Trip from Baker, LA to Ruston, LA

Drive Time

4h 4m

Distance

208.4 mi

335 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$32

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min

4 AM

3h 52m ★

6 AM

4h 5m

8 AM

4h 31m

10 AM

4h 14m

12 PM

4h 11m

3 PM

4h 15m

5 PM

4h 30m

8 PM

3h 57m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Baker, LA

Yasin Onuş

Ruston, LA

Oleksandr Plakhota

Trip Overview

The drive from Baker, LA to Ruston, LA covers 208.4 miles and takes about 4h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Samuels Road, E. E. Wallace Boulevard North, I 20 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 75.7 miles on Samuels Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.86 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

104.2 miles from Baker, LA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 4m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 4h 4m drive with frequent turns across 208.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Samuels Road is the longest continuous segment at about 75.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in near LA 964 / Old Scenic Highway.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 4h 4m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (LA 964 / Old Scenic Highway): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (US 61 / Scenic Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 78.9 miles: Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

2.2 mi into trip | ~3m in | LA 964 / Old Scenic Highway

At end of road, turn left onto LA 964 / Old Scenic Highway

Navigation decision point

3.1 mi into trip | ~5m in | US 61 / Scenic Highway

Merge onto US 61 / Scenic Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining

78.9 mi into trip | ~1h 34m in

Turn left

Navigation decision point

206.2 mi into trip | ~3h 59m in

Keep slight left at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

208 mi into trip | ~4h 3m in | LA 146 / East California Avenue

Turn right onto LA 146 / East California Avenue

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Samuels Road	75.7 mi	1h 28m
E. E. Wallace Boulevard North	63.2 mi	1h 12m
I 20	50.5 mi	55m
Natchez-Vidalia Bridge	10.6 mi	12m
John R Junkin Drive	2.4 mi	2m
Groom Road	2.2 mi	3m
Farmerville Highway	0.7 mi	1m
Old Scenic Highway	0.7 mi	1m

Longest stretch: Samuels Road — 75.7 mi, about 1h 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Baker, LA and Ruston, LA.

Start on Groom Road

2.2 mi · 3 min · Groom Road

At end of road, turn left onto LA 964

0.7 mi · 1 min · Old Scenic Highway

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 43 sec

Merge onto US 61

0.1 mi · 10 sec · Scenic Highway

Continue on US 61

76 mi · 1 hr 28 min · Samuels Road

Turn left

0.1 mi · 17 sec

Continue on US 84; US 425

2.4 mi · 2 min · John R Junkin Drive

Continue on US 84; US 425

11 mi · 12 min · Natchez-Vidalia Bridge

Continue on US 425; LA 15

63 mi · 1 hr 12 min · E. E. Wallace Boulevard North

Turn left

0.3 mi · 35 sec

Merge onto I 20

51 mi · 55 min · I 20

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 19 sec

Keep slight left at fork

193 ft · 7 sec

Turn left onto LA 33

0.7 mi · 1 min · Farmerville Highway

Continue on US 80

0.4 mi · 1 min · East Georgia Avenue

Turn left onto North Farmerville Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Farmerville Street

Turn right onto LA 146

0.4 mi · 54 sec · East California Avenue

Arrive at destination

LA 146

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 104.2 miles from Baker, LA, or about 2h 4m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 75.7 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 36m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 104.2 miles or 2h 4m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 20m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ruston, LA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Baker, LA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Baker, LA

This is one driving day of about 208.4 miles and 4h 4m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Baker, LA.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on Samuels Road for about 75.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 104.2 mi from Baker, LA · 2h 4m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Alexandria, LA

104 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Maryland, LA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Monroe, LA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 104.2 miles from Baker, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Samuels Road if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 75.7 miles.

Arriving in Ruston, LA

The final approach into Ruston, LA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Ruston, LA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Poverty Point National Monument

National Monument

Now a nearly forgotten culture, Poverty Point at its peak 3,000 years ago was part of an enormous trading network that stretched for hundreds of miles across the continent. It was - and is - also an e...

26 mi from route ~65 min detour Free near mile 158.1

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$31.86 one way

$63.72 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 73 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.26	$34.94	$69.89
premium	$4.61	$37.82	$75.65
diesel	$5.64	$46.30	$92.60

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$32

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$57–$82

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 72.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	62.5	0	$21.88	$10.00
Efficient EV	52.1	0	$18.24	$8.34
EV Truck/SUV	83.4	1	$29.18	$13.34

Gas CO2

73 kg

EV CO2

24 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Baker, LA

Late night in Baker on Monday

Local time

5:43 AM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Ruston, LA

Late night in Ruston on Monday

Local time

5:43 AM

CDT

Current temp

65°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

89°F

Alexandria, LA

104 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

2 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

4h 4m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Baker, LA to Ruston, LA covers 208.4 miles and takes about 4h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Samuels Road, E. E. Wallace Boulevard North, I 20. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 104.2 miles from Baker, LA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $31.86 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

This is a straightforward 4h 4m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The route from Baker, LA to Ruston, LA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Trip from Baker, LA to Ruston, LA

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Ruston, LA

National Parks Near This Route

Poverty Point National Monument

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Baker, LA

Ruston, LA

Same local time

2 degrees cooler at arrival

4h 4m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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