Jena to Monroe is 66.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 28 minutes via US 165, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Louisiana, connecting two points in the Southeast region. With 94% of the route on highways, expect a straightforward trip. This is a practical, short drive ideal for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 165
47.5 mi
54m
State Route 127
13.7 mi
23m
North 1st Street
2.4 mi
4m
I 20
1 mi
1m
Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway
0.5 mi
<1m
North 6th Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Central Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Louisville Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 165
— 47.5 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jena, LA and Monroe, LA.
1
Start on US 84
104 ft·9 sec·Oak Street
2
Turn left onto LA 127
2.4 mi·4 min·North 1st Street
3
Continue on LA 127
14 mi·23 min·State Route 127
4
Continue on LA 127
0.2 mi·24 sec·Central Avenue
5
Turn right onto US 165
41 mi·47 min·US 165
6
Turn straight onto US 165
6.1 mi·7 min·US 165
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi·13 sec
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
9
Merge onto I 20
1.0 mi·1 min·I 20
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward US 165 BUS, LA 15: Civic Center
11
Keep slight right at fork
303 ft·7 sec
12
Turn straight onto US 165 Business; LA 15
0.5 mi·45 sec·Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway
13
Continue on US 165 Business; LA 15
0.3 mi·35 sec·North 6th Street
14
Turn left onto US 80; US 165 Business; LA 15
0.1 mi·17 sec·Louisville Avenue
15
Turn left
45 ft·5 sec
16
Turn right
38 ft·2 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 33.4 miles from Jena, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 63.9 and 66.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
63.9 mi into trip|~1h 23m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
65.6 mi into trip|~1h 25m 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
65.7 mi into trip|~1h 26m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
66.6 mi into trip|~1h 27m in|US 80; US 165 Business; LA 15 / Louisville Avenue
Turn left onto US 80; US 165 Business; LA 15 / Louisville Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
66.7 mi into trip|~1h 28m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.77 one way
$19.54 round trip
$3.72/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.13
$10.85
$21.70
premium
$4.49
$11.78
$23.56
diesel
$5.60
$14.70
$29.41
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
20
0
$7.00
$3.20
Efficient EV
16.7
0
$5.84
$2.67
EV Truck/SUV
26.7
0
$9.34
$4.27
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Sep 2, 2026
Origin
Jena, LA
Evening
in Jena on Monday
Local time
5:43 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Partly Cloudy
SE 0 to 5 mph10% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued September 1 at 4:56PM CDT until September 2 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Lake Charles LA
Tropical Cyclone Local Statement
Tropical Cyclone Local Statement issued September 1 at 4:49PM CDT by NWS Lake Charles LA
Destination
Monroe, LA
Evening
in Monroe on Monday
Local time
5:43 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
S 0 to 5 mph16% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued September 1 at 4:56PM CDT until September 2 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Lake Charles LA
Tropical Cyclone Local Statement
Tropical Cyclone Local Statement issued September 1 at 4:49PM CDT by NWS Lake Charles LA
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 28m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly highway, with 94% of its 66.7 miles on high-speed roads. You'll experience a long stretch of 47.5 miles on US 165 before transitioning to other roads. Expect a consistent driving pace for most of the trip, with the highway portion likely featuring minimal interruptions. The final segment will shift to surface streets like North 1st Street as you enter Monroe.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 47.5 mi on US 165.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 165 and State Route 127. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 63.9 miles in.
Driving Effort5/10
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 66.7 miles you will encounter 10 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 63.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 65.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 65.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 1h 28m. Total distance: 66.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 47.5 miles on US 165. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 63.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 65.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 65.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Monroe, LA before heading back.
