Back

Drives Texas Houston, Galveston and the Gulf Coast

Bellville to Round Top

TX 159, FM 1457 · Bellville → Round Top

Leisurely29 mi35 min1,400 ft climbHigh point ≈ 500 ftOne way
Scan to drive it in CarvePoint a phone's camera here. It opens ready to drive.
Drive it in Carve, free

Opens this route in the app, or where to get it.

Drive this road
in the appOpen

The drive

This is the back way into Round Top from the Houston side, through the German farm country of Austin County. Highway 159 leaves Bellville and runs west over rolling fields and pasture to Industry, founded by Friedrich Ernst in 1831 and counted as the oldest permanent German settlement in Texas.

From Industry the drive turns onto FM 1457, the quieter part. It runs through Shelby, a crossroads settled by German families in the 1840s, where Harmonie Hall, built in 1883, still holds dances. The views and curves are best around Shelby, where the road jogs briefly onto FM 389 before carrying on.

It ends in Round Top, a town of about 90 people best known for its antiques shows, which spread for 11 miles along Highway 237 and draw visitors from all over the country.

Along the way

  1. Bellville
  2. FM 1457
  3. FM 1457 north of Shelby
  4. Round Top
Elevation
1,400 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 500 ft
BellvilleRound Top
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
BellvilleRound Top
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The Round Top antiques shows, in spring, fall and winter, bring crowds and heavy traffic around town; check the dates before you go.
  • FM 1457 jogs onto FM 389 for a short stretch at Shelby; follow the FM 1457 signs to carry on to Round Top.
  • Riders report mixed pavement on FM 1457, with rough patches.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check TxDOT DriveTexas.

Questions about this drive

How long is the drive from Bellville to Round Top?

Highway 159 and FM 1457 from Bellville through Industry and Shelby to Round Top is 29.3 miles and takes about 35 minutes.

When are the Round Top antiques shows?

Round Top holds its big antiques shows in spring and fall, with a smaller winter show. Venues set their own dates, so check before driving out.

Is there a back road from Bellville to Round Top?

Yes. Highway 159 west from Bellville to Industry, then FM 1457 through Shelby, is a quiet, rolling route through German farm country, with its best views around Shelby.

Is the Bellville to Round Top drive twisty?

Mostly it's gentle: rolling farm roads with a few good curves around Shelby.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
Drive it with no signalAPEXDownload the map and every turn before you go.
Live Group TrackingAPEXEveryone on the route, on the map, by name.
Road conditionsAPEXWet or dry, ice, fog and wind along the road before you go.
Record your drivesAPEXRecord a drive and turn it into a route to drive again or share.

Free on iPhone and Android. CarPlay and Android Auto come with Apex.

Download on theApp StoreEarly access onGoogle Play

More drives near here

All 70 drives in Texas ›

Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

+ Plan a new route
Map of Bellville to Round Top, from Bellville to Round Top