Trip from Lubbock, TX to Early, TX

Drive Time

4h 11m

Distance

235.4 mi

379 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$36

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

3h 58m ★

6 AM

4h 11m

8 AM

4h 38m

10 AM

4h 21m

12 PM

4h 18m

3 PM

4h 22m

5 PM

4h 36m

8 PM

4h 3m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Lubbock, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Early, TX

Monstera Production

Trip Overview

The drive from Lubbock, TX to Early, TX covers 235.4 miles and takes about 4h 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Avenue Q, Slaton Road, Highway 84 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $35.96 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

117.7 miles from Lubbock, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 5m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 4h 11m drive with frequent turns across 235.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Avenue Q 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.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 4h 11m 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 Lubbock, TX to Early, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Avenue Q	Unavailable	Refreshing
Slaton Road	Unavailable	Refreshing
Highway 84	Unavailable	Refreshing
Trooper Jerry Don Davis Memorial Highway	Unavailable	Refreshing
East 15th Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Ralls Road	Unavailable	Refreshing
North Avenue F	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 20 East	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Avenue Q — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lubbock, TX and Early, TX.

Start on 19th Street

33 ft · 7 sec · 19th Street

Turn left onto Avenue Q

2.9 mi · 3 min · Avenue Q

Continue on Slaton Road

4.8 mi · 6 min · Slaton Road

Continue on East Highway 84

6.9 mi · 6 min · East Highway 84

Continue on Trooper Jerry Don Davis Memorial Highway

4.5 mi · 4 min · Trooper Jerry Don Davis Memorial Highway

Continue on East Highway 84

20 mi · 20 min · East Highway 84

Continue on North US Highway 84

1.0 mi · 1 min · North US Highway 84

Turn left onto East 15th Street

0.1 mi · 17 sec · East 15th Street

Turn right onto Ralls Road

0.4 mi · 38 sec · Ralls Road

Turn straight onto North Avenue F

1.1 mi · 2 min · North Avenue F

At the end of the road, turn left onto US Highway 84

74 mi · 1 hr 14 min · US Highway 84

Keep slight left to continue on I 20 East, US 84 East: Abilene

6.5 mi · 6 min · I 20 East, US 84 East: Abilene

Take the exit slight right toward SH 70 South, SH 70 Business: Sweetwater, San Angelo

0.1 mi · 18 sec · SH 70 South, SH 70 Business: Sweetwater, San Angelo

Turn slight left onto Southwest Georgia Avenue

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Southwest Georgia Avenue

Turn right onto Lamar Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · Lamar Street

Continue on State Highway 70

10 mi · 10 min · State Highway 70

Turn left onto State Highway 153

69 mi · 1 hr 14 min · State Highway 153

Continue on West Walnut Street

1.0 mi · 1 min · West Walnut Street

Continue on East Walnut Street

0.9 mi · 1 min · East Walnut Street

At the end of the road, turn left

9.4 mi · 10 min

Continue straight

21 mi · 24 min

Turn slight right

72 ft · 2 sec

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 117.7 miles from Lubbock, TX, or about 2h 5m 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 80 miles or 1h 25m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 117.7 miles or 2h 5m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 26m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Early, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Lubbock, 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 Lubbock, TX

This is one driving day of about 235.4 miles and 4h 11m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Lubbock, 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 117.7 mi from Lubbock, TX · 2h 5m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Rotan, TX

118 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

Post, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Rotan, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 117.7 miles from Lubbock, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Early, TX

The final approach into Early, 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 Early, 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

$35.96 one way

$71.92 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 82 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$39.41	$78.81
premium	$4.59	$42.55	$85.10
diesel	$5.64	$52.30	$104.60

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$36

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$61–$86

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 82.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	70.6	0	$24.72	$11.30
Efficient EV	58.9	0	$20.60	$9.42
EV Truck/SUV	94.2	1	$32.96	$15.07

Gas CO2

82 kg

EV CO2

28 kg (66% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Lubbock, TX

Evening in Lubbock on Sunday

Local time

6:38 PM

CDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Early, TX

Evening in Early on Sunday

Local time

6:38 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°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

1 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

4h 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 Lubbock, TX to Early, TX covers 235.4 miles and takes about 4h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Avenue Q, Slaton Road, Highway 84. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 117.7 miles from Lubbock, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $35.96 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 4h 11m 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 Lubbock, TX to Early, TX is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Lubbock, TX to Early, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.