Hammond to Monroe is 219.7 miles and takes about 4h 12m via US 84, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Louisiana, moving from the Southeast region to another part of the Southeast. Expect a mix of driving conditions, with about 45% of the route on highways. It’s a straightforward trip that’s easily manageable in a single day, making it a practical choice for getting between these two points without much fuss.
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
109.8 miles from Hammond, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 5m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
E. E. Wallace Boulevard North
63.2 mi
1h 12m
Congressman Jimmy Morrison Highway
53.4 mi
57m
US 84
47.3 mi
55m
US 98
30.1 mi
34m
I 20
20.3 mi
22m
West University Avenue
2.1 mi
3m
North Oak Street
0.5 mi
1m
Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway
0.5 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
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Hammond, LA and Monroe, LA.
1
Start on West Charles Street
406 ft·27 sec·West Charles Street
2
Turn left onto Northwest Railroad Avenue
0.4 mi·43 sec·Northwest Railroad Avenue
3
Continue on Carter Lane
0.1 mi·17 sec·Carter Lane
4
Turn right onto North Oak Street
0.5 mi·1 min·North Oak Street
5
Turn left onto LA 3234
2.1 mi·3 min·West University Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
7
Merge onto I 55
53 mi·57 min·Congressman Jimmy Morrison Highway
8
Take the exit onto US 98
29 mi·33 min·US 98
9
At end of road, turn left onto US 98; MS 184
0.8 mi·53 sec·US 98; MS 184
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
11
Merge onto US 84
28 mi·32 min·US 84
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 84
6.0 mi·7 min·US 84
13
Take the exit onto US 84
13 mi·15 min·US 84
14
Continue on US 425; LA 15
63 mi·1 hr 12 min·E. E. Wallace Boulevard North
15
Turn left
0.3 mi·35 sec
16
Merge onto I 20
20 mi·22 min·I 20
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward US 165 BUS, LA 15: Civic Center
18
Keep slight right at fork
303 ft·7 sec
19
Turn straight onto US 165 Business; LA 15
0.5 mi·45 sec·Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway
20
Continue on US 165 Business; LA 15
0.3 mi·35 sec·North 6th Street
21
Turn left onto US 80; US 165 Business; LA 15
0.1 mi·17 sec·Louisville Avenue
22
Turn left
45 ft·5 sec
23
Turn right
38 ft·2 sec
24
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this drive is under five hours, you have the flexibility to leave anytime that suits you, but an early morning start will give you plenty of daylight. Plan for one stop to break up the 219.7 miles; the longest stretch without a change in main road is 63.2 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as you move onto surface roads where stations might be less frequent than on the highway. The estimated fuel cost is around $35, so budget accordingly and fill up when you see a good opportunity.
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 109.8 miles from Hammond, LA, or about 2h 5m 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 48 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 109.8 miles or 2h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Monroe, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hammond, 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 Hammond, LA
This is one driving day of about 219.7 miles and 4h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Hammond, 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.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 218.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Northwest Railroad Avenue
Turn left onto Northwest Railroad Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
86.3 mi into trip|~1h 37m in|US 98; MS 184
At end of road, turn left onto US 98; MS 184
Navigation decision point
4
87.1 mi into trip|~1h 38m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
218.5 mi into trip|~4h 10m in
Take the exit toward US 165 BUS, LA 15: Civic Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 165 BUS, LA 15: Civic Center
5
218.7 mi into trip|~4h 10m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.50 one way
$61.00 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg77 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$34.12
$68.25
premium
$4.29
$37.10
$74.20
diesel
$4.80
$41.48
$82.97
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 76.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
65.9
0
$23.07
$10.55
Efficient EV
54.9
0
$19.22
$8.79
EV Truck/SUV
87.9
1
$30.76
$14.06
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Hammond, LA
Late night
in Hammond on Sunday
Local time
5:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
97°F
Sunny
NW 5 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 10:12AM CDT until July 20 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Jackson MS
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 10:11AM CDT until July 18 at 6:00PM CDT by NWS New Orleans LA
Destination
Monroe, LA
Late night
in Monroe on Sunday
Local time
5:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
97°F
Sunny
0 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 10:12AM CDT until July 20 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Jackson MS
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 10:11AM CDT until July 18 at 6:00PM CDT by NWS New Orleans 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
4h 12m 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...
25 mi from route
~62 min detour
Free
near mile 197
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a significant 45% on highways, but be prepared for a change as you transition to surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a single road covers 63.2 miles on E. E. Wallace Boulevard North. You'll notice the shift from more open highway cruising to sections with more frequent intersections and potential for local traffic as you move between highway and surface road segments.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
24 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?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Northwest Railroad Avenue.
Driving Effort6/10
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 219.7 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.1 miles (Northwest Railroad Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 86.3 miles (US 98; MS 184): Navigation decision point; at 87.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Monroe is the third-largest city in Northern Louisiana, largest city in Northeast Louisiana, and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish. It is also home to the University of Louisiana at Monroe and their sports team, the ULM Warhawks.
Founded as Fort Miro, it took on the name of Monroe after the paddle-wheeler James Monroe that came to town in the early 19th century, and, by extrapolation, the former president James Monroe. An interesting bit of trivia is that Monroe was once the headquarters of Delta Airlines, which got its start as the crop dusting operation Delta Dusters in nearby Tallulah.
Slathered down with highly religious views and the effects of years of racial inequality, Monroe can have a rather gritty appearance imbued with a fragrant aroma from its paper mill, but, well, take heart, Wikivoyage traveler.
Top landmarks
•Neville High School — high school in Louisiana, United States
•Bright-Lamkin-Easterling House — historic house in Monroe, Louisiana, United States
•Bynum House — historic house in Monroe, Louisiana, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 12m. Total distance: 219.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 12m 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 5 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 Monroe, 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 5 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Northwest Railroad Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 86.3 miles (US 98; MS 184): Navigation decision point; at 87.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Poverty Point National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Monroe, LA, but most travelers stay overnight.
