The drive from Little River-Academy, TX to Fort Worth, TX covers 129.3 miles and takes about 2h 18m 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, South Jack Kultgen Expressway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 59.2 miles on Purple Heart Trail.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.54 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
64.6 miles from Little River-Academy, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 10m 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.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Little River-Academy, TX to Fort Worth, TX covers 129.3 miles and takes about 2h 18m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 14 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 59.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near TX 95.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 18m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (TX 95): Navigation decision point; at 13.8 miles (I 35 / Purple Heart Trail): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 79.6 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.1 mi into trip|~1m in|TX 95
Turn left onto TX 95
Navigation decision point
5
13.8 mi into trip|~18m in|I 35 / Purple Heart Trail
Merge onto I 35 / Purple Heart Trail
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
79.6 mi into trip|~1h 25m 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
128.8 mi into trip|~2h 17m 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
5
129.2 mi into trip|~2h 17m in|East Allen Avenue
Turn left onto East Allen Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Purple Heart Trail
59.2 mi
59m
I 35W
49.2 mi
51m
South Jack Kultgen Expressway
6.6 mi
7m
Southeast H K Dodgen Loop
6.5 mi
8m
TX 95
5.2 mi
6m
West Main Street
1.1 mi
1m
North General Bruce Drive
0.7 mi
1m
South Freeway
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 59.2 mi, about 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Little River-Academy, TX and Fort Worth, TX.
1
Start on FM 436
1.1 mi·1 min·West Main Street
2
Turn left onto TX 95
5.2 mi·6 min·TX 95
3
Continue on Loop 363
6.5 mi·8 min·Southeast H K Dodgen Loop
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto North General Bruce Drive
0.7 mi·1 min·North General Bruce Drive
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·39 sec
Toward I 35 North
6
Merge onto I 35
26 mi·26 min·Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 35
6.6 mi·7 min·South Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 35; US 77
33 mi·33 min·Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
49 mi·51 min·I 35W
Toward I 35W: Fort WorthUse the slight left lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Exit 49AToward Allen AvenueUse the slight right lane.
11
Turn straight onto South Freeway
0.1 mi·18 sec·South Freeway
12
Turn left onto East Allen Avenue
210 ft·12 sec·East Allen Avenue
13
Turn left onto South Freeway
258 ft·5 sec·South Freeway
14
Arrive at destination
South Freeway
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 64.6 miles from Little River-Academy, TX, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.2 miles.
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 28 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 64.6 miles or 1h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Worth, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Little River-Academy, 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 Little River-Academy, TX
This is one driving day of about 129.3 miles and 2h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Little River-Academy, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Purple Heart Trail for about 59.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 64.6 mi from Little River-Academy, TX
· 1h 10m into the drive
The midpoint is around 64.6 miles from Little River-Academy, 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.
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
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 44.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.54 one way
$39.08 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg45 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$21.39
$42.77
premium
$4.54
$23.09
$46.17
diesel
$5.61
$28.55
$57.10
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 45.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
38.8
0
$13.58
$6.21
Efficient EV
32.3
0
$11.31
$5.17
EV Truck/SUV
51.7
0
$18.10
$8.28
Gas CO2
45 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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 16, 2026
Origin
Little River-Academy, TX
Evening
in Little River-Academy on Friday
Local time
7:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fort Worth, TX
Evening
in Fort Worth on Friday
Local time
7:47 PM
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
9 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
2h 18m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Little River-Academy, TX to Fort Worth, TX covers 129.3 miles and takes about 2h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Purple Heart Trail, I 35W, South Jack Kultgen Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 64.6 miles from Little River-Academy, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.54 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 2h 18m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (TX 95): Navigation decision point; at 13.8 miles (I 35 / Purple Heart Trail): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 79.6 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Little River-Academy, TX to Fort Worth, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Waco Mammoth National Monument.
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.
