The drive from Ouachita Parish, LA to Central, LA covers 190 miles and takes about 3h 48m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 425, Seargent Prentiss Drive, I 20 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 76.2 miles on US 425.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $28.69 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
95 miles from Ouachita Parish, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 50m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 48m. Total distance: 190 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Ouachita Parish, LA to Central, LA covers 190 miles and takes about 3h 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 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 425 is the longest continuous segment at about 76.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 24.4 miles in.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 48m 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 24.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.7 miles (US 425): Navigation decision point; at 100.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
24.4 mi into trip|~28m in
Take the exit toward US 425: Rayville, Archibald
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 425: Rayville, Archibald
4
24.7 mi into trip|~29m in|US 425
Turn right onto US 425
Navigation decision point
4
100.9 mi into trip|~1h 57m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
174.2 mi into trip|~3h 24m in|Mount Pleasant Zachary Road
Enter roundabout onto Mount Pleasant Zachary Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
189.5 mi into trip|~3h 47m in|Sullivan Road
Enter roundabout onto Sullivan Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
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 Ouachita Parish, LA to Central, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Archibald along the way.
Archibald
24.4 mi in|~28m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 425
76.2 mi
1h 28m
Seargent Prentiss Drive
71.2 mi
1h 23m
I 20
22 mi
24m
Joor Road
4.2 mi
5m
Mount Pleasant Zachary Road
3.3 mi
5m
Main Street
3.2 mi
4m
Greenwell Spg Pt Hudson Road
2.7 mi
3m
Church Street
2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
US 425
— 76.2 mi, about 1h 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ouachita Parish, LA and Central, LA.
1
Start on LA 34
0.6 mi·1 min·Jonesboro Road
2
Continue on LA 34
1.1 mi·1 min·Jonesboro Road
3
Continue on LA 34
0.1 mi·12 sec·Stella Street
4
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
5
Merge onto I 20
22 mi·24 min·I 20
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward US 425: Rayville, Archibald
7
Turn right onto US 425
76 mi·1 hr 28 min·US 425
8
Keep slight right at fork
526 ft·14 sec
9
Merge onto US 61
71 mi·1 hr 23 min·Seargent Prentiss Drive
10
Turn left onto LA 64-1
2.1 mi·3 min·Mount Pleasant Zachary Road
11
Enter roundabout onto Mount Pleasant Zachary Road
131 ft·2 sec·Mount Pleasant Zachary Road
12
Continue on Mount Pleasant Zachary Road
1.2 mi·2 min·Mount Pleasant Zachary Road
13
Continue on Church Street
2.0 mi·3 min·Church Street
14
Turn straight onto High Street
0.2 mi·13 sec·High Street
15
Continue on Main Street
3.2 mi·4 min·Main Street
16
Continue on LA 64
1.1 mi·1 min·Zachary Deerford Road
17
Continue on LA 64
2.7 mi·3 min·Greenwell Spg Pt Hudson Road
18
Turn slight right
92 ft·3 sec
19
Turn right onto Joor Road
4.2 mi·5 min·Joor Road
20
Turn left onto Sullivan Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Sullivan Road
21
Enter roundabout onto Sullivan Road
73 ft·1 sec·Sullivan Road
22
Continue on Sullivan Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Sullivan Road
23
Turn left onto LA 408
52 ft·1 sec·Hooper Road
24
Arrive at destination
LA 408
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 95 miles from Ouachita Parish, LA, or about 1h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 76.2 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 42 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 95 miles or 1h 50m 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 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Central, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ouachita Parish, 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 Ouachita Parish, LA
This is one driving day of about 190 miles and 3h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 42 miles from Ouachita Parish, 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 US 425 for about 76.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 95 mi from Ouachita Parish, LA
· 1h 50m into the drive
The midpoint is around 95 miles from Ouachita Parish, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before US 425 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 76.2 miles.
Arriving in Central, LA
The final approach into Central, 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 Central, 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
~63 min detour
Free
near mile 26.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.69 one way
$57.39 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg67 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$31.50
$63.00
premium
$4.56
$34.10
$68.21
diesel
$5.61
$41.95
$83.90
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 66.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
57
0
$19.95
$9.12
Efficient EV
47.5
0
$16.63
$7.60
EV Truck/SUV
76
0
$26.60
$12.16
Gas CO2
66 kg
EV CO2
22 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 as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Ouachita Parish, LA
Evening
in Ouachita Parish on Friday
Local time
7:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Central, LA
Evening
in Central on Friday
Local time
7:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°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
3 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
3h 48m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Ouachita Parish, LA to Central, LA covers 190 miles and takes about 3h 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 425, Seargent Prentiss Drive, I 20. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 95 miles from Ouachita Parish, LA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $28.69 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 48m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 24.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.7 miles (US 425): Navigation decision point; at 100.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Ouachita Parish, LA to Central, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Archibald along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Poverty Point National Monument.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
