Origin
Henderson, TX
Afternoon in Henderson on Sunday
Local time
2:17 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Henderson, TX to Houston, TX
Drive Time
2h 56m
Distance
181.8 mi
293 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$28
one way
Henderson, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Houston, TX
Trace Hudson
Trip Overview
The drive from Henderson, TX to Houston, TX covers 181.8 miles and takes about 2h 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Highway 79, Route 259, North Railroad Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.77 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
90.9 miles from Henderson, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 28m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 56m drive with frequent turns across 181.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Highway 79 is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Henderson, TX to Houston, TX is easy. At 2h 56m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Henderson, TX to Houston, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 79 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Route 259 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Railroad Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 259 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 59 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 59 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Northwest Stallings Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Stallings Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Highway 79
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Henderson, TX and Houston, TX.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
2
Turn right onto Highway 79
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
·
Highway 79
3
Turn left onto US Route 259
16 mi
·
18 min
·
US Route 259
4
Continue on North Railroad Avenue
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
North Railroad Avenue
5
Continue on US Route 259
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
US Route 259
6
Continue on US Highway 259
11 mi
·
12 min
·
US Highway 259
7
Take the exit slight right toward US 59 South: Lufkin
223 ft
·
6 sec
·
US 59 South: Lufkin
8
Continue straight
420 ft
·
12 sec
9
Continue straight
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
10
Turn left
105 ft
·
4 sec
11
Turn right onto North US Highway 59
0.7 mi
·
48 sec
·
North US Highway 59
12
Continue on Northwest Stallings Drive
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Northwest Stallings Drive
13
Continue on Stallings Drive
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
Stallings Drive
14
Take the exit slight right
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
15
Turn straight
223 ft
·
6 sec
16
Merge slight left onto South Street
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Street
17
Continue on South US Highway 59
19 mi
·
22 min
·
South US Highway 59
18
Take the exit slight right toward South First Street
397 ft
·
10 sec
·
South First Street
19
Turn straight onto South Medford Drive
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
South Medford Drive
20
Turn left onto South First Street
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
South First Street
21
Continue on US 59
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
US 59
22
Continue on Diboll Relief Route
111 mi
·
2 hr 1 min
·
Diboll Relief Route
23
Take the exit slight right toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Beaumont, San Antonio
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
I 10 East, I 10 West: Beaumont, San Antonio
24
Keep slight right to continue on I 10 West: San Antonio
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
I 10 West: San Antonio
25
Merge slight left onto East Freeway
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
East Freeway
26
Take the exit slight right toward San Jacinto Street, Main Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
San Jacinto Street, Main Street
27
Turn straight onto Providence Street
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Providence Street
28
Continue on North San Jacinto Street
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
North San Jacinto Street
29
Continue on Fannin Street
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Fannin Street
30
Turn right onto Prairie Street
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Prairie Street
31
Turn right onto Louisiana Street
515 ft
·
17 sec
·
Louisiana Street
32
Arrive at your destination
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 90.9 miles from Henderson, TX, or about 1h 28m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 17m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 90.9 miles or 1h 28m 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 24m
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 Henderson, 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 Henderson, TX
This is one driving day of about 181.8 miles and 2h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Henderson, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 90.9 mi from Henderson, TX · 1h 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
91 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 90.9 miles from Henderson, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.77 one way
$55.54 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
64 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $30.43 | $60.87 |
| premium | $4.59 | $32.86 | $65.72 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $40.39 | $80.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 63.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 54.5 | 0 | $19.09 | $8.73 |
| Efficient EV | 45.5 | 0 | $15.91 | $7.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 72.7 | 0 | $25.45 | $11.64 |
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
21 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.
Destination
Houston, TX
Afternoon in Houston on Sunday
Local time
2:17 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.
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
12 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
2h 56m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Henderson, TX to Houston, TX covers 181.8 miles and takes about 2h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Highway 79, Route 259, North Railroad Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 90.9 miles from Henderson, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.77 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.
The drive from Henderson, TX to Houston, TX is easy. At 2h 56m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Henderson, TX to Houston, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Henderson, TX to Houston, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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