A two-week loop from Fort Worth: Austin, the German Hill Country, the Spanish missions of San Antonio, then the long border road to the Chihuahuan Desert. The heart of the trip is West Texas, with Big Bend National Park on the Rio Grande, the River Road and Marfa, hours from any big city.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Fort Worth | Start |
| Days 3 to 4 | Austin | 316 km · 3h40 |
| Day 5 | Fredericksburg | 127 km · 1h50 |
| Days 6 to 7 | San Antonio | 110 km · 1h20 |
| Day 8 | Del Rio | 247 km · 3h05 |
| Day 9 | Marathon | 283 km · 3h15 |
| Days 10 to 11 | Terlingua | 178 km · 2h55 |
| Day 12 | Marfa | 200 km · 2h40 |
| Day 13 | San Angelo | 411 km · 4h50 |
| Day 14 | Back to Fort Worth | 388 km · 4h25 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
March to April and October to November. From June to August, average highs exceed 41°C along the Rio Grande in Big Bend; winter stays mild (21°C in January), but from November to April the park's campgrounds are full every night: book early, in Terlingua too.
🚗 316 km · 3h40 of driving from Fort Worth
The I-35 south, toll-free but often busy, via Waco.
🚗 127 km · 1h50 of driving from Austin
The US 290 through the Hill Country, via Johnson City and President Johnson's ranch at Stonewall.
🚗 110 km · 1h20 of driving from Fredericksburg
The US 87 then the I-10 south-east, via Comfort and Boerne.
🚗 247 km · 3h05 of driving from San Antonio
The US 90 west, via Castroville, Uvalde and Brackettville; towns grow further apart as you near the Rio Grande.
🚗 283 km · 3h15 of driving from Del Rio
The US 90 across the desert plateau, via Comstock, Langtry and Sanderson. Fill up in Del Rio.
🚗 178 km · 2h55 of driving from Marathon
The US 385 to Persimmon Gap, Big Bend's north entrance, then the Chisos Basin road: 10 km of hairpins, 15% gradients.
🚗 200 km · 2h40 of driving from Terlingua
The River Road (FM 170) along the Rio Grande via Lajitas and Presidio, tight bends and steep gradients, then the US 67.
🚗 411 km · 4h50 of driving from Marfa
The US 90 to Alpine, the US 67 to Fort Stockton, a stretch of I-10, then the US 67 via McCamey and Big Lake.
🚗 388 km · 4h25 of driving from San Angelo
Without Big Bend, stay in the east: Fort Worth, Austin, Fredericksburg, San Antonio then Houston, with Galveston as a day trip, and back to Fort Worth on the I-45 (9 nights). West Texas alone needs five more nights, the distances there are so long.
| Car, Dallas, January | ≈ $42 a day (€37) |
|---|---|
| Car, Dallas, June | ≈ $65 a day (€57) |
| SUV, Dallas | ≈ $70 a day (€62) |
| Annual average, Dallas | ≈ $51 a day (€45) |
| Vehicle | Mid-size saloon or SUV: the whole loop is paved, a 4x4 is no use. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | Dallas-Fort Worth Airport (DFW), returning to the same place at the end of the loop. |
| Electronic tolls | Ask about the rental company's toll plan: Texas toll roads no longer have booths. |
| Insurance | Take the LDW or CDW (damage to the vehicle) and supplemental liability cover (LIS or SLI). |
| Age | 21 at Enterprise, 20 at Hertz; surcharge of around $25 a day under 25. |
| Licence and card | Hertz requires a licence held for more than one year and a card in the driver's name, preferably a credit card. |
| Prices surveyed | Kayak averages in Dallas, September 2026, excluding additional insurance. |
⚠️ Rental contracts forbid unpaved roads: come back from Santa Elena on the Ross Maxwell, not on the gravel Old Maverick Road.
Texas accepts a valid foreign licence for up to one year. International Driving Permit recommended.
As in mainland Europe. Automatic gearbox on almost all rental cars.
80 mph on the I-10 west of Kerrville, 85 on the toll SH 130. Elsewhere, follow the signs.
0.08%, zero tolerance under 21. Open container in the passenger area: fine of up to $500.
