Origin
Alexandria, LA
Morning in Alexandria on Tuesday
Local time
7:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alexandria, LA to Monticello, LA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 37m
Distance
130.7 mi
210 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$20
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 27m
★
6 AM
2h 37m
8 AM
2h 58m
10 AM
2h 45m
12 PM
2h 42m
3 PM
2h 46m
5 PM
2h 57m
8 PM
2h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alexandria, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Monticello, LA
Sinitta Leunen
Trip Overview
Alexandria to Monticello is 130.7 miles and takes about 2h 37m via Martin Luther King, Jr Highway and US 190, with a fuel budget near $20 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, connecting two points in the Southeast region. You'll experience a mix of highway and surface roads, making it a straightforward, single-day excursion. The relatively short distance and modest fuel cost mean this is an easy option if you're looking for a simple point-to-point drive.
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
65.4 miles from Alexandria, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 7m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King, Jr Highway | 64.8 mi | 1h 5m |
| US 190 | 59.7 mi | 1h 18m |
| Greenwell Springs Road | 4 mi | 6m |
| Monticello Boulevard | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Murray Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Thorn Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Salem Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Sunderland Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Martin Luther King, Jr Highway
— 64.8 mi, about 1h 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alexandria, LA and Monticello, LA.
1
Start on Murray Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Murray Street
2
Turn left onto Thorn Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Thorn Road
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
4
Merge onto I 49; US 71 BYP
65 mi
·
1 hr 5 min
·
Martin Luther King, Jr Highway
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 190: Baton Rouge, Opelousas
6
Keep slight left at fork
362 ft
·
9 sec
Toward US 190 East: Baton Rouge
7
Merge onto US 190
49 mi
·
1 hr 3 min
·
US 190
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 190; LA 1
10 mi
·
15 min
·
US 190; LA 1
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward Greenwell Springs
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto LA 37
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Greenwell Springs Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto Monticello Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Monticello Boulevard
12
Turn left onto Sunderland Avenue
386 ft
·
18 sec
·
Sunderland Avenue
13
Turn right onto Salem Drive
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Salem Drive
14
Arrive at destination
Salem Drive
Trip Plan
With a 2h 37m estimated drive time, this route is easily manageable in a single day. Consider leaving Alexandria in the morning to give yourself plenty of daylight. The $20 fuel estimate is quite low, so you likely won't need to worry about finding gas stations; however, it's always wise to top off before leaving Alexandria. Since it's a shorter drive, you have flexibility for an early start or a more relaxed pace. Pay attention to the transition from highway to surface roads; the longest stretch on the highway is over 60 miles, so be ready for a change in the driving environment.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 65.4 miles from Alexandria, LA, or about 1h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.8 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 29 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 65.4 miles or 1h 7m 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 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Monticello, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Alexandria, 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 Alexandria, LA
This is one driving day of about 130.7 miles and 2h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Alexandria, 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 Martin Luther King, Jr Highway for about 64.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
65 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 65.4 miles from Alexandria, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Martin Luther King, Jr Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64.8 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 65.6 and 125.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
65.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Take the exit toward US 190: Baton Rouge, Opelousas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 190: Baton Rouge, Opelousas
5
66.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 190 East: Baton Rouge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 190 East: Baton Rouge
6
66.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
US 190
Merge onto US 190
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
115.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 12m in
|
US 190; LA 1
Keep slight left at fork onto US 190; LA 1
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
125.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 28m in
Take the exit toward Greenwell Springs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Greenwell Springs
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.74 one way
$39.48 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
46 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $21.67 | $43.34 |
| premium | $4.56 | $23.46 | $46.92 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $28.86 | $57.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 45.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 39.2 | 0 | $13.72 | $6.27 |
| Efficient EV | 32.7 | 0 | $11.44 | $5.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 52.3 | 0 | $18.30 | $8.36 |
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
15 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.
Destination
Monticello, LA
Morning in Monticello on Tuesday
Local time
7:05 AM
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
4 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
2h 37m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is 46% highway, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your time on higher-speed roads. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 64.8 miles on Martin Luther King, Jr Highway. Expect to transition from highway driving to surface roads, which will likely involve more varied speed limits and potentially more local traffic as you get closer to Monticello. The profile is mixed highway & surface, so be prepared for that change in road type.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 64.8 mi on Martin Luther King, Jr Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 65.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 130.7 miles you will encounter 12 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 65.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 66.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 66.2 miles (US 190): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Alexandria, LA to Monticello, LA, road signs begin pointing toward Opelousas along the way.
Opelousas
65.6 mi in
|
~1h 8m
About the Cities
Starting in Alexandria, LA
Full guide →Founded 1818
Alexandria is a historic city, rich in Louisiana history. Civil War historic sites along with easy access to numerous historic locations and Kisatchie National Forest sites make it a city ideal for history enthusiasts and sportsmen.
Top landmarks
- • Arna Wendell Bontemps House — historic house in Louisiana, United States
- • Bolton High School — high school in Alexandria, Rapides Parish, Louisiana
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 37m. Total distance: 130.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 64.8 miles on Martin Luther King, Jr Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Monticello, LA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 65.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 66.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 66.2 miles (US 190): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Monticello, LA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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