The drive from Fort Worth, TX to New London, TX covers 165.3 miles and takes about 2h 57m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway, Lyndon B Johnson Freeway, TX 135 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 122.8 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.98 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
82.6 miles from Fort Worth, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 27m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 57m. Total distance: 165.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 57m drive with frequent turns across 165.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 122.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 165.3 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: near the start: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 35W South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 35W South
7
3.5 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the exit toward I 20 East: Dallas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 45B
Toward I 20 East: Dallas
7
3.6 mi into trip|~4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 20 East: Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 20 East: Dallas
7
10.1 mi into trip|~12m in|I 20 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 20 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway toward I 20 East: Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 20 East: Dallas
7
46 mi into trip|~50m in|I 20 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 20 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway toward I 20 East: Shreveport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 20 East: Shreveport
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Fort Worth, TX to New London, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Gladewater along the way.
Gladewater
149.2 mi in|~2h 35m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
122.8 mi
2h 5m
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
22 mi
23m
TX 135
11.2 mi
15m
State Highway 135 North
4.2 mi
5m
South Freeway
3.3 mi
3m
I 20 Frontage Road
0.3 mi
<1m
Phillips Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Burnett Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
— 122.8 mi, about 2h 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Worth, TX and New London, TX.
1
Start on South Freeway
174 ft·3 sec·South Freeway
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 35W SouthUse the straight / slight left lanes.
3
Merge onto I 35W
3.2 mi·3 min·South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.1 mi·14 sec
Exit 45BToward I 20 East: DallasUse the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward I 20 East: DallasUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 20
5.7 mi·6 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 20
14 mi·14 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Toward I 20 East: DallasUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 20
22 mi·23 min·Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 20
103 mi·1 hr 44 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
Toward I 20 East: ShreveportUse the straight / right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward TX 135: Kilgore, Gladewater
11
Continue on I 20 Frontage Road
0.3 mi·51 sec·I 20 Frontage Road
12
Turn right onto TX 135
4.2 mi·5 min·State Highway 135 North
13
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 135
11 mi·15 min·TX 135
14
Turn left onto Phillips Street
0.1 mi·29 sec·Phillips Street
15
Turn left onto Burnett Street
295 ft·13 sec·Burnett Street
16
Arrive at destination
Burnett Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 82.6 miles from Fort Worth, TX, or about 1h 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 122.8 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 36 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 82.6 miles or 1h 27m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near New London, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fort Worth, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Fort Worth, TX
This is one driving day of about 165.3 miles and 2h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Fort Worth, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway for about 122.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 82.6 mi from Fort Worth, TX
· 1h 27m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.98 one way
$49.95 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg58 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$27.34
$54.68
premium
$4.54
$29.51
$59.03
diesel
$5.61
$36.50
$72.99
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 57.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
49.6
0
$17.36
$7.93
Efficient EV
41.3
0
$14.46
$6.61
EV Truck/SUV
66.1
0
$23.14
$10.58
Gas CO2
58 kg
EV CO2
19 kg (67% 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 17, 2026
Origin
Fort Worth, TX
Late night
in Fort Worth on Friday
Local time
12:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Mostly Clear
S 10 mph6% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 11:33PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued April 16 at 11:33PM CDT until April 19 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Amarillo TX
Destination
New London, TX
Late night
in New London on Friday
Local time
12:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°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.
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
6 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
2h 57m 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 Fort Worth, TX to New London, TX covers 165.3 miles and takes about 2h 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway, Lyndon B Johnson Freeway, TX 135. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 82.6 miles from Fort Worth, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $24.98 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 165.3 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: near the start: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Fort Worth, TX to New London, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Gladewater along the way.
