Origin
Clifton, NJ
Afternoon in Clifton on Saturday
Local time
3:42 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clifton, NJ to Palisades Park, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
19m
Distance
12.3 mi
20 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Palisades Park, NJ
Jonny M
Trip Overview
The drive from Clifton, NJ to Palisades Park, NJ covers 12.3 miles and takes about 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 46, Piaget Avenue, Clifton Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.9 miles on US 46. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.04 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 46 | 7.9 mi | 11m |
| Piaget Avenue | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Paulison Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Broad Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| St James Place | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Donna Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Holly Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 46
— 7.9 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, NJ and Palisades Park, NJ.
1
Start on Holly Street
516 ft
·
24 sec
·
Holly Street
2
Turn right onto Donna Drive
522 ft
·
28 sec
·
Donna Drive
3
At end of road, turn left onto St James Place
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
St James Place
4
At end of road, turn right onto NJ 161
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Clifton Avenue
5
Turn left onto CR 618
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Paulison Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
470 ft
·
13 sec
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto US 46
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Piaget Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46
7.9 mi
·
11 min
·
US 46
Toward US 46 East: Elmwood Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
Toward US 1 South, US 9 South: Broad Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn left onto US 1; US 9
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Broad Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
11
Arrive at destination
Broad Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 11.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
St James Place
At end of road, turn left onto St James Place
Navigation decision point
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
CR 618 / Paulison Avenue
Turn left onto CR 618 / Paulison Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
3.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
US 46
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46 toward US 46 East: Elmwood Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 46 East: Elmwood Park
7
11.7 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward US 1 South, US 9 South: Broad Avenue
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 US 1 South, US 9 South: Broad Avenue
6
11.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
US 1; US 9 / Broad Avenue
Turn left onto US 1; US 9 / Broad Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.04 one way
$4.08 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.23 | $4.47 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.39 | $4.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.72 | $5.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.29 | $0.59 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.08 | $0.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Palisades Park, NJ
Afternoon in Palisades Park on Saturday
Local time
3:42 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
8 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
19m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
12.3 mi in 19m, mostly highway — 7.9 mi of that is on US 46.
65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.9 mi on US 46.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 46 and Piaget Avenue. 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 St James Place.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 12.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 19m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (St James Place): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (CR 618 / Paulison Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles (US 46): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 19m. Total distance: 12.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.9 miles on US 46. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Palisades Park, NJ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (St James Place): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (CR 618 / Paulison Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles (US 46): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Palisades Park, NJ before heading back.
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.
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