Origin
Sulphur, LA
Morning in Sulphur on Tuesday
Local time
7:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sulphur, LA to Lake Charles, 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
18m
Distance
11.9 mi
19 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sulphur, LA
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Charles, LA
Liisbet Luup
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition between Sulphur and Lake Charles, this 11.9-mile connection is as straightforward as it gets. Expect to spend about 18 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You will spend roughly $2 on fuel, keeping your travel costs exceptionally low for this short excursion. Since the entire drive stays within Southeast Louisiana, you won't encounter any major regional shifts or significant climate changes. It is a practical, no-fuss route that serves as a seamless link between these two communities. Whether you are commuting or just passing through, this journey is manageable enough that you won't need to worry about overnight logistics.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Napoleon Street | 6 mi | 9m |
| US 90 | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Enterprise Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Belden Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East Napoleon Street
— 6 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sulphur, LA and Lake Charles, LA.
1
Start on US 90
6.0 mi
·
9 min
·
East Napoleon Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Take the ramp onto US 90
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
US 90
3
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
4
Turn straight onto Belden Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Belden Street
5
Turn right onto US 90 Bus
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Enterprise Boulevard
6
Continue on Enterprise Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Enterprise Boulevard
7
Arrive at destination
Enterprise Boulevard
Heads-up: tricky spots
3 of 33 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 90 / East Napoleon Street
Depart onto US 90 / East Napoleon Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
3
10.1 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
4
10.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
US 90 Bus / Enterprise Boulevard
Turn right onto US 90 Bus / Enterprise Boulevard
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.80 one way
$3.59 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $1.97 | $3.95 |
| premium | $4.56 | $2.14 | $4.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.63 | $5.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.25 | $0.57 |
| Efficient EV | 3 | 0 | $1.04 | $0.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.67 | $0.76 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Lake Charles, LA
Morning in Lake Charles on Tuesday
Local time
7:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
2 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
18m 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 trip offers a mixed driving profile that balances local navigation with small portions of highway travel. You will spend about 34% of your time on highways, with your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 6 miles along East Napoleon Street. The route relies on a combination of East Napoleon Street, US 90, and Enterprise Boulevard to get you to your destination efficiently. Because you are shifting between these different road types, the feel behind the wheel changes frequently from local street driving to more open segments. It is a functional drive that prioritizes directness over long, winding stretches, keeping your focus on the road ahead.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6 mi on East Napoleon Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 90 / East Napoleon Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Sulphur, LA to Lake Charles, LA is easy. At 18m with 34% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 90 / East Napoleon Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 10.4 miles (US 90 Bus / Enterprise Boulevard): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Sulphur, LA
Full guide →Sulphur is in Southwest Louisiana.
Arriving in Lake Charles, LA
Full guide →Lake Charles is the second-largest city in the Acadiana region of Louisiana, with 87,000 residents in 2022. It is well known for gaming and the great outdoors, culinary delights and rhythm and blues. There are over 75 annual festivals from the splendor of Mardi Gras to the swashbuckling days of the Contraband Days Pirate Festival, there is something going on nearly every weekend.
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 18m. Total distance: 11.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6 miles on East Napoleon Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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: near the start (US 90 / East Napoleon Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 10.4 miles (US 90 Bus / Enterprise Boulevard): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lake Charles, 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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