The drive from Middletown, NJ to Passaic, NJ covers 136.8 miles and takes about 2h 51m 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, CR 631, Bloomfield Avenue for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 126.1 miles on Garden State Parkway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.68 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
68.4 miles from Middletown, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 23m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 51m. Total distance: 136.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 51m highway drive covering 136.8 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and CR 631. The longest continuous stretch is about 126.1 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 25 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 126.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and CR 631. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near NJ 50.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 136.8 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: near the start (NJ 50): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (CR 631): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|NJ 50
Turn left onto NJ 50
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in|CR 631
Turn left onto CR 631
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
6.1 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the ramp toward GSP Toll North, US 9 Toll North
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward GSP Toll North, US 9 Toll North
6
34.2 mi into trip|~42m in|GSP / Garden State Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
132.9 mi into trip|~2h 44m 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
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Garden State Parkway
126.1 mi
2h 33m
CR 631
4.9 mi
7m
Bloomfield Avenue
1.3 mi
2m
Broadway
1 mi
1m
West Roosevelt Boulevard
0.6 mi
1m
West Passaic Avenue
0.5 mi
<1m
East Passaic Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
NJ 50
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 126.1 mi, about 2h 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Middletown, NJ and Passaic, NJ.
1
Start on Washington Avenue
55 ft·5 sec·Washington Avenue
2
Turn left onto NJ 50
0.3 mi·35 sec·NJ 50
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto CR 631
4.9 mi·7 min·CR 631
Use the left lane.
4
Turn straight onto CR 662
0.2 mi·25 sec·Old Tuckahoe Road
5
Turn straight onto CR 623
0.6 mi·1 min·West Roosevelt Boulevard
6
Take the ramp
253 ft·6 sec
Toward GSP Toll North, US 9 Toll North
7
Continue on GSP Northbound entrance
0.3 mi·32 sec·GSP Northbound entrance
Toward GSP, US 9 North
8
Merge onto US 9; GSP
28 mi·32 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
50 mi·58 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·31 sec
11
Continue on GSP
48 mi·1 hr 2 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·21 sec
Exit 151Toward Montclair, NutleyUse the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto CR 655
483 ft·15 sec·Watchung Avenue
14
At end of road, turn left onto CR 652
0.4 mi·45 sec·East Passaic Avenue
15
Turn right onto CR 622
0.5 mi·52 sec·West Passaic Avenue
16
Turn left onto CR 622
411 ft·7 sec·Darling Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on CR 622
0.4 mi·37 sec·Bloomfield Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Enter roundabout onto CR 622
173 ft·3 sec·Bloomfield Avenue
19
Continue on CR 622
0.5 mi·52 sec·Bloomfield Avenue
20
Continue on CR 622
0.2 mi·21 sec·Bloomfield Avenue
21
Continue on CR 622
0.2 mi·17 sec·Bloomfield Avenue
22
Continue on CR 622
1.0 mi·1 min·Broadway
23
Turn right onto CR 618
0.2 mi·23 sec·Paulison Avenue
24
Turn left onto Passaic Avenue
95 ft·2 sec·Passaic Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
Passaic Avenue
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 68.4 miles from Middletown, NJ, or about 1h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 126.1 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 30 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 68.4 miles or 1h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Passaic, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Middletown, NJ 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 Middletown, NJ
This is one driving day of about 136.8 miles and 2h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Middletown, NJ.
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 Garden State Parkway for about 126.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 68.4 mi from Middletown, NJ
· 1h 23m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Thomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Today, the brick buildings on Main Street in West Orange, NJ seem quiet, betraying little evidence of the research, development, and innovation of their heyday. Visitors can step back in time to Thoma...
Silk cloth and steam locomotives; textiles and continuous paper rolls; firearms and aircraft engines. What do these things have in common? All were manufactured in the same place - Paterson, NJ. In 17...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 136.8
Morristown National Historical Park commemorates the sites of General Washington and the Continental Army’s winter encampment from December 1779 to June 1780, where soldiers survived the coldest winte...
15 mi from route
~38 min detour
Free
near mile 122.6
Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for...
18 mi from route
~45 min detour
Free
near mile 94.3
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
41
0
$14.36
$6.57
Efficient EV
34.2
0
$11.97
$5.47
EV Truck/SUV
54.7
0
$19.15
$8.76
Gas CO2
48 kg
EV CO2
16 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Middletown, NJ
Late night
in Middletown on Saturday
Local time
2:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Passaic, NJ
Late night
in Passaic on Saturday
Local time
2:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 10 mph5% chanceLive forecast
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
44 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
2h 51m 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 Middletown, NJ to Passaic, NJ covers 136.8 miles and takes about 2h 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, CR 631, Bloomfield Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 68.4 miles from Middletown, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $22.68 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 136.8 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: near the start (NJ 50): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (CR 631): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Middletown, NJ to Passaic, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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 by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
