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Trip from Walker, LA to Lafayette, LA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

3h 6m

Distance

158 mi

254 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$24

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 34 min
4 AM
2h 55m ★
6 AM
3h 6m
8 AM
3h 29m
10 AM
3h 14m
12 PM
3h 12m
3 PM
3h 16m
5 PM
3h 28m
8 PM
2h 59m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Walker, LA, LA

Walker, LA

Miguel Cuenca

Trip Overview

This 158-mile drive from Walker to Lafayette, Louisiana, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 3 hours and 6 minutes. With a projected fuel cost of around $24, it's an economical journey. You'll primarily navigate local roads, with Martin Luther King, Jr Highway and East Lafayette Street being key segments. While the highway share is low at 18%, the route offers a straightforward connection within the Southeast region. Plan for a single stop to break up the drive, making it a convenient option for a quick getaway or a direct transit.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

79 miles from Walker, LA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 42m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Martin Luther King, Jr Highway 76 mi 1h 17m
East Lafayette Street 46.9 mi 57m
LA 34 16.3 mi 24m
Veterans Memorial Expressway 8.8 mi 9m
Walker Road 4.6 mi 8m
US 84 2.1 mi 3m
Northwest Evangeline Thruway 1.9 mi 3m
US 167 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Martin Luther King, Jr Highway — 76 mi, about 1h 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Walker, LA and Lafayette, LA.

1

Start on Parish Road 220

421 ft · 25 sec · Parish Road 220
2

Turn left onto LA 147

4.6 mi · 8 min · Walker Road
3

Turn straight onto LA 34

16 mi · 24 min · LA 34
4

At end of road, turn right onto US 84; LA 34

2.1 mi · 3 min · US 84; LA 34
5

At end of road, turn left onto US 167

47 mi · 57 min · East Lafayette Street
6

Keep slight left at fork onto US 167

0.8 mi · 1 min · US 167
Toward I 49 South, US 167 South: Opelousas
7

Merge onto I 49; US 167; US 71 BYP

76 mi · 1 hr 17 min · Martin Luther King, Jr Highway
8

Continue on I 49; US 167

8.8 mi · 9 min · Veterans Memorial Expressway
9

Continue on I 49; LA 182

1.9 mi · 3 min · Northwest Evangeline Thruway
10

Turn right onto Jefferson Boulevard

0.2 mi · 33 sec · Jefferson Boulevard
11

Continue on Rue Jefferson

0.3 mi · 51 sec · Rue Jefferson
12

Turn right onto Rue Vermilion Ouest

335 ft · 16 sec · Rue Vermilion Ouest
13

Arrive at destination

Rue Vermilion Ouest

Trip Plan

Given the relatively short duration of 3 hours and 6 minutes for this 158-mile trip, you have the flexibility to depart at your convenience. However, starting earlier in the day can help you avoid potential afternoon traffic, especially as you approach Lafayette. With just one recommended stop, plan it strategically to coincide with a need for a break or fuel. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as longer stretches on local roads can sometimes mean fewer immediate service stations compared to interstate travel. A good tip for this route is to familiarize yourself with the initial segments on Martin Luther King, Jr Highway to get a feel for the local driving style.

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 79 miles from Walker, LA, or about 1h 42m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 76 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 35 miles or 50m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 79 miles or 1h 42m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 34m

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 Walker, LA so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Walker, LA

This is one driving day of about 158 miles and 3h 6m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Walker, LA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Martin Luther King, Jr Highway for about 76 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

suburb town of Alexandria, located in Rapides Parish just north of Pineville, Louisiana, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ball, LA

79 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.

Popular next leg

Ball, LA to Lafayette, LA

96.6 mi · 1h 46m

Pacing Suggestions

Winnfield, LA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Alexandria, LA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 79 miles from Walker, LA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Martin Luther King, Jr Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 76 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Spoonbill Watering Hole & Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lafayette, Louisiana

Near the end, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour $20 to $30 mile 158

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+13375340585

Visit website

Vestal Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lafayette, Louisiana

0.1 mi

Vermilionville Historic Village

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lafayette, Louisiana

1.6 mi

Spoonbill Watering Hole & Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour $20 to $30 mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+13375340585

Visit website

Vestal Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.1 mi from route $100 or ab mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 4–9 pm

+13375340682

Visit website

Vermilionville Historic Village

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+13372334077

Visit website

Bon Temps Grill

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour $20 to $30 mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 11 am–10 pm

