The drive from Hempstead, NY to Clifton Springs, NY covers 306 miles and takes about 6h 38m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 81, Christopher Columbus Highway, US 11 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 73.8 miles on I 81.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $50.37 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
153 miles from Hempstead, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 11m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 38m. Total distance: 306 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 38m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 38m drive with frequent turns across 306 miles of local and secondary roads.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 63 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 81 is the longest continuous segment at about 73.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.1 miles in near I 295 / Clearview Expressway.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 36 significant decision points across 306 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 8.1 miles (I 295 / Clearview Expressway): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.8 miles (I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 36 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
8.1 mi into trip|~15m in|I 295 / Clearview Expressway
Turn right onto I 295 / Clearview Expressway toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck Bridge
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Throu...
6
15.8 mi into trip|~25m in|I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
24.9 mi into trip|~37m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
8
25.2 mi into trip|~38m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
8
27.5 mi into trip|~41m in
Take the exit toward I 80 West: Paterson, Hackensack
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 69
Toward I 80 West: Paterson, Hackensack
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hempstead, NY and Clifton Springs, NY, road signs point toward Upper Level, Njtp South: Hackensack, Hackensack, Albany and Lisle.
Upper Level
22.4 mi in|~34m|via I 95; US 1
Njtp South: Hackensack
24.9 mi in|~37m
Hackensack
27.5 mi in|~41m
Albany
200.3 mi in|~4h 8m|via I 81
Lisle
216.1 mi in|~4h 27m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 81
73.8 mi
1h 28m
Christopher Columbus Highway
68.2 mi
1h 20m
US 11
30.6 mi
40m
I 380
27.7 mi
30m
State Highway 96
18.2 mi
26m
Keystone Shortway
17.3 mi
24m
State Highway 89
10.1 mi
13m
Trumansburg Road
8.8 mi
13m
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 73.8 mi, about 1h 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hempstead, NY and Clifton Springs, NY.
1
Start on Peninsula Boulevard
77 ft·1 sec·Peninsula Boulevard
2
Turn left onto Clinton Street
359 ft·17 sec·Clinton Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto NY 102
1.1 mi·1 min·Front Street
4
Turn slight left onto NY 24
2.0 mi·3 min·Hempstead Turnpike
5
Turn right onto New Hyde Park Road
0.4 mi·53 sec·New Hyde Park Road
6
Turn left onto Tulip Avenue
2.0 mi·3 min·Tulip Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto NY 25
0.7 mi·1 min·Jamaica Avenue
8
Turn slight right onto NY 25
1.2 mi·2 min·Braddock Avenue
9
Turn left onto NY 25
0.7 mi·1 min·Hillside Avenue
10
Turn right onto I 295
5.0 mi·5 min·Clearview Expressway
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck BridgeUse the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on I 295
2.0 mi·3 min·Throgs Neck Bridge
12
Continue on I 295
0.7 mi·1 min·Throgs Neck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295
6.6 mi·8 min·Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; US 1
0.7 mi·1 min·Trans-Manhattan Expressway
Toward Upper Level
15
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.6 mi·59 sec·George Washington Bridge (upper level)
16
Continue on I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.5 mi·48 sec·I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.6 mi·39 sec·I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; NJTP
0.1 mi·8 sec·I 95 EXPR; NJTP
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: HackensackUse the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·29 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: HackensackUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
21
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
2.0 mi·2 min·New Jersey Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 69Toward I 80 West: Paterson, HackensackUse the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Continue on I 80
68 mi·1 hr 20 min·Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi·8 min·Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
12 mi·15 min·Keystone Shortway
26
Take the exit
0.7 mi·46 sec
Exit 293Toward I 380 North: Scranton
27
Continue on I 380
28 mi·30 min·I 380
Use the straight lane.
28
Merge onto I 81
58 mi·1 hr 9 min·I 81
Use the straight lane.
29
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
1.8 mi·2 min·I 81
Toward I 81 North: Syracuse, Albany
30
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
14 mi·16 min·I 81
Toward I 81 North: Syracuse
31
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Exit 8Toward NY 26 North: Whitney Point, Lisle
32
Turn right onto NY 26
0.5 mi·43 sec·NY 26
33
At end of road, turn left onto US 11; NY 26
0.1 mi·9 sec·US 11; NY 26
34
Continue on US 11; NY 79
31 mi·39 min·US 11; NY 79
35
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 79
0.1 mi·19 sec·Seneca Way
36
Continue on NY 79
0.9 mi·2 min·East Seneca Street
Use the straight lane.
