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Trip from Lake Kiowa, TX to Houston, TX

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 10m

Distance

319 mi

513 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$48

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min
4 AM
4h 57m ★
6 AM
5h 11m
8 AM
5h 38m
10 AM
5h 20m
12 PM
5h 18m
3 PM
5h 22m
5 PM
5h 36m
8 PM
5h 3m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Lake Kiowa, TX, TX

Lake Kiowa, TX

M00photo &Video

Downtown houston-tx

Houston, TX

Trace Hudson

Trip Overview

The drive from Lake Kiowa, TX to Houston, TX covers 319 miles and takes about 5h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Kiowa Drive North, Commanche Drive, County Road 211 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $48.20 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

159.5 miles from Lake Kiowa, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 35m into the drive .

About the Cities

Arriving in Houston, TX

Full guide →

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.

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 10m. Total distance: 319 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 10m 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 10m drive with frequent turns across 319 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Kiowa Drive North 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 10m 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 Lake Kiowa, TX to Houston, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Kiowa Drive North
Commanche Drive
County Road 211
County Road 2134
Farm-to-Market Road 902
West Locust Street
FM 455 East
Dallas Parkway

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Kiowa Drive North — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lake Kiowa, TX and Houston, TX.

1

Start on Blackfoot Trail

0.5 mi · 1 min · Blackfoot Trail
2

Turn right onto Kiowa Drive North

0.9 mi · 3 min · Kiowa Drive North
3

Continue on Commanche Drive

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Commanche Drive
4

Turn left

312 ft · 26 sec
5

Turn left onto County Road 211

167 ft · 8 sec · County Road 211
6

Turn right onto County Road 2134

1.0 mi · 3 min · County Road 2134
7

At the end of the road, turn right

1.9 mi · 4 min
8

At the end of the road, turn left onto Farm-to-Market Road 902

3.9 mi · 6 min · Farm-to-Market Road 902
9

Continue on West Locust Street

0.3 mi · 28 sec · West Locust Street
10

Turn right

12 mi · 17 min
11

Turn left onto FM 455 East

6.8 mi · 12 min · FM 455 East
12

Turn right onto Dallas Parkway

10 mi · 16 min · Dallas Parkway
13

Continue on South Dallas Parkway

0.5 mi · 47 sec · South Dallas Parkway
14

Take the ramp slight left

0.5 mi · 59 sec
15

Continue on Dallas North Tollway

30 mi · 33 min · Dallas North Tollway
16

Keep slight left to continue on Harry Hines Boulevard, Downtown

0.3 mi · 44 sec · Harry Hines Boulevard, Downtown
17

Continue on Harry Hines Boulevard

0.4 mi · 54 sec · Harry Hines Boulevard
18

Turn slight left

371 ft · 11 sec
19

Turn straight onto Moody Street

328 ft · 9 sec · Moody Street
20

Continue on North Pearl Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · North Pearl Street
21

Turn left onto Woodall Rodgers Freeway

289 ft · 6 sec · Woodall Rodgers Freeway
22

Take the ramp slight left toward I 45 South

0.7 mi · 1 min · I 45 South
23

Merge slight left onto Julius Schepps Freeway

3.1 mi · 3 min · Julius Schepps Freeway
24

Keep slight left to continue on Julius Schepps Freeway

234 mi · 4 hr 5 min · Julius Schepps Freeway
25

Continue on Gulf Freeway

272 ft · 4 sec · Gulf Freeway
26

Take the exit slight left toward I 10 East: Beaumont

0.4 mi · 53 sec · I 10 East: Beaumont
27

Keep slight left to continue on Milam Street

0.3 mi · 39 sec · Milam Street
28

Continue on Milam Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Milam Street
29

Turn right onto Prairie Street

328 ft · 14 sec · Prairie Street
30

Turn right onto Louisiana Street

515 ft · 17 sec · Louisiana Street
31

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 159.5 miles from Lake Kiowa, TX, or about 2h 35m 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 70 miles or 1h 8m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 159.5 miles or 2h 35m 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 14m

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 Lake Kiowa, 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 Lake Kiowa, TX

This is one driving day of about 319 miles and 5h 10m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 70 miles from Lake Kiowa, 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 159.5 mi from Lake Kiowa, TX · 2h 35m into the drive

city in and county seat of Ellis County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Waxahachie, TX

160 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.

Popular next leg

Waxahachie, TX to Houston, TX

219.2 mi · 3h 56m

Pacing Suggestions

Frisco, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 70 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Waxahachie, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 159.5 miles from Lake Kiowa, 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

$48.20 one way

$96.40 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 112 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $52.76 $105.52
premium $4.54 $56.96 $113.91
diesel $5.61 $70.43 $140.86

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$48

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$73–$98

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 111.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 95.7 1 $33.50 $15.31
Efficient EV 79.8 0 $27.91 $12.76
EV Truck/SUV 127.6 1 $44.66 $20.42

Gas CO2

112 kg

EV CO2

37 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Lake Kiowa, TX

Late night in Lake Kiowa on Saturday

Local time

1:36 AM

CDT

Current temp

58°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Houston, TX

Late night in Houston on Saturday

Local time

1:36 AM

CDT

Current temp

79°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 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 10m 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 Lake Kiowa, TX to Houston, TX covers 319 miles and takes about 5h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Kiowa Drive North, Commanche Drive, County Road 211. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 159.5 miles from Lake Kiowa, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $48.20 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 10m 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 Lake Kiowa, TX to Houston, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Lake Kiowa, TX to Houston, 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.

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