Origin
Gladstone, NJ
Night in Gladstone on Thursday
Local time
10:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gladstone, NJ to Clifton, NJ
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
55m
Distance
38.4 mi
62 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gladstone, NJ
James Kampeis
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Gladstone, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 38.4 miles and takes about 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 287, Christopher Columbus Highway, US 46 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.9 miles on I 287. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.37 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 38.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Gladstone, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 38.4 miles and takes about 55m, 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 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 287 is the longest continuous segment at about 11.9 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 21.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 38.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 21.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
21.9 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East: Smith Road, New York City
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 41A
Toward I 80 East: Smith Road, New York City
8
22.1 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 41A
Toward I 80 East: New York City
6
24.3 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Paterson, New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East: Paterson, New York City
8
31.7 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
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 53
Toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunn...
7
36.7 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
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 Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton...
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 Gladstone, NJ to Clifton, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward New York City along the way.
New York City
21.9 mi in
|
~33m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 287 | 11.9 mi | 15m |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 7.3 mi | 7m |
| US 46 | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| Mine Brook Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Main Street | 3 mi | 6m |
| Interstate 80 East | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Morristown Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Peapack Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 287
— 11.9 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gladstone, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on CR 647
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Mendham Road
2
Continue on CR 512
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Main Street
3
Continue on CR 512
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Peapack Road
4
At end of road, turn left onto US 202; CR 512
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
5
Continue on US 202
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Mine Brook Road
6
Continue on US 202
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Morristown Road
7
Turn right onto North Maple Avenue
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Maple Avenue
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 287 North
9
Merge onto I 287
12 mi
·
15 min
·
I 287
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 41A
Toward I 80 East: Smith Road, New York City
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 41A
Toward I 80 East: New York City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 80E
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Interstate 80 East
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 80 East: Paterson, New York City
14
Merge onto I 80
7.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
15
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 53
Toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
Use the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto US 46
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
17
Continue on US 46
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Take the exit
452 ft
·
16 sec
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Use the slight right lane.
19
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
179 ft
·
9 sec
·
Grove Street
20
Turn left onto CR 614
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Houten Avenue
Use the left lane.
21
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Clifton Avenue
22
Turn left onto St James Place
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
St James Place
23
Turn right onto Donna Drive
522 ft
·
28 sec
·
Donna Drive
24
Turn left onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
25
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.2 mi from Gladstone, NJ · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.2 miles from Gladstone, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Clifton, NJ
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Clifton, NJ if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.37 one way
$12.73 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.97 | $13.94 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.45 | $14.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.48 | $16.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.38 | $2.46 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Night in Clifton on Thursday
Local time
10:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
1 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
55m 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 Gladstone, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 38.4 miles and takes about 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 287, Christopher Columbus Highway, US 46. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.2 miles from Gladstone, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.37 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 short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 38.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
The main spots that need attention: at 21.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Gladstone, NJ to Clifton, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward New York City along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Morristown National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Thomas Edison National Historical Park. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
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