Donaldsonville to Shreveport is 276.8 miles and takes about 5h 10m via Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway and State Route 1, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, moving from the Southeast region to the same region. Expect a drive that's mostly on surface roads, offering a more grounded perspective of the landscape rather than a high-speed dash. With a recommended one-day drive, it's a manageable trip for a single day, allowing for a relatively early start and arrival.
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
138.4 miles from Donaldsonville, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 46m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
186.3 mi
3h 10m
State Route 1
49 mi
1h 2m
Highway 1 North
18.5 mi
21m
Highway 1
11.6 mi
17m
North Lobdell Highway
3.6 mi
4m
I 10
1.6 mi
1m
Church Street
1 mi
2m
West 10th Street
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
— 186.3 mi, about 3h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Donaldsonville, LA and Shreveport, LA.
1
Start on LA 1
1.0 mi·1 min·West 10th Street
2
Continue on LA 1
19 mi·21 min·Highway 1 North
3
Continue on LA 1
1.0 mi·2 min·Church Street
4
Continue on LA 1
12 mi·17 min·Highway 1
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi·56 sec
Toward I 10 West: Lafayette
6
Merge onto I 10
1.6 mi·1 min·I 10
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·44 sec
Exit 151Toward LA 415: LobdellUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
317 ft·7 sec
Toward LA 415: LobdellUse the right lane.
9
Merge onto LA 415
3.6 mi·4 min·North Lobdell Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Merge onto US 190; LA 1
49 mi·1 hr 2 min·State Route 1
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward I 49 North, US 167 North: Alexandria
12
Merge onto I 49; US 167
186 mi·3 hr 10 min·Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward Pete Harris Drive, Murphy Street
14
Continue on Pete Harris Drive
0.8 mi·1 min·Pete Harris Drive
15
Turn right onto LA 173
0.9 mi·2 min·Caddo Street
16
At end of road, turn left onto Clyde Fant Memorial Parkway
0.5 mi·56 sec·Clyde Fant Memorial Parkway
17
Turn slight right onto River Parkway
68 ft·1 sec·River Parkway
18
Arrive at destination
River Parkway
Trip Plan
Given this route is a one-day drive, leaving Donaldsonville in the morning, perhaps around 9 AM, should get you to Shreveport with plenty of daylight. You'll have a single major stop on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway for about 186 miles, so plan your fuel and rest breaks accordingly before you hit the longer surface road sections. The $42 fuel estimate is helpful for budgeting, but it's always wise to have a little extra. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you transition to surface roads, as services can be more spread out.
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 138.4 miles from Donaldsonville, LA, or about 2h 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 186.3 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 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 138.4 miles or 2h 46m 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 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Shreveport, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Donaldsonville, 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 Donaldsonville, LA
This is one driving day of about 276.8 miles and 5h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Donaldsonville, 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 Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway for about 186.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 34.1 and 273.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
34.1 mi into trip|~44m in
Take the exit toward LA 415: Lobdell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 151
Toward LA 415: Lobdell
7
34.5 mi into trip|~45m in
Keep slight right at fork toward LA 415: Lobdell
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward LA 415: Lobdell
5
34.5 mi into trip|~45m in|LA 415 / North Lobdell Highway
Merge onto LA 415 / North Lobdell Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
38.1 mi into trip|~50m in|US 190; LA 1 / State Route 1
Merge onto US 190; LA 1 / State Route 1
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
273.8 mi into trip|~5h 4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Pete Harris Drive, Murphy Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Pete Harris Drive, Murphy Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.80 one way
$83.61 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg97 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$45.89
$91.78
premium
$4.56
$49.68
$99.36
diesel
$5.61
$61.11
$122.23
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
20 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Target - Tesla Supercharger
Bossier City, LA
Tesla
12 DCFC
Holiday Inn Alexandria Downtown - Tesla Supercharger
Alexandria, LA
Tesla
8 DCFC
Shop-A-Lott - Tesla Supercharger
Natchitoches, LA
Tesla
8 DCFC
Mall St. Vincent - Tesla Supercharger
Shreveport, LA
Tesla
8 DCFC
Acadian Village Shopping Center - Tesla Supercharger
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
83
1
$29.06
$13.29
Efficient EV
69.2
0
$24.22
$11.07
EV Truck/SUV
110.7
1
$38.75
$17.72
Gas CO2
97 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Donaldsonville, LA
Morning
in Donaldsonville on Sunday
Local time
6:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Shreveport, LA
Morning
in Shreveport on Sunday
Local time
6:36 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
85°F
Alexandria, LA
138 mi in
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
3 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 10m 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.
Cane River Creole National Historical Park
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...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 190.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 29% of this 276.8-mile drive is on highways. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway, covering 186.3 miles. After that, the route transitions to surface roads, primarily State Route 1 and Highway 1 North. Be prepared for a significant portion of your travel time to be on roads with more local traffic and potentially more intersections.
Only 29% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 186.3 mi on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 34.1 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 276.8 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 34.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.5 miles (LA 415 / North Lobdell Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Shreveport is the largest city in Northern Louisiana, part of the twin city metro of Shreveport-Bossier City, and is considered the principal city in the three-state region known as the "Ark-La-Tex." It has about 188,000 residents (2019), and is in the area of the state designated as the Sportsman's Paradise. Many lakes and rivers are in the area and offer recreational activities. The surrounding area is also a contrast from points in southern Louisiana, in that the landscape is marked by rolling hills and pine forests, being an extension of the Texas region known as the Piney Woods.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 10m. Total distance: 276.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 186.3 miles on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Shreveport, 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 34.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.5 miles (LA 415 / North Lobdell Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.2 hours each way, a round trip means 10.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Shreveport, LA before the return drive.
