Origin
Houston, TX
Afternoon in Houston on Friday
Local time
4:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Houston, TX to Fort Stockton, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 27m
Distance
503.5 mi
810 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$75
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 20m
★
6 AM
8h 27m
8 AM
8h 43m
10 AM
8h 33m
12 PM
8h 31m
3 PM
8h 33m
5 PM
8h 42m
8 PM
8h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Houston, TX
Trace Hudson
Fort Stockton, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Trip Overview
The drive from Houston, TX to Fort Stockton, TX covers 503.5 miles and takes about 8h 27m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on I 10 West, Katy Freeway, TX 1518 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $74.91 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
251.7 miles from Houston, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 13m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
8h 27m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Long-distance drive route profile.
Drive Character
At 503.5 miles and 8h 27m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are I 10 West and Katy Freeway.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 10 West is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 8h 27m, 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 27m, 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 Houston, TX to Fort Stockton, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 10 West | — | — |
| Katy Freeway | — | — |
| TX 1518 | — | — |
| Interstate 10 East | — | — |
| Farm-to-Market Road 1518 | — | — |
| Gordon A Blake Highway | — | — |
| Loop 1604 North | — | — |
| Anderson Loop | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 10 West
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Houston, TX and Fort Stockton, TX.
1
Start on Louisiana Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Louisiana Street
2
Take the ramp straight toward I 10 West: San Antonio
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 10 West: San Antonio
3
Merge slight right onto Katy Freeway
175 mi
·
3 hr 1 min
·
Katy Freeway
4
Keep slight left
1.9 mi
·
1 min
5
Take the exit slight right toward TX 1518: Schertz
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
TX 1518: Schertz
6
Turn straight onto Interstate 10 East
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Interstate 10 East
7
Turn right onto Farm-to-Market Road 1518
5.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Farm-to-Market Road 1518
8
At the end of the road, turn left onto Gordon A Blake Highway
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Gordon A Blake Highway
9
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
10
Take the ramp slight right toward Loop 1604 North
266 ft
·
7 sec
·
Loop 1604 North
11
Merge slight left onto Anderson Loop
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Anderson Loop
12
Take the exit slight right toward Frontage Road
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Frontage Road
13
Turn straight onto North Loop 1604 West
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
North Loop 1604 West
14
Turn right onto Interstate 10 West
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Interstate 10 West
15
Take the ramp slight left toward I 10 West, US 87 North
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
I 10 West, US 87 North
16
Merge slight left
1.1 mi
·
1 min
17
Keep slight right
293 mi
·
4 hr 39 min
18
Take the exit slight right toward I 10 Business Loop West, US 385 South: Fort Stockton, Marathon
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
I 10 Business Loop West, US 385 South: Fort Stockton, Marathon
19
Turn left onto East US Highway 290
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
·
East US Highway 290
20
Continue on East Dickinson Boulevard
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
East Dickinson Boulevard
21
Turn right onto North Main Street
246 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Main Street
22
Turn left onto West 10th Street
56 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 10th Street
23
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 251.7 miles from Houston, TX, or about 4h 13m 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 111 miles or 1h 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 251.7 miles or 4h 13m 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 251.7 miles or 4h 13m
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 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Stockton, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Houston, 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 Houston, TX
Aim for roughly 252 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Fort Stockton, TX
Aim for roughly 252 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 111 miles from Houston, 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 251.7 mi from Houston, TX · 4h 13m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
166 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
332 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 Kerrville, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
252 mi · about 4.2h in
A practical overnight split lands near Fair Oaks Ranch, TX after about 252 miles or 4.2 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 111 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 251.7 miles from Houston, 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 252 miles or 4.2 hours on the road.
Arriving in Fort Stockton, TX
The final approach into Fort Stockton, 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 Fort Stockton, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Fort Stockton, 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
$74.91 one way
$149.82 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
176 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $84.29 | $168.57 |
| premium | $4.59 | $91.01 | $182.01 |
| diesel | $3.99 | $79.15 | $158.31 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$75
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$205–$315
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 176.2 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $53 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 151 | 1 | $52.87 | $24.17 |
| Efficient EV | 125.9 | 1 | $44.06 | $20.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 201.4 | 2 | $70.49 | $32.22 |
Gas CO2
176 kg
EV CO2
59 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Fort Stockton, TX
Afternoon in Fort Stockton on Friday
Local time
4:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°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.
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
22 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
8h 27m 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 Houston, TX to Fort Stockton, TX covers 503.5 miles and takes about 8h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 10 West, Katy Freeway, TX 1518. 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 252 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 251.7 miles from Houston, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $74.91 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 27m, 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 Houston, TX to Fort Stockton, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Houston, TX to Fort Stockton, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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