Houma, LA to Leesville, LA is 241.2 miles and takes about 4h 41m via Raceland-M C Express, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, traversing the Southeast region from its bayou country to areas closer to the Texas border. With a low highway share and mostly surface roads, expect a more leisurely pace than a pure interstate cruise. This route is best suited for those who prefer seeing more of the local landscape rather than covering ground quickly, and it's perfectly manageable for a single day of driving.
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
120.6 miles from Houma, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 26m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Raceland-M C Express
82.2 mi
1h 29m
Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
71.5 mi
1h 12m
Coliseum Boulevard
48.4 mi
56m
Veterans Memorial Expressway
10.2 mi
11m
Park Avenue
7.4 mi
14m
Southeast Evangeline Thruway
6 mi
9m
Jefferson Highway
2.8 mi
4m
Southwest Evangeline Thruway
2.7 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Raceland-M C Express
— 82.2 mi, about 1h 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Houma, LA and Leesville, LA.
1
Start on School Street
47 ft·7 sec·School Street
2
Turn left onto LA 182
0.2 mi·46 sec·Barrow Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto LA 24
7.4 mi·14 min·Park Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left
358 ft·15 sec
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
6
Merge onto US 90
82 mi·1 hr 29 min·Raceland-M C Express
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
0.2 mi·14 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
0.4 mi·24 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
0.4 mi·28 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90
0.2 mi·15 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90; LA 92-1
0.2 mi·13 sec·Veterans Memorial Expressway
12
Take the exit onto LA 92-1
0.1 mi·21 sec·Young Street
13
Continue on LA 92-1
0.3 mi·38 sec·Young Street
14
Turn right onto St Etienne Road
1.0 mi·3 min·St Etienne Road
15
At end of road, turn right onto East Fairfield Drive
0.1 mi·22 sec·East Fairfield Drive
16
Turn left onto LA 3073
1.5 mi·2 min·Ambassador Caffery Parkway
17
Turn right onto South Morgan Avenue
1.6 mi·2 min·South Morgan Avenue
18
Turn right onto US 90; LA 182
0.2 mi·13 sec·Southwest Evangeline Thruway
19
Keep slight left at fork
158 ft·7 sec
20
Turn left onto US 90; LA 182
2.5 mi·2 min·Southwest Evangeline Thruway
21
Continue on US 90; LA 182
6.0 mi·9 min·Southeast Evangeline Thruway
22
Continue on I 49; LA 182
8.8 mi·9 min·Veterans Memorial Expressway
23
Continue on I 49; US 167
72 mi·1 hr 12 min·Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway
24
Take the exit
0.2 mi·19 sec
Toward US 71, US 167 South: MacArthur Drive
25
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward US 71 North, US 671 North Business: MacArthur Drive
26
Continue on US 71; US 167 BUS
2.8 mi·4 min·Jefferson Highway
27
Enter roundabout onto US 71; US 165
0.3 mi·34 sec·Macarthur Drive
28
Continue on US 71; US 165
1.9 mi·2 min·Macarthur Drive
29
Take the exit
486 ft·13 sec
30
Continue on LA 28
48 mi·56 min·Coliseum Boulevard
31
Enter roundabout onto US 171; LA 8
314 ft·3 sec·North 6th Street
32
Continue on US 171; LA 8
1.2 mi·1 min·North 6th Street
33
Turn left onto LA 8
390 ft·7 sec·Nolan Trace Parkway
34
Continue on East Texas Street
0.2 mi·38 sec·East Texas Street
35
Arrive at destination
East Texas Street
Trip Plan
For this 4h 41m drive, leaving Houma in the morning will give you ample time to reach Leesville before dark. The route includes only one recommended stop, so plan your breaks strategically, perhaps midway through your journey. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the $35 budget is an estimate and surface roads can sometimes be less predictable for fuel availability than major highways. Given that this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility; however, be aware of potential traffic delays when passing through populated areas on the surface road sections.
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 120.6 miles from Houma, LA, or about 2h 26m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 82.2 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 53 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 120.6 miles or 2h 26m 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 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Leesville, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Houma, 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 Houma, LA
This is one driving day of about 241.2 miles and 4h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 53 miles from Houma, 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 Raceland-M C Express for about 82.2 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 23
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 185.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|LA 182 / Barrow Street
Turn left onto LA 182 / Barrow Street
Navigation decision point
7
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|LA 24 / Park Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto LA 24 / Park Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
91.4 mi into trip|~1h 47m in|US 90; LA 92-1 / Veterans Memorial Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 90; LA 92-1 / Veterans Memorial Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
96.5 mi into trip|~1h 57m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
185.5 mi into trip|~3h 32m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 71 North, US 671 North Business: MacArthur Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 71 North, US 671 North Business: MacA...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$36.92 one way
$73.84 round trip
$3.89/gal25.4 MPG avg84 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.31
$40.89
$81.78
premium
$4.65
$44.15
$88.29
diesel
$6.28
$59.60
$119.19
Estimated Tolls: $0.59
Southeast Evangeline Thruway
(6 mi)$0.42
Southwest Evangeline Thruway
(2.5 mi)$0.17
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 84.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
72.4
0
$25.33
$11.58
Efficient EV
60.3
0
$21.11
$9.65
EV Truck/SUV
96.5
1
$33.77
$15.44
Gas CO2
84 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (67% 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Houma, LA
Morning
in Houma on Saturday
Local time
6:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Mostly Sunny
NE 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Leesville, LA
Morning
in Leesville on Saturday
Local time
6:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
78°F
Mostly Sunny
E 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
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 41m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily on surface roads, with highways making up only about 5% of the total distance. You'll encounter an 82.2-mile stretch on the Raceland-M C Express, which will likely be your most consistent cruising section. Beyond that, expect frequent intersections and traffic lights as you navigate through towns and local communities. The profile suggests a route where you'll be interacting with local traffic more than open highway.
Only 5% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 82.2 mi on Raceland-M C Express.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 23 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near LA 182 / Barrow Street.
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 241.2 miles you will encounter 23 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: near the start (LA 182 / Barrow Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (LA 24 / Park Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 91.4 miles (US 90; LA 92-1 / Veterans Memorial Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Houma is a small city (about 33,000 people in 2019, not including suburbs) in south central Louisiana. It is the seat and largest city in Terrebonne Parish, and the center of the Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area. The region in total is home to a little over 200,000.
Bayou Terrebonne runs through the town roughly east to west between Main Street and Park Avenue, with the Intracostal Waterway running north to south.
Top landmarks
•Clifford Percival Smith House — house in Houma, Louisiana
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 41m. Total distance: 241.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 82.2 miles on Raceland-M C Express. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.59 in tolls one way, starting with Southeast Evangeline Thruway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Leesville, 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: near the start (LA 182 / Barrow Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (LA 24 / Park Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 91.4 miles (US 90; LA 92-1 / Veterans Memorial Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Leesville, LA, but most travelers stay overnight.
