Trip from Houma, LA to Jena, LA

Data updated 2 hours ago

Drive Time

4h 32m

Distance

228 mi

367 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$34

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 20m ★

6 AM

4h 33m

8 AM

5h 0m

10 AM

4h 42m

12 PM

4h 40m

3 PM

4h 44m

5 PM

4h 58m

8 PM

4h 25m

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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only incorporated city and parish seat of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, United States

Houma, LA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Houma, LA to Jena, LA covers 228 miles and takes about 4h 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Raceland-M C Express, Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway, LA 8 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 82.2 miles on Raceland-M C Express. At current regular gas prices, budget about $34.43 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

114 miles from Houma, LA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 19m into the drive .

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Drive Character

Expect a 4h 32m drive with frequent turns across 228 miles of local and secondary roads.

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

There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Raceland-M C Express is the longest continuous segment at about 82.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near LA 182 / Barrow Street.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 25 significant decision points across 228 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (LA 182 / Barrow Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (LA 24 / Park Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 190.1 miles (US 167): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 25 key points

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

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | LA 182 / Barrow Street

Turn left onto LA 182 / Barrow Street

Navigation decision point

0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | LA 24 / Park Avenue

At end of road, turn left onto LA 24 / Park Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

190.1 mi into trip | ~3h 37m in | US 167

Keep slight left at fork onto US 167 toward US 167 North, LA 28 East: Pineville Expressway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 167 North, LA 28 East: Pineville Expr...

194.7 mi into trip | ~3h 44m in

Take the exit toward US 165: Alexandria, Monroe

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward US 165: Alexandria, Monroe

194.8 mi into trip | ~3h 44m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 165 North: Monroe

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward US 165 North: Monroe

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Houma, LA to Jena, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Monroe along the way.

Monroe

194.7 mi in | ~3h 44m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Raceland-M C Express	82.2 mi	1h 29m
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway	76.1 mi	1h 17m
LA 8	21.9 mi	32m
Monroe Highway	11 mi	14m
Veterans Memorial Expressway	10.2 mi	11m
Park Avenue	7.4 mi	14m
Southeast Evangeline Thruway	6 mi	9m
US 167	4.8 mi	7m

Longest stretch: Raceland-M C Express — 82.2 mi, about 1h 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Houma, LA and Jena, LA.

Start on School Street

47 ft · 7 sec · School Street

Turn left onto LA 182

0.2 mi · 46 sec · Barrow Street

At end of road, turn left onto LA 24

7.4 mi · 14 min · Park Avenue

Use the straight / right lanes.

Turn left

358 ft · 15 sec

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 40 sec

Merge onto US 90

82 mi · 1 hr 29 min · Raceland-M C Express

Keep slight right at fork onto US 90

0.2 mi · 14 sec · Veterans Memorial Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 90

0.4 mi · 24 sec · Veterans Memorial Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 90

0.4 mi · 28 sec · Veterans Memorial Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 90

0.2 mi · 15 sec · Veterans Memorial Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 90; LA 92-1

0.2 mi · 13 sec · Veterans Memorial Expressway

Take the exit onto LA 92-1

0.1 mi · 21 sec · Young Street

Continue on LA 92-1

0.3 mi · 38 sec · Young Street

Turn right onto St Etienne Road

1.0 mi · 3 min · St Etienne Road

At end of road, turn right onto East Fairfield Drive

0.1 mi · 22 sec · East Fairfield Drive

Turn left onto LA 3073

1.5 mi · 2 min · Ambassador Caffery Parkway

Turn right onto South Morgan Avenue

1.6 mi · 2 min · South Morgan Avenue

Turn right onto US 90; LA 182

0.2 mi · 13 sec · Southwest Evangeline Thruway

Keep slight left at fork

158 ft · 7 sec

Turn left onto US 90; LA 182

2.5 mi · 2 min · Southwest Evangeline Thruway

Continue on US 90; LA 182

6.0 mi · 9 min · Southeast Evangeline Thruway

Continue on I 49; LA 182

8.8 mi · 9 min · Veterans Memorial Expressway

Continue on I 49; US 167

76 mi · 1 hr 17 min · Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway

Take the exit onto US 167

0.2 mi · 29 sec · US 167

Toward US 167 North, LA 28 East, LA 1: Pineville Expressway, Casson Street

Keep slight left at fork onto US 167

4.6 mi · 6 min · US 167

Toward US 167 North, LA 28 East: Pineville Expressway

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 17 sec

Toward US 165: Alexandria, Monroe Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight right at fork

337 ft · 8 sec

Toward US 165 North: Monroe

Merge onto US 165

11 mi · 14 min · Monroe Highway

Turn right onto LA 8

22 mi · 32 min · LA 8

At end of road, turn left onto LA 8; LA 127

0.2 mi · 22 sec · South 1st Street

Turn left onto US 84

104 ft · 1 sec · Oak Street

Arrive at destination

US 84

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 114 miles from Houma, LA, or about 2h 19m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 82.2 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 80 miles or 1h 34m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 114 miles or 2h 19m 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 34m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Houma, 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 Houma, LA

This is one driving day of about 228 miles and 4h 32m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Houma, 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 Raceland-M C Express for about 82.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 114 mi from Houma, LA · 2h 19m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Newton, TX

114 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

Baton Rouge, LA

Fuel and coffee

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

Newton, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 114 miles from Houma, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Raceland-M C Express if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 82.2 miles.

Arriving in Jena, LA

The final approach into Jena, 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 Jena, LA.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$34.43 one way

$68.87 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 80 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.21	$37.80	$75.60
premium	$4.56	$40.92	$81.85
diesel	$5.61	$50.34	$100.68

Estimated Tolls: $0.59

Southeast Evangeline Thruway (6 mi) $0.42

Southwest Evangeline Thruway (2.5 mi) $0.17

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$34

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$60–$85

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 79.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	68.4	0	$23.94	$10.94
Efficient EV	57	0	$19.95	$9.12
EV Truck/SUV	91.2	1	$31.92	$14.59

Gas CO2

80 kg

EV CO2

27 kg (66% 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 data refreshed 5 days ago

Origin

Houma, LA

Afternoon in Houma on Tuesday

Local time

4:35 PM

CDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Jena, LA

Afternoon in Jena on Tuesday

Local time

4:35 PM

CDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

65°F

Newton, TX

114 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 32m 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 Houma, LA to Jena, LA covers 228 miles and takes about 4h 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Raceland-M C Express, Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway, LA 8. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 114 miles from Houma, LA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $34.43 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.

On the drive from Houma, LA to Jena, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Monroe along the way.

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