Simmesport to Lafayette is 67.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 40 minutes via I 49 and State Route 10, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays entirely within Louisiana, connecting two points in the Southeast region. Expect a straightforward drive that's mostly highway, making it an easy connection for travelers. It's a good option if you're looking for a quick hop between towns without a significant time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
33.7 miles from Simmesport, LA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 49
29.3 mi
32m
State Route 10
9.7 mi
15m
Highway 105
9.4 mi
16m
La 360
8.3 mi
14m
State Route 105
4.3 mi
7m
La 10
2.2 mi
3m
East Railroad Avenue
1.5 mi
2m
North Simms Street
0.8 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 49
— 29.3 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Simmesport, LA and Lafayette, LA.
1
Start on Fisherman Drive
0.1 mi·36 sec·Fisherman Drive
2
Turn right onto Riverside Drive
0.2 mi·51 sec·Riverside Drive
3
Turn left onto North Simms Street
0.8 mi·2 min·North Simms Street
4
Continue on Highway 105
9.4 mi·16 min·Highway 105
5
Keep slight right at fork onto LA 105
4.3 mi·7 min·State Route 105
6
Turn right onto LA 360
8.3 mi·14 min·LA 360
7
At end of road, turn right onto LA 10
1.5 mi·2 min·East Railroad Avenue
8
Continue on LA 10
3.7 mi·6 min·State Route 10
9
Turn right onto US 71; LA 10
0.1 mi·18 sec·US 71; LA 10
10
Turn left onto LA 10
2.2 mi·3 min·LA 10
11
Continue on LA 10
6.0 mi·8 min·State Route 10
12
Continue on LA 10; LA 182
0.5 mi·50 sec·State Highway 10
13
Turn left
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward I 49 South: Opelousas
14
Merge onto I 49
29 mi·32 min·I 49
15
Turn right onto Jefferson Boulevard
0.2 mi·33 sec·Jefferson Boulevard
16
Continue on Rue Jefferson
0.3 mi·51 sec·Rue Jefferson
17
Turn right onto Rue Vermilion Ouest
335 ft·16 sec·Rue Vermilion Ouest
18
Arrive at destination
Rue Vermilion Ouest
Trip Plan
Since this drive is under two hours and mostly highway, you have a lot of flexibility. Leaving Simmesport in the morning or early afternoon should give you ample time to reach Lafayette before dark. With only a short distance, you won't need to plan for extensive stops, but it's always a good idea to gas up before you leave Simmesport, as fuel costs are estimated at $10 for this trip. Keep an eye out for the transition from I 49 to surface roads as you approach Lafayette, as this is where the highway driving ends.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 33.7 miles from Simmesport, LA, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 29.3 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 15 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 33.7 miles or 1h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lafayette, LA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Simmesport, LA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Simmesport, LA
This is one driving day of about 67.4 miles and 1h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Simmesport, LA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 49 for about 29.3 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 28.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Riverside Drive
Turn right onto Riverside Drive
Navigation decision point
4
10.6 mi into trip|~21m in|LA 105 / State Route 105
Keep slight right at fork onto LA 105 / State Route 105
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
14.9 mi into trip|~28m in|LA 360 / La 360
Turn right onto LA 360 / La 360
Navigation decision point
5
23.2 mi into trip|~43m in|LA 10 / East Railroad Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto LA 10 / East Railroad Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
28.6 mi into trip|~52m in|LA 10 / La 10
Turn left onto LA 10 / La 10
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.18 one way
$20.36 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg24 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$11.17
$22.35
premium
$4.56
$12.10
$24.20
diesel
$5.61
$14.88
$29.76
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$10
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$35–$60
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
20.2
0
$7.08
$3.24
Efficient EV
16.9
0
$5.90
$2.70
EV Truck/SUV
27
0
$9.44
$4.31
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Simmesport, LA
Afternoon
in Simmesport on Sunday
Local time
2:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lafayette, LA
Afternoon
in Lafayette on Sunday
Local time
2:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
81°F
Broussard, LA
34 mi in
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
7 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 40m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is almost entirely highway, with a 95% highway share. You'll spend most of your time on I 49, experiencing a longest stretch of 29.3 miles on this interstate. State Route 10 and Highway 105 will make up the remaining 5% of the drive, likely offering a more rural cruising feel as you transition off the interstate.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.3 mi on I 49.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 49 and State Route 10. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Riverside Drive.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 40m drive. You will face about 11 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 (Riverside Drive): Navigation decision point; at 10.6 miles (LA 105 / State Route 105): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 14.9 miles (LA 360 / La 360): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 40m. Total distance: 67.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 29.3 miles on I 49. 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.
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 0.1 miles (Riverside Drive): Navigation decision point; at 10.6 miles (LA 105 / State Route 105): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 14.9 miles (LA 360 / La 360): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lafayette, LA before heading back.
