How far is Ouachita Parish, LA from Ruston, LA?

The driving distance from Ouachita Parish, LA to Ruston, LA is about 31.9 miles (51.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 34m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 28.3 miles (45.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 09m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
31.89 mi
00h 34m
Flight
28.32 mi
45.58 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Ouachita Parish.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
28.32 mi
Kilometers
45.58 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
31.89 mi
Kilometers
51.32 km
Drive Time
00h 34m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 34m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Ruston
Sun, Jul 26, 8:47 AM CDT
Return by in Ouachita Parish
Sun, Jul 26, 9:22 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Ouachita Parish
2026-07-26T08:13
Arrive Ruston
Sun, Jul 26, 8:47 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 34m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:35 AM to 7:35 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:20 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Ouachita Parish
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Downsville
LA

Human settlement in Louisiana, United States of America

From Ouachita Parish
15.6 mi
00h 17m
To Ruston
16.3 mi
00h 17m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
77°F
Overnight

Mostly Clear

Starts
Sun, Jul 26 4:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph SW
Destination
95°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Jul 26 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Ouachita Parish and Ruston.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ouachita Parish and Ruston.

  1. 1

    Start on Jonesboro Road

    3213 ft · 58 sec · Jonesboro Road

  2. 2

    Continue on Thomas Road

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Thomas Road

  3. 3

    Turn left

    983 ft · 26 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left

    26.7 mi · 29 min

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right

    803 ft · 20 sec

  6. 6

    Keep slight left

    59 m · 8 sec

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Farmerville Highway

    1.1 km · 2 min · Farmerville Highway

  8. 8

    Continue on East Georgia Avenue

    2281 ft · 1 min · East Georgia Avenue

  9. 9

    Turn left onto North Farmerville Street

    2856 ft · 2 min · North Farmerville Street

  10. 10

    Turn right onto East California Avenue

    2145 ft · 54 sec · East California Avenue

  11. 11

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East California Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Ouachita Parish and Ruston.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
11 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
34.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Thomas Road
28.4 mi · 89%
Farmerville Highway
0.71 mi · 2%
Jonesboro Road
0.61 mi · 2%
North Farmerville Street
0.54 mi · 2%
East Georgia Avenue
0.43 mi · 1%
East California Avenue
0.41 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Thomas Road

Merge slight left

26.7 mi · 00h 29m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 34m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.6 mi
28.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Downsville
00h 17m from Ouachita Parish
Leave By
7:20 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Clear leaving Ouachita Parish and Mostly Sunny near Ruston.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Ouachita Parish to Ruston?

The road trip is about 31.9 miles (51.3 km) and usually takes 00h 34m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Downsville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 15.6 miles from Ouachita Parish and 16.3 miles from Ruston.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 28.3 miles (45.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.6 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:20 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.28 one way or $8.56 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 10 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Clear around Ouachita Parish and Mostly Sunny near Ruston.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Ouachita Parish and Ruston. Straight-line distance: 28.32 mi (45.58 km).

Ouachita Parish

#1 Ouachita Parish

Parish in Louisiana, United States

Population152,439
Coordinates32.4783100, -92.1548700
Altitude22
CountryUnited States
Ruston

#2 Ruston

Small city and parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States

Population21,891
Coordinates32.5232100, -92.6379300
Altitude102
CountryUnited States
Start: Jonesboro Road (-92.155177, 32.478307)
End: East California Avenue (-92.637902, 32.52365)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 51 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 03m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 47m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 38m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 31m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 27m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 23m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.13 gal
4.26 L · about $4.28
Round trip
$8.56
2.26 gal · 8.52 L
Estimated CO2
10 kg one way
Round trip: 20.1 kg / 44 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.79 $4.28 $8.56
Mid-grade $4.26 $4.81 $9.63
Premium $4.63 $5.23 $10.45
Diesel $5.42 $6.12 $12.24

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Louisiana · Jul 26, 2026

There is no time difference between Ouachita Parish and Ruston. The current time is 08:13:08.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.