The drive from La Coste, TX to Fort Worth, TX covers 288.5 miles and takes about 5h 11m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Purple Heart Trail, I 35W, Connally Loop for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 188.3 miles on Purple Heart Trail.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.59 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
144.2 miles from La Coste, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 40m into the drive
.
Fort Worth is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of approximately 1,020,000, it is Texas' 5th largest city. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, which has a population exceeding 6 million. Sometimes referred to as Cowtown, it is by far closer to its cowboy roots than neighboring Dallas. This article also covers North Richland Hills, a neighboring community.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 11m. Total distance: 288.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 11m drive with frequent turns across 288.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Purple Heart Trail is the longest continuous segment at about 188.3 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 around 13.7 miles in.
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 13 significant decision points across 288.5 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: at 13.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15 miles (I 410; TX 16 / Connally Loop): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 103.6 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
13.7 mi into trip|~16m in
Take the exit toward I 410 North, TX 16 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 410 North, TX 16 North
5
15 mi into trip|~19m in|I 410; TX 16 / Connally Loop
Merge onto I 410; TX 16 / Connally Loop
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
103.6 mi into trip|~1h 58m in|I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
238.8 mi into trip|~4h 19m in|I 35W
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W toward I 35W: Fort Worth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35W: Fort Worth
7
288 mi into trip|~5h 10m in
Take the exit toward Allen Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 49A
Toward Allen Avenue
The midpoint is around 153.1 miles from La Coste, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Fort Worth, TX
The final approach into Fort Worth, 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 Worth, TX.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Waco Mammoth National Monument
National Monument
Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...
5 mi from route
~13 min detour
Free
near mile 221.7
Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...
15 mi from route
~36 min detour
Free
near mile 31.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.59 one way
$87.19 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg101 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$47.72
$95.43
premium
$4.54
$51.51
$103.02
diesel
$5.61
$63.70
$127.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 100.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
86.6
1
$30.29
$13.85
Efficient EV
72.1
0
$25.24
$11.54
EV Truck/SUV
115.4
1
$40.39
$18.46
Gas CO2
101 kg
EV CO2
34 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
La Coste, TX
Morning
in La Coste on Saturday
Local time
8:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fort Worth, TX
Morning
in Fort Worth on Saturday
Local time
8:31 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
12 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
5h 11m 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 La Coste, TX to Fort Worth, TX covers 288.5 miles and takes about 5h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Purple Heart Trail, I 35W, Connally Loop. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 144.2 miles from La Coste, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $43.59 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 demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 288.5 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: at 13.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15 miles (I 410; TX 16 / Connally Loop): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 103.6 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from La Coste, TX to Fort Worth, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
