Origin
Clayton Center, NY
Evening in Clayton Center on Wednesday
Local time
5:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clayton Center, NY to Waterville, NY
Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
41.6 mi
67 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waterville, NY
Clément Proust
Trip Overview
The drive from Clayton Center, NY to Waterville, NY covers 41.6 miles and takes about 1h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 81, Amelia Street, County Road 189 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.2 miles on I 81. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
20.8 miles from Clayton Center, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 32m into the drive .
Drive Character
The drive from Clayton Center, NY to Waterville, NY covers 41.6 miles and takes about 1h 9m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 81 is the longest continuous segment at about 14.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 17.6 miles in.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 1h 9m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 17.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 17.8 miles (I 81): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
17.6 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the ramp toward I 81 South
Navigation decision point
Toward I 81 South
5
17.8 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
I 81
Merge onto I 81
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
31.9 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward NY 178: Adams, Henderson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 41
Toward NY 178: Adams, Henderson
4
33.1 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
US 11 / Main Street
Turn right onto US 11 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
40.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
Waterville Road
Turn left onto Waterville Road
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Clayton Center, NY to Waterville, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Henderson along the way.
Henderson
31.9 mi in
|
~45m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 14.2 mi | 16m |
| Amelia Street | 12.2 mi | 18m |
| County Road 189 | 4.9 mi | 11m |
| State Highway 12 | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| County Road 5 | 2.2 mi | 5m |
| County Road 92 | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Waterville Road | 1.3 mi | 5m |
| West Church Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 14.2 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clayton Center, NY and Waterville, NY.
1
Start on Ellis Road
79 ft
·
8 sec
·
Ellis Road
2
Turn left onto CR 5
2.2 mi
·
5 min
·
County Road 5
3
Turn left onto NY 12
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 12
4
Continue on NY 12
12 mi
·
18 min
·
Amelia Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 81 South
6
Merge onto I 81
14 mi
·
16 min
·
I 81
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 41
Toward NY 178: Adams, Henderson
8
Turn left onto NY 178
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Church Street
9
Turn right onto US 11
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Main Street
10
Continue on South Main Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
South Main Street
11
Continue on County Road 189
4.9 mi
·
11 min
·
County Road 189
12
Continue on County Road 93
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
County Road 93
13
Turn right onto County Road 92
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
County Road 92
14
Turn left onto Waterville Road
1.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Waterville Road
15
Arrive at destination
Waterville Road
Trip Plan
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 20.8 miles from Clayton Center, NY, or about 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 14.2 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 41.6 miles or 1h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 20.8 miles or 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waterville, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clayton Center, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Clayton Center, NY
This is one driving day of about 41.6 miles and 1h 9m.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 14.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.8 mi from Clayton Center, NY · 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.8 miles from Clayton Center, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Waterville, NY
The final approach into Waterville, NY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.85 one way
$13.70 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $7.40 | $14.81 |
| premium | $4.92 | $8.06 | $16.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.18 | $18.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$32–$57
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.37 | $2.00 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.64 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.82 | $2.66 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Waterville, NY
Evening in Waterville on Wednesday
Local time
5:47 PM
EDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
39°F
Watertown, NY
21 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
6 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 9m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Clayton Center, NY to Waterville, NY covers 41.6 miles and takes about 1h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 81, Amelia Street, County Road 189. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.8 miles from Clayton Center, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.85 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 1h 9m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 17.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 17.8 miles (I 81): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Clayton Center, NY to Waterville, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Henderson along the way.
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