Fixed checkpoints on roads heading north from the border, including the TX 118 and the US 385: stopping is mandatory.
Come to a complete stop and give way to pedestrians, unless there is a NO TURN ON RED sign.
When every approach has a stop sign; if two arrive at the same time, the vehicle on the right has priority.
Throughout Texas. Handheld phone use banned in active school zones and in Austin.
Move out of the adjacent lane or drive 20 mph below the limit; fine of up to $1,250.
Reliable coverage only around Panther Junction and the Chisos Basin: download your maps.
≈ €0.92 per litre ($3.95 a gallon, AAA Texas average, 25 September 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Today's price: AAA Gas Prices →
⛽ 2,260 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €150 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
In Big Bend, pumps at Panther Junction (24 hours a day by card) and at Rio Grande Village. Card issued outside the US: pay at the till.
| Interstates (I-35, I-10, I-20) | Toll-free |
|---|---|
| Toll roads in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and Houston | No booths: TxTag, TollTag or EZ TAG, otherwise a marked-up bill by plate |
| SH 130 (Austin-Seguin, 85 mph) | Toll road, off the route |
| Big Bend | $30 per vehicle for 7 days, card only |
| $100 non-resident surcharge | Does not apply at Big Bend |
| America the Beautiful non-resident pass | $250 a year, not worth it on this loop |
| Big Bend Ranch State Park | $5 per adult |
| Enchanted Rock | $8 per adult, free up to age 12 |
| Seminole Canyon | $4 per adult |
| Boquillas (Mexico) | $5 for the return rowing boat, $7 entry on the Mexican side |
| The Alamo, San Antonio missions, LBJ Ranch | Free |
| Chisos Basin (Big Bend) | Open: the works planned for May 2026 were cancelled |
|---|---|
| Chisos Basin road | Not advised for trailers over 6 m or motorhomes over 7.3 m |
| Santa Elena Canyon trail | Impassable after rain, especially from July to September |
| Old Maverick Road (Big Bend) | Gravel, sometimes impassable after heavy rain |
| Boquillas border crossing | Open Friday to Monday, 09:00 to 16:00 |
| Texas White House (LBJ Ranch) | Closed for works; ranch driving tour open |
| Fate Bell Shelter (Seminole Canyon) | Tours Wednesday to Sunday; park closed at Thanksgiving and Christmas |
| Enchanted Rock | Closed to visitors without a reservation once full, especially at weekends |
| Alamo Church | Timed reservation required, closed on 25 December |
| Chinati Foundation (Marfa) | Building works from October 2026, tour routes subject to change |
| Longhorn cattle drive (Stockyards) | Suspended at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas |
Two weeks for this loop from Fort Worth: 13 nights, nine stages, nearly 3,000 km including side trips, never more than five hours' driving a day. West Texas and Big Bend alone take up half of it. In ten days, stay in the east: Austin, the Hill Country, San Antonio, Houston and Galveston.
Excluding flights and accommodation: $550 to $850 for 13 days' car hire (Kayak, Dallas, September 2026), $250 to $300 of fuel at September 2026 prices for nearly 3,000 km, and $30 entry to Big Bend per car. Add state parks ($4 to $8 per adult) and any tolls.
March to April and October to November. From June to August, average highs exceed 41°C along the Rio Grande in Big Bend, and Austin tops 32°C from late May to mid-September. From November to April, the park's campgrounds are full every night: book early, especially for spring break and Thanksgiving.
No. In 2026, eleven national parks charge $100 per non-resident aged 16 and over, and Big Bend is not one of them: entry stays at $30 per vehicle for 7 days, by card only. The $250 America the Beautiful non-resident pass is therefore not worth it on this loop.
Yes: Texas accepts a valid foreign licence for one year at most. An International Driving Permit is strongly recommended. Hertz also requires a licence held for more than one year.
These are fixed Border Patrol checkpoints, on roads heading north from the border, including the TX 118 and the US 385. Stopping is mandatory; the officer asks for your nationality and proof of lawful stay. Federal law requires foreign nationals aged 18 and over to carry their stamped passport or their I-94.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/texas · by Tom, updated 1 October 2026
