Photo: CC BY 4.0, Larry D. Moore / Wikimedia Commons
Length
1 day
Total distance
289.8 mi
Driving time
5 h 7 min
Est. tolls
$0
Stops
4
Driving
Moderate
Best months
Mar–Apr, Oct
Budget
$$
A one-day, one-way drive from Dallas to Austin that skips I-35: 289.8 miles and about 5 h 7 min of driving with no tolls, dinosaur tracks in the Paluxy River, a classic Lampasas drive-in lunch, Pedernales Falls and a limestone-bluff finish at Mount Bonnell.
Drive time5 h 7 min
Distance289.8 mi
Est. tolls$0
Dinosaur Valley State Park: footprints in the Paluxy River
Pedernales Falls: limestone cascades and canyon overlooks
Mount Bonnell: a 102-step climb to the Lake Austin view
The story
Dallas to Austin is a three-hour slog up and down I-35. This route takes the other road: southwest out of Dallas to Glen Rose, across the ranch country of central Texas, and into the Hill Country from the north, ending on a bluff above the Colorado River.
The day opens at Dinosaur Valley State Park, where you can wade the Paluxy River and stand in real dinosaur footprints. A 97-minute drive on US-67, TX-220 and US-281 brings you to Lampasas and Storm's Drive-In for a burger and a malt. From there it is back roads through Burnet and Marble Falls to Pedernales Falls State Park, where the river pours over tilted slabs of limestone, and then US-290 east to Mount Bonnell for the view over Lake Austin.
It is about 290 miles and 5 hours of driving, with breaks at roughly 1.5 to 2 hour intervals so drivers can swap. Two alternatives are in the options: a spring wildflower run through Llano and the Willow City Loop, and a swing through Hamilton Pool Preserve (reservation only). Spring is the prettiest time, and in summer start early and bring water: the river tracks and the falls trails have little shade.
Day by day
1
Day 1 · 9 stops
Dallas to Austin through the Hill Country
Leave Dallas at 8:00, wade the dinosaur tracks at Glen Rose, eat at a Lampasas drive-in, see Pedernales Falls and finish on Mount Bonnell around 6 pm.
Logistics8:00 AM · 10 min
Start in Dallas: Klyde Warren Park
Meet at the deck park over Woodall Rodgers Freeway in Uptown, top up the tank and grab coffee. A 8:00 departure clears most of the morning rush on I-35E south and puts you at the dinosaur tracks before the heat and the crowds.
Photo: CC0, John P Salvatore / Wikimedia Commons
Time
10 minutes to fuel and go
Klyde Warren Park
2012 Woodall Rodgers Fwy, Dallas, TX 75201
Season: Typically open year-round; check current dates
Spur 366, I-45, I-35E, US-67, FM 205, Park Road 59
Out of Uptown on Woodall Rodgers and I-45, then south on I-35E and US-67 through Cedar Hill and Cleburne, with the last miles on FM 205 into Glen Rose. Plain highway, the only one of the day, and the quickest way to be in the country by 9 am.
Dinosaur Valley State Park: tracks in the Paluxy River
Walk the limestone ledges of the Paluxy River to the main track site, where three-toed theropod and long-striding sauropod footprints are pressed into the rock. Tracks sit in shallow water or dry ledge depending on the river, so expect to wade a little in sandals. Give it 60 to 90 minutes, add shade and water in warm months.
Photo: CC BY 4.0, Larry D. Moore / Wikimedia Commons
Time
60-90 minutes at the river; trackway visibility depends on water level
Fee
$8
Parking
Park lots off Park Road 59
Dinosaur Valley State Park
1629 Park Rd 59, Glen Rose, TX 76043
Season: Typically open daily year-round; check current dates and river conditions
The real Hill Country drive starts here: farm and ranch country on FM 205, US-67, TX-220 and TX-6, then US-281 south over low limestone hills into Lampasas. About 1 h 37 min of driving with little traffic; trade drivers here.
A Lampasas drive-in that serves breakfast tacos, burgers and thick malts from 6:30 am to 10 pm daily, so lunch lands without a wait for a table. Order at the counter or eat in the car. Its menu lists 14-ounce shakes and malts at $3.65 (as of 2026-10-14); check the current menu for burger prices.
Meal
Lunch
Cuisine
American drive-in (burgers, malts)
Storm's Drive-In
201 N Key Ave, Lampasas, TX 76550
Hours: 6:30 am to 10:00 pm (daily range shown on the official locations page)
Season: Typically open year-round; check current hours
South on US-281 through Burnet and Marble Falls, then Hill Country roads (RM 2766) down to the park. Wide shoulders and long views over ranches and limestone ridges; watch for deer near dusk.
Pedernales Falls State Park: river rock and falls overlooks
The Pedernales drops over tilted slabs of bare limestone, and short trails reach two overlooks above the canyon. The falls trail system runs 0.3 to 1.6 miles depending on how far you wander (round trip not stated). Swimming and wading at the falls are not allowed, and the river can rise fast, so keep to the trails.
Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0, Aleksomber / Wikimedia Commons
Time
About 80 minutes: drive to the falls parking, short walk to the overlooks
Fee
$6
Pedernales Falls State Park
2585 Park Road 6026, Johnson City, TX 78636
Season: Typically open daily year-round; check current dates and river conditions
Park Road 6026, RM 3232, US-290, Loop 1 (MoPac general lanes), W 35th St, Mount Bonnell Rd
Out through Johnson City country onto US-290 east, over Dripping Springs and the rolling edge of the Hill Country, then Loop 1 and 35th Street to Mount Bonnell Road. Traffic builds from Oak Hill on; the last miles are city streets.
End with 102 stone steps up to a limestone bluff about 775 feet above sea level, with the Colorado River, Lake Austin and wooded hills spread out below. Arrive with an hour to spare: parking is free along Mount Bonnell Road but fills near sunset. Austin is a 15-minute drive away.
Photo: Public domain, Leaflet / Wikimedia Commons
Time
About an hour; stay for sunset
Best time
Late afternoon through sunset
Fee
Free
Parking
Free lot on Mount Bonnell Road
Mount Bonnell (Covert Park)
3800 Mount Bonnell Rd, Austin, TX 78731
Hours: 5:00 am to 10:00 pm daily (per Austin's tourism site)
Season: Typically open year-round; check current dates
Alternative route: Llano, the Willow City Loop and Fredericksburg
Swap Pedernales for the classic Hill Country run. From Lampasas the road goes west to Llano, north of Fredericksburg onto the 13-mile Willow City Loop (narrow, with cattle guards and creek crossings), then through Fredericksburg and east on US-290. The route puts the whole day at 358.2 miles and about 6 h 42 min of driving, roughly 68 miles and 95 minutes more than the main route, so leave by 7:30 and skip the Pedernales stop.
Alternative route
Alternative route: Llano, the Willow City Loop and Fredericksburg
Swap Pedernales for the classic Hill Country run. From Lampasas the road goes west to Llano, north of Fredericksburg onto the 13-mile Willow City Loop (narrow, with cattle guards and creek crossings), then through Fredericksburg and east on US-290. The route puts the whole day at 358.2 miles and about 6 h 42 min of driving, roughly 68 miles and 95 minutes more than the main route, so leave by 7:30 and skip the Pedernales stop.
Distance
358.2 mi
Drive time
6 h 42 min
Toll
$0
Via
Dino Valley, Storm's, TX-29 to Llano, TX-16, Willow City Loop (RM 1323), Fredericksburg, US-290, Loop 1
Alternative route: Hamilton Pool Preserve and the Dripping Springs back roads
Finish through the Hamilton Pool country instead of straight up US-290: Hamilton Pool Road, a collapsed-grotto pool with a waterfall, then TX-71 and RM 12 into town. The full day is 310.9 miles and about 5 h 55 min of driving, about 21 miles and 48 minutes more. Hamilton Pool Preserve requires a reservation every day, fixed arrival windows apply, and swimming is not guaranteed, so book ahead or skip it.
Alternative route
Alternative route: Hamilton Pool Preserve and the Dripping Springs back roads
Finish through the Hamilton Pool country instead of straight up US-290: Hamilton Pool Road, a collapsed-grotto pool with a waterfall, then TX-71 and RM 12 into town. The full day is 310.9 miles and about 5 h 55 min of driving, about 21 miles and 48 minutes more. Hamilton Pool Preserve requires a reservation every day, fixed arrival windows apply, and swimming is not guaranteed, so book ahead or skip it.
Distance
310.9 mi
Drive time
5 h 55 min
Toll
$0
Via
Pedernales Falls, Hamilton Pool Road, TX-71, RM 12, Loop 1
Assumption. Thursday departure at 8:00 am; every stop is open daily. Weekends are busier at both state parks, which can reach capacity: reserve day-use online.
Rhythm. About 1 h 24 min to the tracks, 1 h 37 min to lunch, 1 h 14 min to Pedernales, 52 min to Mount Bonnell: 289.8 miles, 5 h 7 min of driving, tolls $0. Swap drivers at Lampasas.
Tolls. None of this route is on a toll road; the Austin approach uses MoPac general lanes, not the optional Express Lanes.
Season. Bluebonnets typically bloom from late March to mid- or late April, peaking early April (Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center); timing shifts year to year. October is mild; summer afternoons are hot with little shade on the river and falls trails. After about the first week of November sunset is before 6 pm, so Mount Bonnell will be at dusk.
Flooding. Hill Country rivers rise fast: leave the river area if water rises or turns muddy. Swimming and wading are not allowed at the Pedernales falls.
Food. Storm's is the one real meal; carry water and snacks for the long stretch from Lampasas.
Current conditions (as of 2026-10-14). Both state park pages list active alerts without detail (Dinosaur Valley, and two at Pedernales Falls) and say trails may close for wet weather: check the park pages and call before you go. Fees listed ($8 and $6 per adult) are the 2026-10-14 TPWD rates. Hamilton Pool's booking calendar changes often.
Confirm before you go. Hours and fees come from each operator's site; confirm before you leave.
Sources
Good to know: distances and drive times are typical figures without live traffic, and where routes are shown the route data comes from OpenStreetMap contributors. Toll amounts are estimates and change often, so check them in the DriftKin planner or with the toll authority before you plan around them. Opening hours, fees, prices, permits and closures also change, so confirm with the park or business before you go.
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