Trip from Clifton, NJ to Lake Telemark, NJ

Drive Time

34m

Distance

26.2 mi

42 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 32m ★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m

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

Downtown Clifton, NJ, NJ

Clifton, NJ

James Kampeis

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick escape from Clifton, NJ, to Lake Telemark, this 26.2-mile journey is an ideal candidate for a single-day trip. You can expect to spend about 34 minutes behind the wheel, making it a very manageable drive for a spontaneous outing. With a modest fuel cost of approximately $4, it is an economical way to transition from the bustle of the Northeast region to a quieter destination. Since the entire trip is less than an hour, you do not need to worry about overnight accommodations. It is a straightforward route that offers plenty of flexibility, allowing you to head out whenever your schedule permits.

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

13.1 miles from Clifton, NJ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 17m into the drive .

Drive Character

This drive features a mixed profile that transitions from major thoroughfares to local roads. You will spend about 52% of your time on highways, providing a balanced experience behind the wheel. The longest uninterrupted section spans 10.8 miles along US 46, where you can settle into a steady pace before navigating the transition onto the Christopher Columbus Highway and Green Pond Road. As you progress, the road environment shifts, requiring you to adapt from faster highway speeds to the more localized feel of the later segments. It is a practical mix that keeps the drive engaging without being overly taxing.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 46 is the longest continuous segment at about 10.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Olga B Terrace.

Route Complexity 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 26.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Olga B Terrace): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.9 miles (CR 602 / Allwood Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 17 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~1m in | Olga B Terrace

At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

6
0.9 mi into trip | ~2m in | CR 602 / Allwood Road

At end of road, turn right onto CR 602 / Allwood Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
1.1 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward NJ 3 West, GSP South

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
8
22 mi into trip | ~27m in

Take the exit toward CR 513: Hibernia, Rockaway

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 37 Toward CR 513: Hibernia, Rockaway
9
22.2 mi into trip | ~28m in

Keep slight left at fork toward CR 513 North: Green Pond Road, Hibernia

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left / right lanes. Toward CR 513 North: Green Pond Road, Hibernia

Towns Along This Route

Between Clifton, NJ and Lake Telemark, NJ, road signs point toward Del Water Gap, Mahwah, Cr 513: Hibernia, Rockaway and Hibernia.

Del Water Gap

13.3 mi in | ~17m

Mahwah

13.5 mi in | ~17m | via I 80W

Cr 513: Hibernia

22 mi in | ~27m

Rockaway

22 mi in | ~27m

Hibernia

22.2 mi in | ~28m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 46 10.8 mi 12m
Christopher Columbus Highway 6.5 mi 7m
Green Pond Road 3.9 mi 5m
Interstate 80 West 1.6 mi 1m
State Route 3 1.3 mi 1m
Clifton Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
Allwood Road 0.2 mi <1m
Donna Drive 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 46 — 10.8 mi, about 12m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, NJ and Lake Telemark, NJ.

1

Start on Holly Street

516 ft · 26 sec · Holly Street
2

Turn left onto Donna Drive

0.1 mi · 34 sec · Donna Drive
3

At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace

441 ft · 21 sec · Olga B Terrace
4

Turn right onto Hutton Road

39 ft · 7 sec · Hutton Road
5

Turn left onto Olga B Terrace

174 ft · 13 sec · Olga B Terrace
6

Turn left onto NJ 161

0.5 mi · 1 min · Clifton Avenue
7

At end of road, turn right onto CR 602

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Allwood Road
Use the right lane.
8

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
9

Merge onto NJ 3

1.3 mi · 1 min · State Route 3
Use the none lane.
10

Merge onto US 46

11 mi · 12 min · US 46
Use the none lane.
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Toward I 80 West: Dover, Del Water Gap
12

Continue on I 80W

1.6 mi · 1 min · Interstate 80 West
Toward I 287: Morristown, Mahwah Use the straight / slight left / none lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 21 sec
Toward I 80 West: Delaware Water Gap Use the straight / slight left lanes.
14

Merge onto I 80

6.5 mi · 7 min · Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Exit 37 Toward CR 513: Hibernia, Rockaway Use the slight right lane.
16

Keep slight left at fork

124 ft · 10 sec
Toward CR 513 North: Green Pond Road, Hibernia Use the left / right lanes.
17

Turn left onto CR 513

3.9 mi · 5 min · Green Pond Road
Use the left lane.
18

Turn right onto Telemark Road

476 ft · 20 sec · Telemark Road
19

Arrive at destination

Telemark Road

Trip Plan

Since this is a short 26.2-mile trip, you have the advantage of complete scheduling flexibility. You won't need to plan for any formal stops, but keeping an eye on traffic patterns along US 46 is a smart way to ensure your 34-minute estimated duration stays accurate. Because the fuel cost is only about $4, you can focus your budget on your destination rather than your gas tank. To maximize your time, try to avoid peak commuting hours when the highway portions may become congested. My best tip for this specific route is to stay alert as you exit US 46, as the transition onto Green Pond Road marks a distinct change in the road's character.

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 13.1 miles from Clifton, NJ, or about 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 10.8 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 26.2 miles or 34m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 13.1 miles or 17m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 28m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Telemark, NJ than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Clifton, NJ 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 Clifton, NJ

This is one driving day of about 26.2 miles and 34m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Clifton, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on US 46 for about 10.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 13.1 mi from Clifton, NJ · 17m into the drive

Downtown Ramapo, NY, NY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ramapo, NY

13 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

Ramapo, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 26.2 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ramapo, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 13.1 miles from Clifton, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Lake Telemark, NJ

The final approach into Lake Telemark, NJ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Lake Telemark, NJ.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.34 one way

$8.67 round trip

$4.20/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.60 $4.74 $9.49
premium $4.92 $5.08 $10.15
diesel $5.64 $5.82 $11.64

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$4

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$29–$54

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.9 0 $2.75 $1.26
Efficient EV 6.6 0 $2.29 $1.05
EV Truck/SUV 10.5 0 $3.67 $1.68

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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 data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Clifton, NJ

Late night in Clifton on Monday

Local time

1:33 AM

EDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lake Telemark, NJ

Late night in Lake Telemark on Monday

Local time

1:33 AM

EDT

Current temp

55°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

59°F

Ramapo, NY

13 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

4 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

34m 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 Clifton, NJ to Lake Telemark, NJ covers 26.2 miles and takes about 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 46, Christopher Columbus Highway, Green Pond Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.1 miles from Clifton, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.34 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 demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 26.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Olga B Terrace): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.9 miles (CR 602 / Allwood Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Clifton, NJ and Lake Telemark, NJ, road signs point toward Del Water Gap, Mahwah, Cr 513: Hibernia, Rockaway and Hibernia.

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Return Trip

Lake Telemark, NJ to Clifton, NJ

Plan the drive back the other way.

26.7 mi 35m

Explore more options from Clifton, NJ or browse trips ending in Lake Telemark, NJ.

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