Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 8m
Distance
114 mi
183 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Colfax, LA
Perry Z
Lafayette, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Colfax to Lafayette is 114 miles and takes about 2 hours 8 minutes via I 49 and Highway 8, with a fuel budget near $17 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. Given its mostly highway profile and manageable distance, it's a straightforward drive. You'll spend almost all your time on major roads, making it a quick hop between these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
57 miles from Colfax, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 8m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 49 | 100.7 mi | 1h 44m |
| Highway 8 | 8.6 mi | 15m |
| 2nd Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| LA 1 | 1 mi | 1m |
| State Route 8 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Rue Jefferson | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Jefferson Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Colfax, LA and Lafayette, LA.
Start on 8th Street
Turn left onto LA 8
Turn left onto LA 8
Turn straight onto LA 8
Continue on LA 8
Turn right onto LA 1200
Turn right onto LA 1200
Turn right onto LA 1
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 49
Turn right onto Jefferson Boulevard
Continue on Rue Jefferson
Turn right onto Rue Vermilion Ouest
Arrive at destination
Since this drive is just over 2 hours, you have plenty of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving in the morning or early afternoon should give you ample daylight to complete the trip. With only 114 miles, you might not need many stops, but keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you'll be on the highway for most of the journey. The estimated fuel cost is around $17. Because it's a short drive, you can easily adjust your schedule if needed.
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.
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 25 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57 miles or 1h 8m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lafayette, LA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Colfax, 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 Colfax, LA
This is one driving day of about 114 miles and 2h 8m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
57 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.
A short stop after about 25 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 57 miles from Colfax, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 49 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 100.7 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 113.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto LA 8 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto LA 8 / 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto LA 1200 / Wexford Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Jefferson Boulevard
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Rue Vermilion Ouest
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$16.70 one way
$33.40 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.13 | $18.54 | $37.08 |
| premium | $4.49 | $20.13 | $40.27 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $25.13 | $50.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 39.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 34.2 | 0 | $11.97 | $5.47 |
| Efficient EV | 28.5 | 0 | $9.98 | $4.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 45.6 | 0 | $15.96 | $7.30 |
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Colfax on Friday
Local time
4:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Late night in Lafayette on Friday
Local time
4:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Clear
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Historical Park
The Cane River region is home to a unique culture; the Creoles. Generations of the same families of workers, enslaved and tenant, and owners lived on these lands for over 200 years. The park tells the...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This route is 97% highway, with a single stretch of 100.7 miles on I 49. You'll transition to surface roads, specifically 2nd Street, as you approach Lafayette. Expect continuous highway cruising for the vast majority of your travel time. The high percentage of highway means you'll encounter frequent exits and potentially some urban merging as you get closer to your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 49 and Highway 8. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near LA 8 / Main Street.
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Colfax, LA to Lafayette, LA is easy. At 2h 8m with 97% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (LA 8 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (LA 8 / 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.3 miles (LA 1200 / Wexford Street): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
23 ft
Total Descent
79 ft
Highest Point
103 ft
~16.4 mi in
Elevation Range
67 ft
Founded 1869
Central is a region in Louisiana. This area is also known as Cenla or the Crossroads.
Top landmarks
Founded 1821
Lafayette is a city in Louisiana. It's the unofficial capital of Acadiana or Cajun Country. This flourishing moderate sized city is home to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Music and dancing is an integral part of community life. Several restaurants and dance halls thrive in the area and the city hosts several musical festivals throughout the year.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 8m. Total distance: 114 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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