How far is Houston, TX from Leonard, TX?

The driving distance from Houston, TX to Leonard, TX is about 297.9 miles (479.4 km), with a travel time of about 05h 19m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 255.2 miles (410.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 10h 39m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
297.9 mi
05h 19m
Flight
255.22 mi
410.74 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Houston.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
255.22 mi
Kilometers
410.74 km
Flight Time
00h 30m

Driving Distance

Road route
297.9 mi
Kilometers
479.42 km
Drive Time
05h 19m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 05h 19m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Leonard
Thu, Apr 23, 3:55 AM CDT
Return by in Houston
Thu, Apr 23, 9:15 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Houston
2026-04-22T22:36
Arrive Leonard
Thu, Apr 23, 3:55 AM CDT
Route Timing
05h 19m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:20 AM to 1:20 PM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
6:20 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Houston
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Fairfield
TX

City in and county seat of Freestone County, Texas, United States

From Houston
149.2 mi
02h 39m
To Leonard
148.7 mi
02h 39m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
78°F
Wednesday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SE
Destination
75°F
Wednesday

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph SSE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Houston and Leonard.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Houston and Leonard.

  1. 1

    Start on Louisiana Street

    145 m · 20 sec · Louisiana Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Franklin Street

    664 ft · 28 sec · Franklin Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Travis Street

    1205 ft · 29 sec · Travis Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp straight toward I 45 North Express Lane

    1.6 km · 2 min

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto North Freeway

    237.1 mi · 4 hr 9 min · North Freeway

  6. 6

    Continue on North Central Expressway

    35.1 mi · 38 min · North Central Expressway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward TX 121 North: Bonham

    1.1 km · 1 min

  8. 8

    Continue on Sam Rayburn Highway

    13.7 mi · 15 min · Sam Rayburn Highway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward TX 160: Whitewright, Blue Ridge

    1437 ft · 44 sec

  10. 10

    Turn right onto State Highway 160

    2661 ft · 51 sec · State Highway 160

  11. 11

    Turn left onto North State Highway 78

    7 mi · 8 min · North State Highway 78

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on South State Highway 78

    1.5 mi · 2 min · South State Highway 78

  13. 13

    Continue on West Fannin Street

    2934 ft · 1 min · West Fannin Street

  14. 14

    Turn right onto South Main Street

    16 m · 2 sec · South Main Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Houston and Leonard.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
15 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
North Freeway
237 mi · 80%
North Central Expressway
35.1 mi · 12%
Sam Rayburn Highway
13.7 mi · 5%
North State Highway 78
7.03 mi · 2%
South State Highway 78
1.54 mi · 1%
I 45 North Express Lane
0.99 mi
Longest Stretch

North Freeway

Merge slight left onto North Freeway

237 mi · 04h 09m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
05h 19m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
10h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+42.7 mi
255.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Fairfield
02h 39m from Houston
Leave By
6:20 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Houston and Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Leonard.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Houston to Leonard?

The road trip is about 297.9 miles (479.4 km) and usually takes 05h 19m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Fairfield is a useful midpoint, sitting about 149.2 miles from Houston and 148.7 miles from Leonard.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 255.2 miles (410.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 42.7 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 6:20 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $39.72 one way or $79.43 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 93.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms around Houston and Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Leonard.

Stop Ideas Near Fairfield

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Fairfield, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Fairfield.

BUS

Waco, TX

94 mi away
301 South 8th Street
BUS

Tyler, TX

107 mi away
303 North Bois D'Arc Street
BUS

Bryan, TX

119 mi away
301 East 26th Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Houston and Leonard. Straight-line distance: 255.22 mi (410.74 km).

Houston

#1 Houston

The fourth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Houston metropolitan area.

Population2,316,120
Coordinates29.7632800, -95.3632700
Altitude12
CountryUnited States
Leonard

#2 Leonard

City in Texas, United States

Population2,068
Coordinates33.3795500, -96.2474800
Altitude219
CountryUnited States
Start: Houston (-95.36327, 29.76328)
End: Leonard (-96.24748, 33.37955)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 479 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 55m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 26m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 57m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 57m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 42m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
10.51 gal
39.79 L · about $39.72
Round trip
$79.43
21.02 gal · 79.58 L
Estimated CO2
93.4 kg one way
Round trip: 186.8 kg / 412 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.78 $39.72 $79.43
Mid-grade $4.25 $44.69 $89.38
Premium $4.59 $48.25 $96.50
Diesel $3.99 $41.97 $83.93

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Texas · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Houston and Leonard. The current time is 22:36:00.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.