37
Turn right onto Taughannock Boulevard
338 ft·15 sec·Taughannock Boulevard
38
Turn left onto NY 96
0.2 mi·21 sec·West Buffalo Street
39
Continue on NY 96
1.0 mi·2 min·Cliff Street
40
Continue on NY 96
8.7 mi·12 min·Trumansburg Road
41
Continue on NY 96
1.4 mi·2 min·East Main Street
42
Continue on NY 96
0.1 mi·11 sec·Trumansburg Road
43
Continue on NY 96
4.0 mi·5 min·State Highway 96
44
Turn right onto CR 141A
1.5 mi·2 min·Powell Road
45
Continue on CR 141
0.9 mi·1 min·County Road 141
46
Turn left onto NY 89
10 mi·13 min·State Highway 89
47
Turn left onto CR 128
2.4 mi·4 min·Ernsberger Road
48
At end of road, turn right onto NY 414
2.8 mi·4 min·Ovid Street
49
Turn left onto NY 336
1.8 mi·3 min·Townline Road
50
Turn right onto NY 96
6.2 mi·8 min·State Highway 96
51
Continue on NY 96
0.2 mi·36 sec·Fayette Street
52
Turn right onto NY 96
354 ft·16 sec·West River Street
53
Turn left onto NY 96
0.3 mi·27 sec·Washington Street
54
Continue on NY 96
0.9 mi·1 min·South Virginia Street
55
Turn left onto NY 96
0.2 mi·15 sec·North Road
56
Continue on NY 96
8.0 mi·11 min·State Highway 96
57
Continue on NY 96
1.9 mi·2 min·State Route 96
58
Continue on NY 96
1.4 mi·2 min·Main Street
59
Continue on NY 96
1.8 mi·2 min·State Route 96
60
Turn straight onto CR 13
0.5 mi·1 min·County Road 13
61
Continue on East Main Street
1.0 mi·2 min·East Main Street
62
Turn right onto Kendall Street
87 ft·2 sec·Kendall Street
63
Arrive at destination
Kendall Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 153 miles from Hempstead, NY, or about 3h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 73.8 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 67 miles or 1h 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 153 miles or 3h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Clifton Springs, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hempstead, NY 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 Hempstead, NY
This is one driving day of about 306 miles and 6h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 67 miles from Hempstead, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 73.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 153 mi from Hempstead, NY
· 3h 11m into the drive
The midpoint is around 153 miles from Hempstead, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before I 81 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 73.8 miles.
Arriving in Clifton Springs, NY
The final approach into Clifton Springs, NY 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 Clifton Springs, NY.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Hamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
Merchant’s clerk, Revolutionary War soldier, first Secretary Treasury of the United States: Alexander Hamilton’s life is memorialized at The Grange, the home he built on a country estate in uptown Man...
The final resting place of President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia, is the largest mausoleum in North America. It testifies to a people’s gratitude for the man who ended the bloodiest conflict...
Women’s Rights National Historical Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19-20, 1848. It is a story of struggles for civil rights, human r...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 284.9
Before the 1960s, almost everything about living authentically as a lesbian, a bisexual person or a gay man was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for civil r...
9 mi from route
~23 min detour
Free
near mile 21.1
The African Burial Ground stands as the oldest and largest known excavated burial site in North America for both free and enslaved Africans. It offers a profound testament to the enduring legacy of Af...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 21.1
Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, Castle Clinton marks the place where New York City began and reflects the growth of both the city and the nation. Built to defend the harbor during the War of...
11 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 21.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$50.37 one way
$100.74 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg107 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$54.47
$108.93
premium
$4.92
$59.31
$118.62
diesel
$5.61
$67.56
$135.12
Estimated Tolls: $22.97
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
New Jersey Turnpike
(2 mi)$0.28
Hempstead Turnpike
(2 mi)$0.14
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
$50
Tolls
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$98–$123
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 107.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
91.8
1
$32.13
$14.69
Efficient EV
76.5
0
$26.78
$12.24
EV Truck/SUV
122.4
1
$42.84
$19.58
Gas CO2
107 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 15, 2026
Origin
Hempstead, NY
Afternoon
in Hempstead on Thursday
Local time
2:27 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Clifton Springs, NY
Afternoon
in Clifton Springs on Thursday
Local time
2:27 PM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Ramapo, NY
153 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
12 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
6h 38m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Hempstead, NY to Clifton Springs, NY covers 306 miles and takes about 6h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 81, Christopher Columbus Highway, US 11. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 153 miles from Hempstead, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $50.37 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 36 significant decision points across 306 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 8.1 miles (I 295 / Clearview Expressway): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.8 miles (I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Hempstead, NY and Clifton Springs, NY, road signs point toward Upper Level, Njtp South: Hackensack, Hackensack, Albany and Lisle.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and Women's Rights National Historical Park. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
