Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
67.7 mi
109 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lafayette, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Cottonport, LA
Kari Alfonso
Lafayette to Cottonport is 67.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 26 minutes via Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway, Veterans Memorial Expressway, and LA 29, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Louisiana, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. The route offers a straightforward drive, primarily on well-maintained roads, making it a convenient option for a quick trip. You'll find it's an easy way to cover ground without a significant time commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway | 38.1 mi | 39m |
| Veterans Memorial Expressway | 8.8 mi | 9m |
| LA 29 | 6.4 mi | 11m |
| Highway 29 | 4 mi | 7m |
| Highway 29 East | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Northeast Evangeline Thruway | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Front Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Evergreen Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Lafayette, LA and Cottonport, LA.
Start on Rue Vermilion Ouest
Turn left onto Rue Jefferson
Continue on Jefferson Boulevard
Turn left onto US 90; LA 182
Continue on I 49; LA 182
Continue on I 49; US 167
Take the exit
Turn right onto LA 106
At end of road, turn left onto LA 29
At end of road, turn left onto US 71; LA 29
Turn right onto LA 29; LA 115
Keep slight right at fork onto LA 29; LA 115
Continue on LA 29; LA 115
Continue on LA 29
Continue on LA 29
Continue on LA 29
Turn right onto LA 107
Turn left onto Dr H J Kaufman Avenue
Turn right onto Carmen
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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.
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 33.8 miles from Lafayette, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 67.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Rue Jefferson
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto US 90; LA 182 / Northeast Evangeline Thruway
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward LA 106: Saint Landry
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Turn left onto Dr H J Kaufman Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Carmen
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$9.92 one way
$19.84 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.13 | $11.01 | $22.02 |
| premium | $4.49 | $11.96 | $23.91 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $14.92 | $29.85 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.13
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$0
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.3 | 0 | $7.11 | $3.25 |
| Efficient EV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.92 | $2.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.1 | 0 | $9.48 | $4.33 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Lafayette on Friday
Local time
2:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
95°F
Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Late night in Cottonport on Friday
Local time
2:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
96°F
Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
You'll spend about 34% of your time on highways before transitioning to surface roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 38.1 miles on Charles I. "Doc" Hudson Highway. This means you'll experience a mix of cruising at higher speeds and navigating more local routes. Expect a noticeable shift from highway speeds to more typical surface road conditions as you get closer to your destination.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Rue Jefferson.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 26m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Rue Jefferson): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (US 90; LA 182 / Northeast Evangeline Thruway): Navigation decision point; at 49.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
48 ft
Total Descent
30 ft
Highest Point
64 ft
~58 mi in
Elevation Range
27 ft
Founded 1821
Lafayette is a city in Louisiana. It's the unofficial capital of Acadiana or Cajun Country. This flourishing moderate sized city is home to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Music and dancing is an integral part of community life. Several restaurants and dance halls thrive in the area and the city hosts several musical festivals throughout the year.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 67.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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