This 80.1-mile drive from Clifton, NJ to Pemberton, NJ is a straightforward, highway-focused journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 43 minutes. With 90% of the route on highways, it's designed for efficient travel, making it a perfect day trip. The estimated fuel cost is around $13, so you won't need to break the bank on this relatively short haul. Both your origin and destination are within the Northeast region, and you'll primarily be navigating through New Jersey. This route is ideal if you're looking for a quick and uncomplicated trip with minimal fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40 miles from Clifton, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 52m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 43m. Total distance: 80.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a predominantly highway experience on this route, with 90% of your travel occurring on faster roads. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on the New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur, including a longest stretch of 58.5 miles. The primary arteries guiding you will be the New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur, US 206, and State Route 3. This highway-focused profile suggests a drive characterized by consistent speed and efficient progress, rather than winding scenic byways. While not explicitly scenic, the efficiency of the road network is its main appeal.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur is the longest continuous segment at about 58.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur and US 206. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near CR 602 / Allwood Road.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 80.1 miles you will encounter 22 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (CR 602 / Allwood Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 22 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.9 mi into trip|~2m in|CR 602 / Allwood Road
At end of road, turn left onto CR 602 / Allwood Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
6.6 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the exit toward East Rutherford, American Dream, Stadium, Racetrack, Training Facility
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward East Rutherford, American Dream, Stadium...
8
7.5 mi into trip|~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Newark
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Newark
8
66.4 mi into trip|~1h 23m in
Take the exit toward US 206: Bordentown, Trenton
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 7
Toward US 206: Bordentown, Trenton
7
67.1 mi into trip|~1h 25m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 206 South: Joint Base MDL
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 206 South: Joint Base MDL
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Clifton, NJ and Pemberton, NJ, road signs point toward Rutherford, American Dream, Stadium, Racetrack, Training Facility and Njtp Toll: New Jersey Turnpike - among others.
Rutherford
6.6 mi in|~10m
American Dream
6.6 mi in|~10m
Stadium
6.6 mi in|~10m
Racetrack
6.6 mi in|~10m
Training Facility
6.6 mi in|~10m
Njtp Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
7 mi in|~10m
Njtp South: Newark
7.5 mi in|~12m
Trenton
66.4 mi in|~1h 23m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur
58.5 mi
1h 10m
US 206
9 mi
10m
State Route 3
4.4 mi
4m
North Pemberton Road
2.8 mi
4m
Allwood Road
1 mi
1m
Clifton Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
Arney's Mount Road
0.4 mi
<1m
Hanover Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur
— 58.5 mi, about 1h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, NJ and Pemberton, 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 left onto CR 602
1.0 mi·1 min·Allwood Road
Use the left lane.
8
Enter roundabout onto CR 622
65 ft·1 sec·Bloomfield Avenue
9
Continue on CR 622
0.2 mi·27 sec·Bloomfield Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·18 sec
Use the left lane.
11
Merge onto NJ 3
4.4 mi·4 min·State Route 3
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward East Rutherford, American Dream, Stadium, Racetrack, Training FacilityUse the slight right lane.
13
Continue on Sheraton Plaza Drive
0.2 mi·22 sec·Sheraton Plaza Drive
14
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 95 Toll, NJTP Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·1 min
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: NewarkUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
6.3 mi·8 min·New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; NJTP
52 mi·1 hr 1 min·New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 7Toward US 206: Bordentown, TrentonUse the slight right lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward US 206 South: Joint Base MDLUse the slight left lane.
20
Merge onto US 206
0.2 mi·12 sec·US 206
21
Continue on US 206
7.5 mi·8 min·US 206
Use the straight lane.
22
Continue on US 206
1.3 mi·1 min·US 206
Use the straight lane.
23
Turn left onto CR 630
2.8 mi·4 min·North Pemberton Road
Use the left lane.
24
Turn right onto CR 668
0.4 mi·51 sec·Arney's Mount Road
25
Turn slight right onto CR 616
0.1 mi·12 sec·Fort Dix Road
Use the right lane.
26
Continue on CR 616
0.3 mi·56 sec·Hanover Street
Use the straight lane.
27
Arrive at destination
CR 616
Trip Plan
Given the manageable 1 hour and 43-minute duration for this 80.1-mile trip, you have a lot of flexibility with departure times. Leaving early can help you avoid any potential midday traffic, especially on the New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur. With no designated stops, you can easily add brief breaks as needed, perhaps at one of the many service areas along the Turnpike. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the longest stretch without a significant change in road type is 58.5 miles. The $13 fuel cost is a good estimate, but always factor in a little extra for unexpected detours or local driving.
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 40 miles from Clifton, NJ, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 58.5 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 18 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40 miles or 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pemberton, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Clifton, NJ
This is one driving day of about 80.1 miles and 1h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Clifton, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur for about 58.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Silk cloth and steam locomotives; textiles and continuous paper rolls; firearms and aircraft engines. What do these things have in common? All were manufactured in the same place - Paterson, NJ. In 17...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
Caution: Limited Amphitheater Accessibility
Caution: Overlook Park Parking Lot - Vehicles Must Be Parked in a Designated Spot
Today, the brick buildings on Main Street in West Orange, NJ seem quiet, betraying little evidence of the research, development, and innovation of their heyday. Visitors can step back in time to Thoma...
Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for...
16 mi from route
~39 min detour
Free
near mile 16.6
Morristown National Historical Park commemorates the sites of General Washington and the Continental Army’s winter encampment from December 1779 to June 1780, where soldiers survived the coldest winte...
19 mi from route
~48 min detour
Free
near mile 22.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.28 one way
$26.56 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$14.54
$29.09
premium
$4.93
$15.53
$31.07
diesel
$5.61
$17.69
$35.37
Estimated Tolls: $8.20
New Jersey Turnpike
(58.5 mi)$8.20
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
$13
Tolls
$8
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24
0
$8.41
$3.84
Efficient EV
20
0
$7.01
$3.20
EV Truck/SUV
32
0
$11.21
$5.13
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% 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 17, 2026
Origin
Clifton, NJ
Night
in Clifton on Friday
Local time
9:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
W 8 mph17% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Pemberton, NJ
Night
in Pemberton on Friday
Local time
9:45 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
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
21 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 43m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Clifton, NJ to Pemberton, NJ covers 80.1 miles and takes about 1h 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur, US 206, State Route 3. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 40 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 $13.28 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 80.1 miles you will encounter 22 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (CR 602 / Allwood Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Clifton, NJ and Pemberton, NJ, road signs point toward Rutherford, American Dream, Stadium, Racetrack, Training Facility and Njtp Toll: New Jersey Turnpike - among others.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
