Origin
Leesville, LA
Morning in Leesville on Tuesday
Local time
7:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Leesville, LA to Alexandria, LA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
52 mi
84 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Leesville, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Alexandria, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Leesville, LA to Alexandria, LA is 52 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via Alexandria Highway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Louisiana, connecting two points in the Southeast region. Expect a local road feel for most of this trip, with a turn-heavy profile that requires your attention. It's a straightforward, short hop, making it ideal for a quick transit or a relaxed day trip without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Alexandria Highway | 48 mi | 55m |
| Monroe Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| North 5th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Kurthwood Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 4th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Medical Center Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Rapides Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Texas Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Alexandria Highway
— 48 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Leesville, LA and Alexandria, LA.
1
Start on East Texas Street
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
East Texas Street
2
Turn right onto US 171; LA 8
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North 5th Street
3
Turn right onto LA 1213
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Kurthwood Road
4
Merge onto LA 8; LA 28
48 mi
·
55 min
·
Alexandria Highway
5
Keep slight left at fork onto LA 28
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
LA 28
6
Merge onto US 71; US 165; LA 28
274 ft
·
5 sec
·
Macarthur Drive
7
Turn right onto LA 28 Bus
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Monroe Street
8
Turn straight onto Rapides Avenue
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Rapides Avenue
9
Continue on Medical Center Drive
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Medical Center Drive
10
Continue on 4th Street
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
4th Street
11
Turn left onto Murray Street
159 ft
·
6 sec
·
Murray Street
12
Arrive at destination
Murray Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26 miles from Leesville, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 52 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 171; LA 8 / North 5th Street
Turn right onto US 171; LA 8 / North 5th Street
Navigation decision point
4
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
LA 1213 / Kurthwood Road
Turn right onto LA 1213 / Kurthwood Road
Navigation decision point
4
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
LA 8; LA 28 / Alexandria Highway
Merge onto LA 8; LA 28 / Alexandria Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
49.4 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
LA 28
Keep slight left at fork onto LA 28
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
52 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
Murray Street
Turn left onto Murray Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.85 one way
$15.71 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $8.62 | $17.24 |
| premium | $4.56 | $9.33 | $18.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.48 | $22.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.46 | $2.50 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.55 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.28 | $3.33 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Alexandria, LA
Morning in Alexandria on Tuesday
Local time
7:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
66°F
Colfax, LA
26 mi in
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
1 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 3m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This is primarily a turn-heavy local drive, with no highway mileage to speak of. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 48 miles on Alexandria Highway, offering a consistent feel for a significant portion of the journey. As you proceed, you'll navigate through Alexandria Street and North 5th Street, indicating a progression through more developed areas. Be prepared for frequent changes in direction and speed, as this route prioritizes local access over high-speed travel.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 48 mi on Alexandria Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 171; LA 8 / North 5th Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 3m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 171; LA 8 / North 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (LA 1213 / Kurthwood Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (LA 8; LA 28 / Alexandria Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
About the Cities
Starting in Leesville, LA
Full guide →Central is a region in Louisiana. This area is also known as Cenla or the Crossroads.
Arriving in Alexandria, LA
Full guide →Founded 1818
Alexandria is a historic city, rich in Louisiana history. Civil War historic sites along with easy access to numerous historic locations and Kisatchie National Forest sites make it a city ideal for history enthusiasts and sportsmen.
Top landmarks
- • Arna Wendell Bontemps House — historic house in Louisiana, United States
- • Bolton High School — high school in Alexandria, Rapides Parish, Louisiana
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 52 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 48 miles on Alexandria Highway. 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 0.2 miles (US 171; LA 8 / North 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (LA 1213 / Kurthwood Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (LA 8; LA 28 / Alexandria Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Alexandria, LA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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