Origin
Colonia, NJ
Evening in Colonia on Thursday
Local time
7:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Colonia, NJ to Clifton, NJ
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
40m
Distance
25.4 mi
41 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Colonia, NJ
Aisling Kerr
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Colonia, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 25.4 miles and takes about 40m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Garden State Parkway, Allwood Road, Chain O' Hills Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.21 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 25.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 40m highway drive covering 25.4 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and Allwood Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 20 miles on Garden State Parkway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Garden State Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 20 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Allwood Road. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near CR 604 / Green Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 25.4 miles you will encounter 16 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 604 / Green Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (NJ 27 / Lincoln Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
CR 604 / Green Street
At end of road, turn right onto CR 604 / Green Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
NJ 27 / Lincoln Highway
Turn left onto NJ 27 / Lincoln Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
21.9 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward Montclair, Nutley
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 151
Toward Montclair, Nutley
5
23.1 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
CR 622 / Darling Avenue
Turn left onto CR 622 / Darling Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Colonia, NJ and Clifton, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North, Montclair and Nutley.
Gsp Toll North
1.6 mi in
|
~4m
Montclair
21.9 mi in
|
~33m
Nutley
21.9 mi in
|
~33m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 20 mi | 27m |
| Allwood Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Chain O' Hills Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Passaic Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East Passaic Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Bloomfield Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Green Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 20 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colonia, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on South Cliff Road
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Cliff Road
2
At end of road, turn left onto Chain O' Hills Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Chain O' Hills Road
3
At end of road, turn right onto CR 604
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Green Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto NJ 27
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Lincoln Highway
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward GSP Toll North
6
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
this road
7
Merge onto GSP
20 mi
·
27 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 151
Toward Montclair, Nutley
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn right onto CR 655
483 ft
·
15 sec
·
Watchung Avenue
10
At end of road, turn left onto CR 652
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Passaic Avenue
11
Turn right onto CR 622
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
West Passaic Avenue
12
Turn left onto CR 622
411 ft
·
7 sec
·
Darling Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on CR 622
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Bloomfield Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Enter roundabout onto CR 602
261 ft
·
4 sec
·
Allwood Road
15
Continue on CR 602
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Allwood Road
16
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Clifton Avenue
17
Turn right onto Olga B Terrace
174 ft
·
9 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
18
Turn right onto Hutton Road
39 ft
·
6 sec
·
Hutton Road
19
Turn left onto Olga B Terrace
441 ft
·
25 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
20
Turn left onto Donna Drive
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Donna Drive
21
Turn right onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
22
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.21 one way
$8.42 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.61 | $9.22 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.93 | $9.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.61 | $11.22 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.20
Garden State Parkway
(20 mi)
$1.20
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.67 | $1.22 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.22 | $1.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.56 | $1.63 |
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.
Destination
Clifton, NJ
Evening in Clifton on Thursday
Local time
7:03 PM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 3 to 12 mph
4% chance
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
19 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
40m 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 Colonia, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 25.4 miles and takes about 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, Allwood Road, Chain O' Hills Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.7 miles from Colonia, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.21 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 25.4 miles you will encounter 16 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 604 / Green Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (NJ 27 / Lincoln Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Colonia, NJ and Clifton, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North, Montclair and Nutley.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
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