Skip to main content

Trip from Middlesex, NJ to Clifton, NJ

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

51m

Distance

31.3 mi

50 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 47m ★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 49m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

borough in New Jersey, USA

Middlesex, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States

Clifton, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 31.3-mile drive from Middlesex to Clifton, New Jersey, can be completed in about 51 minutes, making it an easy day trip. You'll navigate primarily via US 22 and the Garden State Parkway, with a short section on Allwood Road to reach your destination. Given its short distance and focused highway profile, this route is best suited for a single, efficient journey rather than an overnight split. Expect a fuel cost of around $5 for this trip. Both your origin and destination are within the Northeast region, so you'll remain in familiar territory throughout this New Jersey excursion.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 31.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

51m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 83% of the journey on faster-paced roads. You'll experience a continuous stretch of 15.4 miles on US 22, offering a consistent driving experience for a significant portion of the trip. The profile suggests a drive that prioritizes efficiency over varied scenery, with most of your time spent on well-maintained, high-speed roadways. Expect a smooth, relatively uninterrupted flow as you make your way across the state.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 22 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 22 and Garden State Parkway. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near Greenbrook Road.

Driving Effort 5/10

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 31.3 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 1 miles (Greenbrook Road): Navigation decision point; at 17.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
1 mi into trip | ~2m in | Greenbrook Road

At end of road, turn right onto Greenbrook Road

Navigation decision point

5
17.3 mi into trip | ~29m in | GSP / Garden State Parkway

Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
27.8 mi into trip | ~43m 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
29 mi into trip | ~45m in | CR 622 / Darling Avenue

Turn left onto CR 622 / Darling Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
31 mi into trip | ~49m in | Hutton Road

Turn right onto Hutton Road

Navigation decision point

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Middlesex, NJ and Clifton, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North: Paterson, Montclair and Nutley.

Gsp Toll North: Paterson

17 mi in | ~28m

Montclair

27.8 mi in | ~43m

Nutley

27.8 mi in | ~43m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 22 15.4 mi 24m
Garden State Parkway 10.5 mi 14m
Allwood Road 1 mi 1m
Mountain Avenue 0.7 mi 1m
Clifton Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
West Passaic Avenue 0.5 mi <1m
Greenbrook Road 0.5 mi 1m
East Passaic Avenue 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 22 — 15.4 mi, about 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Middlesex, NJ and Clifton, NJ.

1

Start on Mountain Avenue

0.7 mi · 1 min · Mountain Avenue
2

Turn left onto NJ 28

0.2 mi · 26 sec · Bound Brook Road
3

Turn slight right onto Ramsey Road

510 ft · 25 sec · Ramsey Road
4

At end of road, turn right onto Greenbrook Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Greenbrook Road
5

Continue on Sebrings Mills Road

347 ft · 15 sec · Sebrings Mills Road
6

Turn right onto US 22

8.6 mi · 13 min · US 22
7

Continue on US 22

5.4 mi · 8 min · US 22
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on US 22

1.4 mi · 2 min · US 22
9

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Toward GSP Toll North: Paterson
10

Merge onto GSP

10 mi · 14 min · Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Exit 151 Toward Montclair, Nutley Use the slight right lane.
12

Turn right onto CR 655

483 ft · 15 sec · Watchung Avenue
13

At end of road, turn left onto CR 652

0.4 mi · 45 sec · East Passaic Avenue
14

Turn right onto CR 622

0.5 mi · 52 sec · West Passaic Avenue
15

Turn left onto CR 622

411 ft · 7 sec · Darling Avenue
Use the left lane.
16

Continue on CR 622

0.4 mi · 37 sec · Bloomfield Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
17

Enter roundabout onto CR 602

261 ft · 4 sec · Allwood Road
18

Continue on CR 602

1.0 mi · 1 min · Allwood Road
19

Turn right onto NJ 161

0.5 mi · 1 min · Clifton Avenue
20

Turn right onto Olga B Terrace

174 ft · 9 sec · Olga B Terrace
21

Turn right onto Hutton Road

39 ft · 6 sec · Hutton Road
22

Turn left onto Olga B Terrace

441 ft · 25 sec · Olga B Terrace
23

Turn left onto Donna Drive

0.1 mi · 33 sec · Donna Drive
24

Turn right 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 15.7 mi from Middlesex, NJ · 26m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

16 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

New York City, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 15.7 miles from Middlesex, 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

$5.19 one way

$10.38 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $5.68 $11.37
premium $4.93 $6.07 $12.14
diesel $5.61 $6.91 $13.82

Estimated Tolls: $0.63

Garden State Parkway (10.5 mi) $0.63

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Tolls

$1

Total

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.4 0 $3.29 $1.50
Efficient EV 7.8 0 $2.74 $1.25
EV Truck/SUV 12.5 0 $4.38 $2.00

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Middlesex, NJ

Late night in Middlesex on Friday

Local time

4:04 AM

EDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Clifton, NJ

Late night in Clifton on Friday

Local time

4:04 AM

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

7 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

51m 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 Middlesex, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 31.3 miles and takes about 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 22, Garden State Parkway, Allwood 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 15.7 miles from Middlesex, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.19 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 31.3 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 1 miles (Greenbrook Road): Navigation decision point; at 17.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Middlesex, NJ and Clifton, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North: Paterson, 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.

How this page is built

Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Middlesex, NJ or browse trips ending in Clifton, NJ.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.