Trip from El Paso, TX to Denton, TX

Drive Time

10h 43m

Distance

639.1 mi

1,028 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$98

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min
4 AM
10h 34m ★
6 AM
10h 44m
8 AM
11h 3m
10 AM
10h 51m
12 PM
10h 49m
3 PM
10h 52m
5 PM
11h 2m
8 PM
10h 38m

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

Downtown El Paso, TX, TX

El Paso, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Denton, TX, TX

Denton, TX

Mark Direen

Trip Overview

The drive from El Paso, TX to Denton, TX covers 639.1 miles and takes about 10h 43m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on East Franklin Avenue, I 10 East, West Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $97.63 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

3 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

319.5 miles from El Paso, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 21m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 639.1 miles and 10h 43m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are East Franklin Avenue and I 10 East.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Franklin Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 10h 43m, 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 10h 43m, 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 El Paso, TX to Denton, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
East Franklin Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
I 10 East Unavailable Refreshing
West Freeway Unavailable Refreshing
I 820 North Unavailable Refreshing
Jim Wright Freeway Unavailable Refreshing
I 35W Unavailable Refreshing
I 35W North Unavailable Refreshing
North Freeway Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: East Franklin Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between El Paso, TX and Denton, TX.

1

Start on North Mesa Street

0.2 mi · 24 sec · North Mesa Street
2

Turn right onto East Franklin Avenue

0.2 mi · 26 sec · East Franklin Avenue
3

Take the ramp straight toward I 10 East

0.4 mi · 51 sec · I 10 East
4

Merge slight left

167 mi · 2 hr 43 min
5

Keep slight left

421 mi · 6 hr 59 min
6

Keep slight left to continue on West Freeway

5.6 mi · 6 min · West Freeway
7

Take the exit slight right toward I 820 North

0.9 mi · 1 min · I 820 North
8

Merge slight left onto Jim Wright Freeway

12 mi · 14 min · Jim Wright Freeway
9

Take the exit slight right toward I 35W, US 287: Denton, Fort Worth

0.3 mi · 32 sec · I 35W, US 287: Denton, Fort Worth
10

Keep slight left to continue on I 35W North, US 287 North: Denton

0.3 mi · 35 sec · I 35W North, US 287 North: Denton
11

Keep slight right to continue on I 35W North, US 287 North: Denton

0.7 mi · 47 sec · I 35W North, US 287 North: Denton
12

Merge slight right onto North Freeway

0.4 mi · 26 sec · North Freeway
13

Take the exit slight left toward I 35W Express North

0.2 mi · 10 sec · I 35W Express North
14

Merge slight left onto I 35W TEXpress

9.0 mi · 9 min · I 35W TEXpress
15

Merge slight right onto North Freeway

17 mi · 18 min · North Freeway
16

Take the exit slight right toward I 35E South: Dallas

0.4 mi · 53 sec · I 35E South: Dallas
17

Merge slight left

1.2 mi · 1 min
18

Take the exit slight right toward US 377: Fort Worth Drive

472 ft · 12 sec · US 377: Fort Worth Drive
19

Turn straight onto North Interstate 35E

0.2 mi · 18 sec · North Interstate 35E
20

Turn left onto Fort Worth Drive

0.6 mi · 1 min · Fort Worth Drive
21

Continue on Fort Worth Drive

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Fort Worth Drive
22

Turn right onto Eagle Drive

0.1 mi · 14 sec · Eagle Drive
23

Turn left onto South Locust Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Locust Street
24

Turn left onto West Walnut Street

0.1 mi · 27 sec · West Walnut Street
25

At the end of the road, turn right onto South Cedar Street

197 ft · 11 sec · South Cedar Street
26

Turn right onto West Hickory Street

377 ft · 18 sec · West Hickory Street
27

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 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 319.5 miles from El Paso, TX, or about 5h 21m 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 141 miles or 2h 22m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 319.5 miles or 5h 21m 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 319.5 miles or 5h 21m

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 9h 43m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Denton, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving El Paso, 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 El Paso, TX

Aim for roughly 320 miles and 5.4 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Denton, TX

Aim for roughly 320 miles and 5.4 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 141 miles from El Paso, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 319.5 mi from El Paso, TX · 5h 21m into the drive

Downtown Kermit, TX, TX

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Kermit, TX

211 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.

city in Texas, United States of America

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Brownwood, TX

422 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 Brownwood, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Big Spring, TX

320 mi · about 5.4h in

A practical overnight split lands near Big Spring, TX after about 320 miles or 5.4 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Fort Davis, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 141 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Big Spring, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 319.5 miles from El Paso, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 320 miles or 5.4 hours on the road.

Final-third reset

Rest stop

Plan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.

Arriving in Denton, TX

The final approach into Denton, 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 Denton, TX.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Denton, 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

$97.63 one way

$195.25 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 224 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $106.99 $213.97
premium $4.59 $115.52 $231.03
diesel $5.64 $141.99 $283.97

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$98

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$228–$338

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 223.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $67 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 191.7 2 $67.11 $30.68
Efficient EV 159.8 1 $55.92 $25.56
EV Truck/SUV 255.6 3 $89.47 $40.90

Gas CO2

224 kg

EV CO2

75 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.

Forecast data refreshed 4 days ago

Origin

El Paso, TX

Afternoon in El Paso on Monday

Local time

2:40 PM

MDT

Current temp

55°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Denton, TX

Afternoon in Denton on Monday

Local time

3:40 PM

CDT

Current temp

58°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

76°F

Brownwood, TX

422 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.

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

1 hour later

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

3 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

10h 43m 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 El Paso, TX to Denton, TX covers 639.1 miles and takes about 10h 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Franklin Avenue, I 10 East, West 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 320 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 319.5 miles from El Paso, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $97.63 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.
The route itself is not hard, but at 10h 43m, 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 El Paso, TX to Denton, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from El Paso, TX to Denton, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Return Trip

Denton, TX to El Paso, TX

Plan the drive back the other way.

638.9 mi 10h 44m

Explore more options from El Paso, TX or browse trips ending in Denton, TX.

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