EL PASO, TEXAS · TRANS-PECOS & I-10 WEST
West Texas Void
Closest Outposts & Clarifications
Buc-ee’s El Paso Status, Clarifications & Nearest Stores
By Buc-ee’s Menu Travel Team | Fact-Checked & Updated: August 2026
Even though Texas is home to dozens of Buc-ee’s locations, El Paso is the largest Texas city without one. Between geographic isolation and search confusion with the proposed travel center in El Paso County, Colorado, here is everything you need to know about where El Pasoans can find the nearest Buc-ee’s.
01 Is There a Buc-ee’s in El Paso, Texas?
No. There is no Buc-ee’s in El Paso, Texas, and the company has no current filings, property purchases, or announced plans to build in the Sun City.
Texas is famous for having over 35 Buc-ee’s travel centers, but they are concentrated across Central, East, North, and South Texas. El Paso sits in the Mountain Time Zone, more than 500 miles west of the primary “Texas Triangle” network (Houston–Dallas–Austin–San Antonio).
For El Paso residents, getting to a Buc-ee’s requires a dedicated multi-hour road trip across West Texas desert or heading west into Arizona.
Pro Tip: If you see social media posts mentioning “Buc-ee’s El Paso approved,” double check the state! Almost all of those headlines refer to El Paso County, Colorado (near Colorado Springs), not El Paso, Texas.
02 The “El Paso County, Colorado” News Confusion
A huge reason “Buc-ee’s El Paso” trends on search engines is due to high-profile real estate hearings in El Paso County, Colorado.
Here is what actually happened:
- Buc-ee’s acquired roughly 32 acres off Interstate 25 (Exit 163 / County Line Road) in northern El Paso County, CO near Palmer Lake and Monument.
- The project proposes a 74,000-square-foot store with 120 pumps as Colorado’s second location after Johnstown.
- The development drew national news coverage over land classification appeals with the El Paso County Board of Commissioners.
This led thousands of Texans to mistakenly believe a Buc-ee’s was breaking ground in the City of El Paso, Texas.
03 What Is the Closest Buc-ee’s to El Paso, TX?
Because El Paso is located at the far western tip of Texas, the closest locations depend on which highway direction you travel:
| Store Location | Distance from El Paso | Drive Time | Corridor / Highway | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodyear, AZ (Phoenix Metro) | ~415 miles | ~6 hrs 00 mins | I-10 West (Exit 124) | Westernmost I-10 outpost; closer than San Antonio |
| Amarillo, TX (Panhandle) | ~420 miles | ~6 hrs 30 mins | US-54 E to US-287 / I-40 E | Closest store within Texas state lines |
| Boerne, TX (Hill Country) | ~515 miles | ~7 hrs 30 mins | I-10 East (Exit 543) | First Buc-ee’s encountered heading east on I-10 |
| New Braunfels, TX (I-35) | ~575 miles | ~8 hrs 15 mins | I-10 East to TX-46 / I-35 | Massive 66,335 sq ft store with 120 pumps |
| Luling, TX (World Record) | ~605 miles | ~8 hrs 45 mins | I-10 East (Exit 632) | Largest Buc-ee’s in Texas (75,593 sq ft) |
Pro Tip: If you are heading from El Paso to Phoenix, Tucson, San Diego, or Los Angeles on I-10 West, the Goodyear, Arizona travel center is roughly 100 miles closer than driving to Buc-ee’s in the San Antonio area!
04 Why Doesn’t Buc-ee’s Build in El Paso or West Texas?
Many road trippers wonder why Buc-ee’s hasn’t opened along the 500-mile stretch of I-10 between San Antonio and El Paso (passing through Kerrville, Junction, Ozona, Fort Stockton, and Van Horn). Several logistics rules explain the gap:
- Daily Commissary & Fresh Food Delivery: Buc-ee’s is famous for fresh Czech pastries, warm barbecue, and fresh fudge prepared daily. Supplying stores requires a tight distribution radius centered around their Southeast Texas commissaries.
- Traffic Volume vs. Spacing: Buc-ee’s travel centers need 15,000 to 25,000+ passenger vehicles stopping per day. While I-10 carries huge coast-to-coast freight traffic, a large percentage consists of 18-wheel semi-trucks — which Buc-ee’s strictly prohibits from its properties.
- Concentration on Regional Hubs: Buc-ee’s prioritizes intersections connecting multiple major metro areas (like Luling between Austin, Houston, and San Antonio). West Texas features vast expanses between population centers.
05 Drive Times from El Paso to Nearest Buc-ee’s
If you live in the Borderland region, here is your road trip guide:
| Origin (El Paso Area) | To Goodyear, AZ (West) | To Amarillo, TX (North) | To Boerne / SA, TX (East) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown El Paso | 415 mi (6h 00m) | 420 mi (6h 30m) | 515 mi (7h 30m) |
| East El Paso / Horizon City | 430 mi (6h 15m) | 415 mi (6h 25m) | 500 mi (7h 15m) |
| West El Paso / Canutillo | 405 mi (5h 50m) | 430 mi (6h 40m) | 525 mi (7h 45m) |
| Las Cruces, NM | 375 mi (5h 25m) | 410 mi (6h 20m) | 555 mi (8h 10m) |
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bottom Line
While El Paso remains the lone major Texas metro without a Buc-ee’s in its backyard, Sun City drivers aren’t without options on cross-country trips. Heading east on I-10 leads you straight to Boerne and the world-record store in Luling, while heading west on I-10 brings you to Goodyear, Arizona.
Keep this page bookmarked for any official announcements regarding West Texas expansions!