+13377068850

Visit website

T-Coon's Restaurant

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20 mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 6 am–2 pm

+13372330422

Visit website

Bangkok Thai Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour $20 to $30 mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 11 am–8:30 pm

+13379892009

Visit website

The Creek Restaurant

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

3.9 mi from route ~10 min detour $10 to $20 mile 79

Woodworth, Louisiana

Hours: 10:30 am–3 pm

+13184490674

The Cottage Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour $10 to $20 mile 67.7

Alexandria, Louisiana

Hours: 11 am–2 pm

+13184484220

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 135.4

Opelousas, Louisiana

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 135.4

Opelousas, Louisiana

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: Open 24 hours

+13374826858

Visit website

Nissan Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 135.4

Opelousas, Louisiana

+33172676914

Tesla Supercharger

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 67.7

Alexandria, Louisiana

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

3.3 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

1.0 ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 135.4

Opelousas, Louisiana

+18887584389

Electrify America Charging Station

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, ~11 min detour

4.2 mi from route ~11 min detour mile 67.7

Alexandria, Louisiana

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

Children's Museum of Acadiana

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.2 mi from route mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+13372328500

Visit website

Lafayette Science Museum

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

0.2 mi from route mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+13372915544

Visit website

The Lafayette Museum

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+13372342208

Visit website

Girard Park

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

Visit website

Moncus Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 5 am–10 pm

+13375001177

Visit website

Alexandria Museum of Art

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 67.7

Alexandria, Louisiana

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+13184433458

Visit website

Acadiana Park Nature Station

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

+13372918448

Escape Room Lafayette

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~11 min detour

4.4 mi from route ~11 min detour mile 158

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hours: 12–9 pm

+13373712883

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 157.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | LA 147 / Walker Road

Turn left onto LA 147 / Walker Road

Navigation decision point

4
20.9 mi into trip | ~32m in | US 84; LA 34

At end of road, turn right onto US 84; LA 34

Navigation decision point

5
23.1 mi into trip | ~35m in | US 167 / East Lafayette Street

At end of road, turn left onto US 167 / East Lafayette Street

Navigation decision point

6
70 mi into trip | ~1h 33m in | US 167

Keep slight left at fork onto US 167 toward I 49 South, US 167 South: Opelousas

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 49 South, US 167 South: Opelousas
4
157.4 mi into trip | ~3h 4m in | Jefferson Boulevard

Turn right onto Jefferson Boulevard

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$23.86 one way

$47.72 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 55 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $26.19 $52.39
premium $4.56 $28.36 $56.72
diesel $5.61 $34.88 $69.77

Estimated Tolls: $0.13

Northwest Evangeline Thruway (1.9 mi) $0.13

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$24

Tolls

$0

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$49–$74

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 55.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 47.4 0 $16.59 $7.58
Efficient EV 39.5 0 $13.83 $6.32
EV Truck/SUV 63.2 0 $22.12 $10.11

Gas CO2

55 kg

EV CO2

18 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 13, 2026

Origin

Walker, LA

Afternoon in Walker on Sunday

Local time

3:22 PM

CDT

Current temp

77°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lafayette, LA

Afternoon in Lafayette on Sunday

Local time

3:22 PM

CDT

Current temp

83°F

Sunny

S 15 mph 4% chance Live forecast

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

6 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

3h 6m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the majority of this 158-mile journey. With only 18% of the route on highways, you'll spend most of your time on surface streets and state routes, indicated by LA 34. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 76 miles on Martin Luther King, Jr Highway. This profile suggests a drive with frequent intersections and varying speed limits, rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. Be prepared to adjust your speed often as you navigate through towns and local communities.

Only 18% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 76 mi on Martin Luther King, Jr Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

2/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near LA 147 / Walker Road.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Walker, LA to Lafayette, LA is easy. At 3h 6m with 18% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (LA 147 / Walker Road): Navigation decision point; at 20.9 miles (US 84; LA 34): Navigation decision point; at 23.1 miles (US 167 / East Lafayette Street): Navigation decision point.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 6m. Total distance: 158 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (18%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 76 miles on Martin Luther King, Jr Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.13 in tolls one way, starting with Northwest Evangeline Thruway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (LA 147 / Walker Road): Navigation decision point; at 20.9 miles (US 84; LA 34): Navigation decision point; at 23.1 miles (US 167 / East Lafayette Street): Navigation decision point.

Possible but tiring. At 3.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Lafayette, LA, but most travelers stay overnight.

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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