The drive from Hammond, LA to Ruston, LA covers 251 miles and takes about 4h 48m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on E. E. Wallace Boulevard North, Congressman Jimmy Morrison Highway, I 20 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 63.2 miles on E. E. Wallace Boulevard North.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $37.91 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
125.5 miles from Hammond, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 23m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 48m. Total distance: 251 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Hammond, LA to Ruston, LA covers 251 miles and takes about 4h 48m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
E. E. Wallace Boulevard North is the longest continuous segment at about 63.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Northwest Railroad Avenue.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 251 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Northwest Railroad Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 86.3 miles (US 98; MS 184): Navigation decision point; at 87.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Northwest Railroad Avenue
Turn left onto Northwest Railroad Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
86.3 mi into trip|~1h 37m in|US 98; MS 184
At end of road, turn left onto US 98; MS 184
Navigation decision point
4
87.1 mi into trip|~1h 38m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
4
115.6 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|US 84
Keep slight left at fork onto US 84
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
248.9 mi into trip|~4h 43m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
E. E. Wallace Boulevard North
63.2 mi
1h 12m
Congressman Jimmy Morrison Highway
53.4 mi
57m
I 20
50.5 mi
55m
US 84
47.3 mi
55m
US 98
30.1 mi
34m
West University Avenue
2.1 mi
3m
Farmerville Highway
0.7 mi
1m
North Farmerville Street
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
E. E. Wallace Boulevard North
— 63.2 mi, about 1h 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hammond, LA and Ruston, LA.
1
Start on West Charles Street
406 ft·27 sec·West Charles Street
2
Turn left onto Northwest Railroad Avenue
0.4 mi·43 sec·Northwest Railroad Avenue
3
Continue on Carter Lane
0.1 mi·17 sec·Carter Lane
4
Turn right onto North Oak Street
0.5 mi·1 min·North Oak Street
5
Turn left onto LA 3234
2.1 mi·3 min·West University Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
7
Merge onto I 55
53 mi·57 min·Congressman Jimmy Morrison Highway
8
Take the exit onto US 98
29 mi·33 min·US 98
9
At end of road, turn left onto US 98; MS 184
0.8 mi·53 sec·US 98; MS 184
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
11
Merge onto US 84
28 mi·32 min·US 84
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 84
6.0 mi·7 min·US 84
13
Take the exit onto US 84
13 mi·15 min·US 84
14
Continue on US 425; LA 15
63 mi·1 hr 12 min·E. E. Wallace Boulevard North
15
Turn left
0.3 mi·35 sec
16
Merge onto I 20
51 mi·55 min·I 20
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·19 sec
18
Keep slight left at fork
193 ft·7 sec
19
Turn left onto LA 33
0.7 mi·1 min·Farmerville Highway
20
Continue on US 80
0.4 mi·1 min·East Georgia Avenue
21
Turn left onto North Farmerville Street
0.5 mi·1 min·North Farmerville Street
22
Turn right onto LA 146
0.4 mi·54 sec·East California Avenue
23
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 125.5 miles from Hammond, LA, or about 2h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.2 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 55 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 125.5 miles or 2h 23m 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 56m
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 Hammond, 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 Hammond, LA
This is one driving day of about 251 miles and 4h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Hammond, 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 E. E. Wallace Boulevard North for about 63.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 125.5 mi from Hammond, LA
· 2h 23m into the drive
The midpoint is around 125.5 miles from Hammond, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before E. E. Wallace Boulevard North if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.2 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...
25 mi from route
~62 min detour
Free
near mile 199.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.91 one way
$75.81 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg88 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$41.61
$83.23
premium
$4.56
$45.05
$90.10
diesel
$5.61
$55.42
$110.84
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
13 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Blink Charging Station
Hammond, Louisiana
Blink
1 DCFC
Eaton Charging Station
Natchez, Mississippi
Other
1 DCFC
Tesla Destination Charger
Natchez, Mississippi
Tesla Destination
1 DCFC
InCharge Energy Charging Station
Winnsboro, Louisiana
InCharge
1 DCFC
EV Connect Charging Station
Ruston, Louisiana
EV Connect
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Monroe, Louisiana
Tesla
1 DCFC
Electrify America Charging Station
Hammond, Louisiana
Electrify America
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Ruston, Louisiana
Tesla
1 DCFC
Tesla Destination: 3
Tesla: 2
Electrify America: 2
ChargePoint: 2
Blink: 1
Other: 1
InCharge: 1
EV Connect: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
75.3
0
$26.35
$12.05
Efficient EV
62.8
0
$21.96
$10.04
EV Truck/SUV
100.4
1
$35.14
$16.06
Gas CO2
88 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Hammond, LA
Morning
in Hammond on Saturday
Local time
10:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Ruston, LA
Morning
in Ruston on Saturday
Local time
10:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
5 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 48m 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 Hammond, LA to Ruston, LA covers 251 miles and takes about 4h 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are E. E. Wallace Boulevard North, Congressman Jimmy Morrison Highway, I 20. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 125.5 miles from Hammond, LA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $37.91 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 251 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Northwest Railroad Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 86.3 miles (US 98; MS 184): Navigation decision point; at 87.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Hammond, LA to Ruston, LA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
