Origin
Houston, TX
Late night in Houston on Saturday
Local time
3:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Houston, TX to Lake Kiowa, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 59m
Distance
308.5 mi
496 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$47
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 47m
★
6 AM
6h 0m
8 AM
6h 26m
10 AM
6h 9m
12 PM
6h 6m
3 PM
6h 10m
5 PM
6h 24m
8 PM
5h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Houston, TX
Trace Hudson
Lake Kiowa, TX
M00photo &Video
Trip Overview
The drive from Houston, TX to Lake Kiowa, TX covers 308.5 miles and takes about 5h 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Franklin Street, Travis Street, I 45 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $46.62 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
154.2 miles from Houston, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 59m into the drive .
About the Cities
Starting in Houston, TX
Full guide →“Space City” · Founded 1836
Houston is a sprawling port city in Southeastern Texas. An oil boom and continuing international immigration has brought explosive growth to the city, and it is now the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States and the most diverse large city since 2021. While at first glance, the city appears to be a 9-5 central business district surrounded by a sea of suburbs and strip malls, there are many hidden gems to be discovered.
Top landmarks
- • Museum of Fine Arts, Houston — art museum in Houston, Texas
- • Astrodome — historic place in Houston, Harris County, Texas
- • Rothko Chapel — building in Houston, Harris County, Texas
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 59m. Total distance: 308.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 59m drive with frequent turns across 308.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Franklin Street 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 59m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Houston, TX to Lake Kiowa, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin Street | — | — |
| Travis Street | — | — |
| I 45 North | — | — |
| North Freeway | — | — |
| Main Street West | — | — |
| Elm Street | — | — |
| North Olive Street | — | — |
| McKinnon Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Franklin Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Houston, TX and Lake Kiowa, TX.
1
Start on Louisiana Street
476 ft
·
20 sec
·
Louisiana Street
2
Turn right onto Franklin Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Franklin Street
3
Turn left onto Travis Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Travis Street
4
Take the ramp straight toward I 45 North Express Lane
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
I 45 North Express Lane
5
Merge slight left onto North Freeway
236 mi
·
4 hr 7 min
·
North Freeway
6
Take the exit slight right toward Main Street West, Elm Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Main Street West, Elm Street
7
Keep slight right to continue on Elm Street
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Elm Street
8
Turn straight onto Elm Street
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Elm Street
9
Turn right onto North Olive Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Olive Street
10
Continue on McKinnon Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
McKinnon Street
11
Take the ramp straight toward DNT Toll
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
DNT Toll
12
Continue on Dallas North Tollway
31 mi
·
34 min
·
Dallas North Tollway
13
Turn straight onto South Dallas Parkway
11 mi
·
17 min
·
South Dallas Parkway
14
Turn left onto FM 455 East
6.8 mi
·
12 min
·
FM 455 East
15
Turn right onto South US Highway 377
12 mi
·
17 min
·
South US Highway 377
16
Turn left onto West Locust Street
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
West Locust Street
17
Continue on Farm-to-Market Road 902
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Farm-to-Market Road 902
18
Turn right
1.9 mi
·
4 min
19
Turn left onto County Road 2134
1.0 mi
·
4 min
·
County Road 2134
20
Turn left onto County Road 211
167 ft
·
8 sec
·
County Road 211
21
Turn right
312 ft
·
24 sec
22
Turn right onto Commanche Drive
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Commanche Drive
23
Continue on Kiowa Drive East
0.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Kiowa Drive East
24
Turn left onto Blackfoot Trail
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Blackfoot Trail
25
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 154.2 miles from Houston, TX, or about 2h 59m 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 68 miles or 1h 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 154.2 miles or 2h 59m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Kiowa, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Houston, TX
This is one driving day of about 308.5 miles and 5h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 68 miles from Houston, 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 154.2 mi from Houston, TX · 2h 59m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
154 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 68 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 154.2 miles from Houston, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Lake Kiowa, TX
The final approach into Lake Kiowa, 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 Lake Kiowa, 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
$46.62 one way
$93.23 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
108 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $51.02 | $102.05 |
| premium | $4.54 | $55.08 | $110.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $68.11 | $136.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 107.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 92.6 | 1 | $32.39 | $14.81 |
| Efficient EV | 77.1 | 0 | $26.99 | $12.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 123.4 | 1 | $43.19 | $19.74 |
Gas CO2
108 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (67% 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
Lake Kiowa, TX
Late night in Lake Kiowa on Saturday
Local time
3:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°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
21 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
5h 59m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 Lake Kiowa, TX covers 308.5 miles and takes about 5h 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Franklin Street, Travis Street, I 45 North. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 154.2 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 $46.62 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 59m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Houston, TX to Lake Kiowa, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Houston, TX to Lake Kiowa, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Lake Kiowa, TX
More trips to Lake Kiowa, TX
Explore more options from Houston, TX or browse trips ending in Lake Kiowa, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.