Origin
Scissors, TX
Night in Scissors on Sunday
Local time
9:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Scissors, TX to Dallas, TX
Drive Time
9h 17m
Distance
506.7 mi
815 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$77
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 9m
★
6 AM
9h 18m
8 AM
9h 34m
10 AM
9h 24m
12 PM
9h 22m
3 PM
9h 24m
5 PM
9h 34m
8 PM
9h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Scissors, TX
Boys in Bristol Photography
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Embarking on the 529.9-mile journey from Scissors, TX, to Dallas, TX, requires a bit of stamina as you traverse the Great Plains. Clocking in at approximately 8 hours and 3 minutes of pure driving time, this trek is best approached as a two-day excursion rather than a grueling single-day haul. You should set aside a fuel budget of roughly $79 to cover the distance across these Texas landscapes. Because this route stays within the Great Plains, you will experience a consistent regional feel throughout the transition from Scissors to the Dallas metro area. Planning for two days allows you to manage the distance comfortably while keeping your schedule flexible enough to handle any unexpected road conditions.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
253.3 miles from Scissors, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 53m into the drive .
Drive Character
You will navigate this trip primarily via Grande Street, Lott Road, and South Salinas Boulevard, as the route maintains a 0% highway share. This lack of highway driving means you can expect a more local, steady pace rather than the high-speed monotony of an interstate grind. Since there is no single long stretch on a major highway, the journey requires constant attention as you transition between these main thoroughfares. Expect the road personality to remain grounded in the local infrastructure of the Great Plains, providing a consistent experience from start to finish. Staying alert is key, as you will be navigating surface roads for the entirety of the 529.9-mile trip.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 33 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 97.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 9h 17m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Grande Street.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 506.7 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 0.1 miles (Grande Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 11.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 343.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Grande Street
At end of road, turn left onto Grande Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
8
11.6 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward I 69C North, US 281: Edinburg
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 146A
Toward I 69C North, US 281: Edinburg
7
343.3 mi into trip
|
~6h 27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35 North: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 North: Waco
7
448.1 mi into trip
|
~8h 15m in
|
I 35E
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E toward I 35E: Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 35E: Dallas
7
506.1 mi into trip
|
~9h 16m in
Take the exit toward Continental Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 429A
Toward Continental Avenue
Towns Along This Route
On the drive from Scissors, TX to Dallas, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Waco along the way.
Waco
284.4 mi in
|
~5h 32m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 97.7 mi | 1h 39m |
| I 69C | 92 mi | 1h 43m |
| Pickle Parkway | 58.5 mi | 54m |
| I 35E | 58.1 mi | 1h |
| US 281 | 57.1 mi | 1h |
| King David Drive | 31.8 mi | 39m |
| State Highway 80 North | 30.8 mi | 35m |
| State Highway 80 | 23.6 mi | 25m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 97.7 mi, about 1h 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Scissors, TX and Dallas, TX.
1
Start on Cortez Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Cortez Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto Grande Street
362 ft
·
17 sec
·
Grande Street
3
Turn right onto Lott Road
0.2 mi
·
57 sec
·
Lott Road
4
At end of road, turn left onto FM 493
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
South Salinas Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Turn left onto West Expressway 83
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
West Expressway 83
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
7
Merge onto I 2; US 83
7.8 mi
·
8 min
·
I 2; US 83
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 146A
Toward I 69C North, US 281: Edinburg
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 69C
22 mi
·
23 min
·
I 69C
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on US 281
57 mi
·
1 hr
·
US 281
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 69C; US 281
70 mi
·
1 hr 19 min
·
I 69C; US 281
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 281
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Nueces Street
13
Turn right onto TX 72
32 mi
·
39 min
·
King David Drive
14
Continue on TX 72; TX 239
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
15
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 72; TX 239
233 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Main Street
16
Continue on FM 792
8.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Helena Road
17
Turn straight onto TX 80
24 mi
·
25 min
·
State Highway 80
18
Continue on TX 80
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Nixon Avenue
19
Continue on TX 80; TX 97
31 mi
·
35 min
·
State Highway 80 North
20
Continue on US 183
10 mi
·
11 min
·
US 183
21
Continue on US 183
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
South Colorado Street
22
Continue on US 183
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
United States Highway 183
23
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Toward TX 130 Toll North: Austin, Waco
24
Merge onto TX 130 Toll
59 mi
·
54 min
·
Pickle Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 35 North: Waco
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
26
Merge onto I 35
65 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Continue on I 35
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
South Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Continue on I 35; US 77
33 mi
·
33 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
58 mi
·
1 hr
·
I 35E
Toward I 35E: Dallas
Use the slight right lane.
30
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 429A
Toward Continental Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
31
Turn right onto Continental Avenue
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Continental Avenue
Use the right lane.
32
Turn slight right onto North Lamar Street
433 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Lamar Street
33
Arrive at destination
North Lamar Street
Trip Plan
To tackle this long-distance drive effectively, aim for an early morning departure to maximize your daylight hours on the road. With two recommended stops built into the itinerary, use these breaks to stretch and refuel well before your tank runs low, keeping that $79 fuel estimate in mind. Since you are staying off the highways, factor in additional time for traffic signals and local speed limits that may influence your total travel duration. Splitting the trip into two days is the smartest way to ensure you arrive in Dallas feeling refreshed rather than exhausted. Pay close attention to your navigation when switching between Grande Street, Lott Road, and South Salinas Boulevard to avoid missing critical turns.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 253.3 miles from Scissors, TX, or about 4h 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 97.7 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 111 miles or 2h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 253.3 miles or 4h 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 253.3 miles or 4h 53m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dallas, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Scissors, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Scissors, TX
Aim for roughly 253 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Dallas, TX
Aim for roughly 253 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 111 miles from Scissors, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Purple Heart Trail for about 97.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 253.3 mi from Scissors, TX · 4h 53m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
167 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
334 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Killeen, TXOvernight Options
Night 1
253 mi · about 4.6h in
A practical overnight split lands near Austin, TX after about 253 miles or 4.6 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 111 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 253.3 miles from Scissors, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 97.7 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 253 miles or 4.6 hours on the road.
Arriving in Dallas, TX
The final approach into Dallas, 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 Dallas, TX.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Dallas, TX with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$77.40 one way
$154.80 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
177 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $84.82 | $169.64 |
| premium | $4.59 | $91.59 | $183.17 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $112.57 | $225.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$77
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$207–$317
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 177.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $53 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 152 | 1 | $53.20 | $24.32 |
| Efficient EV | 126.7 | 1 | $44.34 | $20.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 202.7 | 2 | $70.94 | $32.43 |
Gas CO2
177 kg
EV CO2
59 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.
Destination
Dallas, TX
Night in Dallas on Sunday
Local time
9:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
11 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
9h 17m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Scissors, TX to Dallas, TX covers 506.7 miles and takes about 9h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Purple Heart Trail, I 69C, Pickle Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 253 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 253.3 miles from Scissors, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $77.40 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks 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 17 significant decision points across 506.7 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 0.1 miles (Grande Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 11.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 343.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Scissors, TX to Dallas, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Waco along the way.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Dallas, TX
More trips to Dallas, TX
Explore more options from Scissors, TX or browse trips ending in Dallas, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.
Explore maps for Scissors, TX or Dallas, TX on MapSof.net.