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Trip from Covington, LA to Ruston, LA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 15m
Distance
275.5 mi
443 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$38
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 2m
★
6 AM
5h 16m
8 AM
5h 42m
10 AM
5h 25m
12 PM
5h 22m
3 PM
5h 26m
5 PM
5h 41m
8 PM
5h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Covington, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Ruston, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Covington to Ruston is 275.5 miles and takes about 5h 15m via E. E. Wallace Boulevard North and I 20, with a fuel budget near $40 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. It's a mostly straightforward drive that offers a good balance of highway speed and surface road cruising. With a single recommended day, you can expect a manageable drive without feeling overly rushed, making it a practical choice for a day trip or the start of a longer adventure.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
137.7 miles from Covington, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 35m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| E. E. Wallace Boulevard North | 63.2 mi | 1h 12m |
| Congressman Jimmy Morrison Highway | 56.4 mi | 1h |
| I 20 | 50.5 mi | 55m |
| US 84 | 47.3 mi | 55m |
| US 98 | 30.1 mi | 34m |
| West Florida Republic Parkway | 20.7 mi | 22m |
| South Tyler Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| Highway 21 | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
E. E. Wallace Boulevard North
— 63.2 mi, about 1h 12m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~598 veh/hr typical · worst 874
Quietest
1 AM
~82 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 44 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Covington, LA and Ruston, LA.
1
Start on this road
150 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn slight right
197 ft
·
3 sec
3
Turn straight onto US 190 Business; LA 21
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
West 21st Avenue
4
Turn left onto LA 21
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
South Tyler Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on LA 21
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Highway 21
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 12 West: Hammond
7
Merge onto I 12
21 mi
·
22 min
·
West Florida Republic Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 38B
Toward I 55: Jackson
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 55
56 mi
·
1 hr
·
Congressman Jimmy Morrison Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit onto US 98
29 mi
·
33 min
·
US 98
11
At end of road, turn left onto US 98; MS 184
0.8 mi
·
53 sec
·
US 98; MS 184
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
13
Merge onto US 84
28 mi
·
32 min
·
US 84
14
Keep slight left at fork onto US 84
6.0 mi
·
7 min
·
US 84
15
Take the exit onto US 84
13 mi
·
15 min
·
US 84
16
Continue on US 425; LA 15
63 mi
·
1 hr 12 min
·
E. E. Wallace Boulevard North
17
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
18
Merge onto I 20
51 mi
·
55 min
·
I 20
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
20
Keep slight left at fork
193 ft
·
7 sec
21
Turn left onto LA 33
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Farmerville Highway
22
Continue on US 80
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Georgia Avenue
23
Turn left onto North Farmerville Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Farmerville Street
24
Turn right onto LA 146
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
East California Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
LA 146
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 15m estimated drive time, leaving Covington in the morning is ideal to ensure you reach Ruston with plenty of daylight. The route has one recommended stop, so plan for a mid-drive break to stretch your legs and refuel. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the surface road segments, as fuel availability might be more spread out than on the interstate. The estimated fuel cost is around $40, so budget accordingly. This is a manageable drive for a single day, but if you prefer a more relaxed pace, consider an overnight stop along the way to break up the 275.5 miles.
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 137.7 miles from Covington, LA, or about 2h 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.2 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 61 miles or 1h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 137.7 miles or 2h 35m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ruston, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Covington, 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 Covington, LA
This is one driving day of about 275.5 miles and 5h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Covington, 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 E. E. Wallace Boulevard North for about 63.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
138 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 61 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 137.7 miles from Covington, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before E. E. Wallace Boulevard North if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.2 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
USA Truck Stop
0.1 mi from route
Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.3 mi from route
Rest Area
0.6 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 273.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
LA 21 / South Tyler Street
Turn left onto LA 21 / South Tyler Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
3.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 12 / West Florida Republic Parkway
Merge onto I 12 / West Florida Republic Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
24.5 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward I 55: Jackson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 38B
Toward I 55: Jackson
5
25 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
I 55 / Congressman Jimmy Morrison Highway
Merge onto I 55 / Congressman Jimmy Morrison Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
273.3 mi into trip
|
~5h 10m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$38.24 one way
$76.49 round trip
$3.53/gal
25.4 MPG avg
96 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.95 | $42.79 | $85.58 |
| premium | $4.29 | $46.52 | $93.04 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $52.02 | $104.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 82.7 | 1 | $28.93 | $13.22 |
| Efficient EV | 68.9 | 0 | $24.11 | $11.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 110.2 | 1 | $38.57 | $17.63 |
Gas CO2
96 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Origin
Covington, LA
Afternoon in Covington on Sunday
Local time
12:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Mostly Clear
NW 0 to 5 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 17 at 11:02AM CDT until July 22 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Lake Charles LA
Destination
Ruston, LA
Afternoon in Ruston on Sunday
Local time
12:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Cloudy
SW 0 to 5 mph
2% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 17 at 11:02AM CDT until July 22 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Lake Charles LA
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
1 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
5h 15m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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...
27 mi from route
~67 min detour
Free
near mile 218.5
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is a mixed bag, with 54% of the driving on highways. You'll encounter a 63.2-mile stretch on E. E. Wallace Boulevard North before transitioning to other roads, including Interstate 20. Expect periods of more direct, faster travel on I 20, interspersed with stretches on surface roads that may involve more varied traffic and lower speed limits. The profile suggests a blend of open highway and more local road conditions.
54% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 63.2 mi on E. E. Wallace Boulevard North.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 0.4 miles in near LA 21 / South Tyler Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 275.5 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 0.4 miles (LA 21 / South Tyler Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles (I 12 / West Florida Republic Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
445 ft
24 ft
Total Climb
731 ft
Total Descent
424 ft
Highest Point
445 ft
~98.4 mi in
Elevation Range
421 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Covington, LA
Full guide →Founded 1813
Covington is a city in the Florida Parishes of Louisiana. The seat of St. Tammany Parish, it's about an hour's drive north of New Orleans.
Arriving in Ruston, LA
Full guide →Founded 1885
Ruston is the fourth-largest city in Northern Louisiana, with a population of about 23,000 people, and is home to Louisiana Tech University.
Top landmarks
- • Dixie Center for the Arts — theater and former movie theater in Ruston, Louisiana, United States
- • Downtown — historic district and central business district in Ruston, Lincoln Parish, Louis...
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 5h 15m. Total distance: 275.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 63.2 miles on E. E. Wallace Boulevard North. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 10 rest areas or service plazas 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.
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 Ruston, 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. There are 10 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (LA 21 / South Tyler Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles (I 12 / West Florida Republic Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Poverty Point National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.3 hours each way, a round trip means 10.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Ruston, LA before the return drive.
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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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