Planning a trip from Schriever to Lake Charles? This 170-mile drive will take you about 3 hours and 20 minutes, making it a perfect day trip within Louisiana's Southeast region. With a fuel cost estimated at $26, it's an economical choice for a quick getaway or a transit between these two locales. The route primarily utilizes Raceland-M C Express and I-10, with a portion on LA 20, offering a mixed driving experience. You'll find just one designated stop along the way, so plan your breaks accordingly. This straightforward journey offers a practical way to cover ground without requiring an overnight stay.
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
84.9 miles from Schriever, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 40m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 20m. Total distance: 169.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Drive Character
This drive presents a mixed profile, with 47% of the journey on highways, balancing efficient travel with more local road segments. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch of 75 miles on the Raceland-M C Express, allowing for a good pace before transitioning to other routes. The integration of I-10 means you'll experience periods of faster, more direct travel, while sections on LA 20 and Raceland-M C Express will likely offer a different feel, potentially with more local traffic or varied speed limits. Expect a drive that shifts gears as you progress towards Lake Charles.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 30 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 75 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Saint George Bridge.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 169.9 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: at 0.3 miles (Saint George Bridge): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (LA 24 / Park Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 82.2 miles (US 90 / Veterans Memorial Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 21 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|Saint George Bridge
Turn left onto Saint George Bridge
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in|LA 24 / Park Avenue
Turn left onto LA 24 / Park Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
82.2 mi into trip|~1h 34m in|US 90 / Veterans Memorial Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90 / Veterans Memorial Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
83.4 mi into trip|~1h 36m in|US 90; LA 92-1 / Veterans Memorial Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90; LA 92-1 / Veterans Memorial Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
88.5 mi into trip|~1h 46m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Raceland-M C Express
75 mi
1h 21m
I 10
70.1 mi
1h 15m
LA 20
6.2 mi
10m
East University Avenue
4.1 mi
7m
Southwest Evangeline Thruway
2.7 mi
3m
Southeast Evangeline Thruway
2.5 mi
3m
Enterprise Boulevard
1.6 mi
3m
South Morgan Avenue
1.6 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Raceland-M C Express
— 75 mi, about 1h 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Schriever, LA and Lake Charles, LA.
1
Start on Highway 24
0.2 mi·20 sec·Highway 24
2
Turn straight onto LA 24
0.1 mi·17 sec·Main Street
3
Turn left onto Saint George Bridge
114 ft·11 sec·Saint George Bridge
4
Turn left onto LA 24
0.2 mi·19 sec·Park Avenue
5
Turn slight right
0.2 mi·32 sec
6
Continue on LA 20
6.2 mi·10 min·LA 20
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
8
Merge onto US 90
75 mi·1 hr 21 min·Raceland-M C Express
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
0.2 mi·14 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
0.4 mi·24 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
0.4 mi·28 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
0.2 mi·15 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
13
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90; LA 92-1
0.2 mi·13 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
14
Take the exit onto LA 92-1
0.1 mi·21 sec·Young Street
15
Continue on LA 92-1
0.3 mi·38 sec·Young Street
16
Turn right onto St Etienne Road
1.0 mi·3 min·St Etienne Road
17
At end of road, turn right onto East Fairfield Drive
0.1 mi·22 sec·East Fairfield Drive
18
Turn left onto LA 3073
1.5 mi·2 min·Ambassador Caffery Parkway
19
Turn right onto South Morgan Avenue
1.6 mi·2 min·South Morgan Avenue
20
Turn right onto US 90; LA 182
0.2 mi·13 sec·Southwest Evangeline Thruway
21
Keep slight left at fork
158 ft·7 sec
22
Turn left onto US 90; LA 182
2.5 mi·2 min·Southwest Evangeline Thruway
23
Continue on US 90; LA 182
2.5 mi·3 min·Southeast Evangeline Thruway
24
Turn left onto East University Avenue
4.1 mi·7 min·East University Avenue
25
Turn left
0.3 mi·41 sec
26
Merge onto I 10; US 167
70 mi·1 hr 15 min·I 10; US 167
27
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
28
Turn straight onto US 90 Bus
0.6 mi·1 min·Enterprise Boulevard
29
Continue on Enterprise Boulevard
1.0 mi·1 min·Enterprise Boulevard
30
Arrive at destination
Enterprise Boulevard
Trip Plan
For this 3-hour and 20-minute trip, consider an early morning departure from Schriever to maximize your daylight hours in Lake Charles, especially if you plan to do any exploring upon arrival. With only one recommended stop and a total distance of under 170 miles, you have flexibility in pacing your journey. The $26 fuel estimate is a good baseline, but check your vehicle's efficiency and current gas prices. A practical tip for this route is to be mindful of the transition onto I-10; ensure you are in the correct lane well in advance to merge smoothly, especially if you are not accustomed to interstate driving.
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 84.9 miles from Schriever, LA, or about 1h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 75 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 37 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84.9 miles or 1h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Charles, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Schriever, 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 Schriever, LA
This is one driving day of about 169.9 miles and 3h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from Schriever, 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 75 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 84.9 mi from Schriever, LA
· 1h 40m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.66 one way
$51.32 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg59 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$28.17
$56.33
premium
$4.56
$30.50
$60.99
diesel
$5.61
$37.51
$75.02
Estimated Tolls: $0.34
Southwest Evangeline Thruway
(2.5 mi)$0.17
Southeast 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
$26
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
51
0
$17.84
$8.16
Efficient EV
42.5
0
$14.87
$6.80
EV Truck/SUV
68
0
$23.79
$10.87
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Schriever, LA
Afternoon
in Schriever on Friday
Local time
4:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lake Charles, LA
Afternoon
in Lake Charles on Friday
Local time
4:59 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°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
20 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 20m 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 Schriever, LA to Lake Charles, LA covers 169.9 miles and takes about 3h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Raceland-M C Express, I 10, LA 20. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 84.9 miles from Schriever, LA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $25.66 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 demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 169.9 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Saint George Bridge): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (LA 24 / Park Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 82.2 miles (US 90 / Veterans Memorial Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Schriever, LA to Lake Charles, LA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
