Origin
Carencro, LA
Morning in Carencro on Sunday
Local time
9:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carencro, LA to Lake Charles, LA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
77 mi
124 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carencro, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Charles, LA
Liisbet Luup
Trip Overview
This straightforward 77-mile drive from Carencro to Lake Charles, Louisiana, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking about 1 hour and 26 minutes. You'll primarily be on I-10, which makes up 91% of the journey, offering a direct path. With an estimated fuel cost of $12, this route is quite budget-friendly for a quick excursion within the Southeast region. The overall feel is that of a highway-focused drive, perfect for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 10 | 70.1 mi | 1h 15m |
| North University Avenue | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Enterprise Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
I 10
— 70.1 mi, about 1h 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carencro, LA and Lake Charles, LA.
1
Start on LA 182
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
North University Avenue
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
3
Merge onto I 10; US 167
70 mi
·
1 hr 15 min
·
I 10; US 167
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
5
Turn straight onto US 90 Bus
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Enterprise Boulevard
6
Continue on Enterprise Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Enterprise Boulevard
7
Arrive at destination
Enterprise Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 38.5 miles from Carencro, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 10 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 70.1 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
2 of 22 decision points cluster between mile 5 and 75 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 10; US 167
Merge onto I 10; US 167
Merge point - match speed before joining
3
75 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.63 one way
$23.26 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $12.77 | $25.53 |
| premium | $4.56 | $13.82 | $27.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.00 | $34.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.1 | 0 | $8.08 | $3.70 |
| Efficient EV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.74 | $3.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30.8 | 0 | $10.78 | $4.93 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Lake Charles, LA
Morning in Lake Charles on Sunday
Local time
9:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 26m 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?
Expect a highway-centric experience for most of this 77-mile trip. The vast majority of your driving, 91%, will be on I-10, which translates to a fast-paced journey. You'll encounter a substantial uninterrupted stretch of 70.1 miles on I-10, minimizing the need for frequent exits. While North University Avenue and Enterprise Boulevard are part of the route, the character is predominantly that of an interstate cruise, designed for swift travel between these two Louisiana locales.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.1 mi on I 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and North University Avenue. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 5 miles in near I 10; US 167.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Carencro, LA to Lake Charles, LA is easy. At 1h 26m with 91% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5 miles (I 10; US 167): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 75 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Arriving in Lake Charles, LA
Full guide →Lake Charles is the second-largest city in the Acadiana region of Louisiana, with 87,000 residents in 2022. It is well known for gaming and the great outdoors, culinary delights and rhythm and blues. There are over 75 annual festivals from the splendor of Mardi Gras to the swashbuckling days of the Contraband Days Pirate Festival, there is something going on nearly every weekend.
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 1h 26m. Total distance: 77 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 70.1 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 5 miles (I 10; US 167): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 75 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lake Charles, 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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