The drive from Montopolis, TX to Richland Hills, TX covers 202.7 miles and takes about 3h 35m 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, Bergstrom Expressway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 122.8 miles on Purple Heart Trail.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.63 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
101.4 miles from Montopolis, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 46m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 35m. Total distance: 202.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Montopolis, TX to Richland Hills, TX covers 202.7 miles and takes about 3h 35m, 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 24 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 122.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 11.3 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 16 significant decision points across 202.7 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 11.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 142.8 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
11.3 mi into trip|~12m in
Take the exit toward I 35, Loop 275: Waco, Lamar Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 35, Loop 275: Waco, Lamar Boulevard
7
11.4 mi into trip|~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 35 South, Loop 275: Lamar Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 South, Loop 275: Lamar Boulevard
7
142.8 mi into trip|~2h 29m 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
8
195 mi into trip|~3h 24m in|US 377
Take the exit onto US 377 toward TX 121 North, US 377 North: DFW Airport, Belknap Street
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.
Exit 52B
Toward TX 121 North, US 377 North: DFW Airport,...
6
200.7 mi into trip|~3h 31m in
Take the exit toward Handley-Ederville Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Handley-Ederville Road
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Montopolis, TX to Richland Hills, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Loop 275: Waco along the way.
The midpoint is around 101.4 miles from Montopolis, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 122.8 miles.
Arriving in Richland Hills, TX
The final approach into Richland Hills, 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 Richland Hills, 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.
Nearby Places
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
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...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 111.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.63 one way
$61.26 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg71 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$33.53
$67.05
premium
$4.54
$36.19
$72.38
diesel
$5.61
$44.75
$89.51
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
6 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: good
ABIA Retail Center - Tesla Supercharger
Austin, TX
Tesla
20 DCFC
Pinthouse Brewery - Tesla Supercharger
Austin, TX
Tesla
16 DCFC
Del Valle, TX - Tesla Supercharger
Del Valle, TX
Tesla
8 DCFC
South Congress Hotel - Tesla Supercharger
Austin, TX
Tesla
8 DCFC
PIE AE AUS AIRPORT DC2
Austin, TX
ChargePoint Network
1 DCFC
PIE AE AUS AIRPORT DC1
Austin, TX
ChargePoint Network
1 DCFC
Tesla: 4
ChargePoint Network: 2
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.8
0
$21.28
$9.73
Efficient EV
50.7
0
$17.74
$8.11
EV Truck/SUV
81.1
1
$28.38
$12.97
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Montopolis, TX
Morning
in Montopolis on Saturday
Local time
9:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Richland Hills, TX
Morning
in Richland Hills on Saturday
Local time
9:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
N 15 mph100% chanceLive 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
3 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
3h 35m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Montopolis, TX to Richland Hills, TX covers 202.7 miles and takes about 3h 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Purple Heart Trail, I 35W, Bergstrom Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 101.4 miles from Montopolis, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $30.63 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 202.7 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 11.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 142.8 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Montopolis, TX to Richland Hills, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Loop 275: Waco along the way.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
