Origin
Middletown, NJ
Late night in Middletown on Friday
Local time
2:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Middletown, NJ to Dayton, NJ
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
45m
Distance
26 mi
42 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Middletown, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Dayton, NJ
Tashaud Bullock
Trip Overview
The drive from Middletown, NJ to Dayton, NJ covers 26 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Newman Springs Road, Forsgate Drive, Texas Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.7 miles on Newman Springs Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.31 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 26 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 45m drive with frequent turns across 26 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Newman Springs Road is the longest continuous segment at about 8.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Red Hill Road.
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 26 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.3 miles (Red Hill Road): Navigation decision point; at 14.1 miles (CR 520 / Texas Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles (CR 612 / Forsgate Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Red Hill Road
Turn left onto Red Hill Road
Navigation decision point
5
14.1 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
CR 520 / Texas Road
Turn left onto CR 520 / Texas Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
20.7 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
CR 612 / Forsgate Drive
Turn left onto CR 612 / Forsgate Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
24.3 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
US 130
Merge onto US 130
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
24.8 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Newman Springs Road | 8.7 mi | 13m |
| Forsgate Drive | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| Texas Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| Matchaponix Avenue | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Pergola Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Holland Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Holmdel Middletown Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Middletown Road | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Newman Springs Road
— 8.7 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Middletown, NJ and Dayton, NJ.
1
Start on CR 50
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Kings Highway
2
Turn left onto Red Hill Road
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Red Hill Road
3
Turn right onto Holland Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Holland Road
4
Turn left onto CR 52
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Schoick Road
5
Continue on CR 52
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Red Hill Road
6
Continue on Middletown Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Middletown Road
7
Continue on Holmdel Middletown Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Holmdel Middletown Road
8
Turn right onto CR 520
8.7 mi
·
13 min
·
Newman Springs Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto CR 520
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Texas Road
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn straight onto Matchaponix Avenue
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Matchaponix Avenue
11
Continue on CR 612
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Pergola Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto CR 522; CR 612
313 ft
·
12 sec
·
Buckelew Avenue
13
Turn left onto CR 612
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Forsgate Drive
Use the left lane.
14
Turn slight right
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
Toward US 130 North: New Brunswick
15
Merge onto US 130
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
·
US 130
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Take the exit
312 ft
·
8 sec
Use the straight / left lanes.
17
Continue on CR 697
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Georges Road
18
Turn right
45 ft
·
6 sec
19
Turn left
176 ft
·
16 sec
20
Turn left
30 ft
·
2 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.31 one way
$8.62 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.72 | $9.44 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.04 | $10.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.74 | $11.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.1 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 | 7.8 | 0 | $2.73 | $1.25 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.64 | $1.66 |
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
Dayton, NJ
Late night in Dayton on Friday
Local time
2:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°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
25 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
45m 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 Middletown, NJ to Dayton, NJ covers 26 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Newman Springs Road, Forsgate Drive, Texas Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13 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 $4.31 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 26 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.3 miles (Red Hill Road): Navigation decision point; at 14.1 miles (CR 520 / Texas Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles (CR 612 / Forsgate Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Middletown, NJ to Dayton, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Gateway National Recreation Area, Morristown National Historical Park and Thomas Edison National Historical Park.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Dayton, NJ
More trips to Dayton, NJ
Explore more options from Middletown, NJ or browse trips ending in Dayton, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.