Origin
Waco, TX
Evening in Waco on Thursday
Local time
8:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waco, TX to Ross, TX
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
21m
Distance
13.7 mi
22 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waco, TX
Tomás Asurmendi
Ross, TX
Jeff Stapleton
Trip Overview
The drive from Waco, TX to Ross, TX covers 13.7 miles and takes about 21m 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, West Waco Drive, North Interstate 35 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.5 miles on Purple Heart Trail. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.07 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 13.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (9%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 21m drive with frequent turns across 13.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 10 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 7.5 miles.
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. The trickiest moment comes around 3.4 miles in near North Interstate 35.
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 21m 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 3.4 miles (North Interstate 35): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.8 miles (I 35; US 77 / Purple Heart Trail): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
3.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
North Interstate 35
Turn left onto North Interstate 35
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
3.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 North, US 77 North
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 North, US 77 North
5
3.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 35; US 77 / Purple Heart Trail
Merge onto I 35; US 77 / Purple Heart Trail
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
11.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward FM 3149: Tours Road, Ross Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 346
Toward FM 3149: Tours Road, Ross Road
4
13.7 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
North Katy Road
At end of road, turn left onto North Katy Road
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 7.5 mi | 7m |
| West Waco Drive | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| North Interstate 35 | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Ross Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| North Katy Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 7.5 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waco, TX and Ross, TX.
1
Start on US 84
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
West Waco Drive
2
Turn left onto North Interstate 35
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
North Interstate 35
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 35 North, US 77 North
4
Merge onto I 35; US 77
7.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 346
Toward FM 3149: Tours Road, Ross Road
6
Turn straight onto North Interstate 35
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Interstate 35
7
Turn left onto Ross Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Ross Road
8
At end of road, turn left onto North Katy Road
104 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Katy Road
9
Turn right onto Ross Road
59 ft
·
2 sec
·
Ross Road
10
Arrive at destination
Ross Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.07 one way
$4.14 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $2.27 | $4.53 |
| premium | $4.54 | $2.45 | $4.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.02 | $6.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.44 | $0.66 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.20 | $0.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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.
Destination
Ross, TX
Evening in Ross on Thursday
Local time
8:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
20 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
21m 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 Waco, TX to Ross, TX covers 13.7 miles and takes about 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Purple Heart Trail, West Waco Drive, North Interstate 35. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.8 miles from Waco, TX. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.07 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 21m 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 3.4 miles (North Interstate 35): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.8 miles (I 35; US 77 / Purple Heart Trail): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Waco, TX to Ross, TX does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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