition in pace as you leave the dense urban grid and move into the more open, local roads leading toward Gunter. It is a practical drive that favors agility over long-haul endurance.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dallas North Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 30.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.8 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 35E North
Navigation decision point
Toward I 35E North
4
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn right toward I 35E North
Navigation decision point
Toward I 35E North
7
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in
Keep slight right at fork toward DNT: Dallas North Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward DNT: Dallas North Tollway
5
36.8 mi into trip|~44m in|CCOL / West Outer Loop
Turn right onto CCOL / West Outer Loop
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
49.8 mi into trip|~1h 1m in|North 4th Street
Turn right onto North 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dallas North Tollway
30.6 mi
34m
South Preston Road
11 mi
14m
South Dallas Parkway
4.7 mi
7m
West Outer Loop
1.7 mi
2m
North Lamar Street
0.4 mi
<1m
West Main Street
0.3 mi
<1m
North 4th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Dallas North Tollway
— 30.6 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dallas, TX and Gunter, TX.
1
Start on North Lamar Street
0.4 mi·46 sec·North Lamar Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Take the ramp
133 ft·3 sec
Toward I 35E North
3
Turn right
0.5 mi·58 sec
Toward I 35E North
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward DNT: Dallas North TollwayUse the slight right lane.
5
Continue on DNT
31 mi·34 min·Dallas North Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn straight onto South Dallas Parkway
4.7 mi·7 min·South Dallas Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Turn right onto CCOL
1.7 mi·2 min·West Outer Loop
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto TX 289
11 mi·14 min·South Preston Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Turn left onto FM 121
0.3 mi·31 sec·West Main Street
10
Turn right onto North 4th Street
65 ft·2 sec·North 4th Street
11
Arrive at destination
North 4th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.9 mi from Dallas, TX
· 29m into the drive
The midpoint is around 24.9 miles from Dallas, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Gunter, TX
The final approach into Gunter, TX usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.52 one way
$15.05 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg17 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$8.24
$16.47
premium
$4.54
$8.89
$17.78
diesel
$5.61
$11.00
$21.99
Estimated Tolls: $2.45
Dallas North Tollway
(30.6 mi)$2.45
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
14.9
0
$5.23
$2.39
Efficient EV
12.5
0
$4.36
$1.99
EV Truck/SUV
19.9
0
$6.97
$3.19
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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 14, 2026
Origin
Dallas, TX
Late night
in Dallas on Friday
Local time
3:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 10 mph6% chanceLive forecast
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued April 14 at 1:21AM MDT until April 14 at 10:00PM MDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 14 at 12:13AM CDT until April 14 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
Destination
Gunter, TX
Late night
in Gunter on Friday
Local time
3:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 15 mph10% chanceLive forecast
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued April 14 at 1:21AM MDT until April 14 at 10:00PM MDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 14 at 12:13AM CDT until April 14 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
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
1 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
1h 2m 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 Dallas, TX to Gunter, TX covers 49.8 miles and takes about 1h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dallas North Tollway, South Preston Road, South Dallas Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.9 miles from Dallas, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.52 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.8 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Dallas, TX to Gunter, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
