Origin
Hico, TX
Afternoon in Hico on Thursday
Local time
3:11 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hico, TX to El Paso, TX
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
8h 36m
Distance
569.4 mi
916 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$86
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 29m
★
6 AM
8h 37m
8 AM
8h 52m
10 AM
8h 42m
12 PM
8h 40m
3 PM
8h 43m
5 PM
8h 51m
8 PM
8h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hico, TX
Wikimedia Commons
El Paso, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Hico, TX to El Paso, TX covers 569.4 miles and takes about 8h 36m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Highway 281, Highway 108, South Graham Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $86.04 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
284.7 miles from Hico, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 18m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
8h 36m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Long-distance drive route profile.
Drive Character
At 569.4 miles and 8h 36m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Highway 281 and Highway 108.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Highway 281 is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 8h 36m, 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.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 36m, 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 Hico, TX to El Paso, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 281 | — | — |
| Highway 108 | — | — |
| South Graham Avenue | — | — |
| South Graham Street | — | — |
| Interstate 20 | — | — |
| I 20 West | — | — |
| Missouri Avenue | — | — |
| East Missouri Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Highway 281
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hico, TX and El Paso, TX.
1
Start on West 2nd Street
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
West 2nd Street
2
Continue on North US Highway 281
17 mi
·
19 min
·
North US Highway 281
3
Turn left onto South State Highway 108
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South State Highway 108
4
Continue on South Graham Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Graham Avenue
5
Continue on South Graham Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Graham Street
6
Continue on North State Highway 108
22 mi
·
33 min
·
North State Highway 108
7
Turn left onto West Interstate 20
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
West Interstate 20
8
Take the ramp slight left toward I 20 West: Abilene
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 20 West: Abilene
9
Merge slight left
238 mi
·
3 hr 58 min
10
Continue straight
132 mi
·
2 hr 8 min
11
Merge slight left
167 mi
·
2 hr 43 min
12
Take the exit slight right toward Missouri Avenue, Downtown
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Missouri Avenue, Downtown
13
Turn straight onto East Missouri Avenue
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
East Missouri Avenue
14
Turn left onto North Mesa Street
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Mesa Street
15
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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 284.7 miles from Hico, TX, or about 4h 18m 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 125 miles or 1h 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 284.7 miles or 4h 18m 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 284.7 miles or 4h 18m
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 7h 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near El Paso, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hico, 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 Hico, TX
Aim for roughly 285 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into El Paso, TX
Aim for roughly 285 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 125 miles from Hico, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 284.7 mi from Hico, TX · 4h 18m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
188 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
376 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 Pecos, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
285 mi · about 4.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near Midland, TX after about 285 miles or 4.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 125 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 284.7 miles from Hico, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 285 miles or 4.3 hours on the road.
Arriving in El Paso, TX
The final approach into El Paso, 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 El Paso, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach El Paso, 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
$86.04 one way
$172.08 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
199 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $94.18 | $188.35 |
| premium | $4.54 | $101.66 | $203.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $125.72 | $251.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$86
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$216–$326
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 199.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $60 in charging · 2 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 170.8 | 2 | $59.79 | $27.33 |
| Efficient EV | 142.4 | 1 | $49.82 | $22.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 227.8 | 2 | $79.72 | $36.44 |
Gas CO2
199 kg
EV CO2
67 kg (66% 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.
Destination
El Paso, TX
Afternoon in El Paso on Thursday
Local time
2:11 PM
MDT
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
59°F
Sweetwater, TX
188 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 earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
14 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
8h 36m 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 Hico, TX to El Paso, TX covers 569.4 miles and takes about 8h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Highway 281, Highway 108, South Graham Avenue. 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 285 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 284.7 miles from Hico, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $86.04 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.
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 36m, 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 Hico, TX to El Paso, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Hico, TX to El Paso, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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