Origin
Middletown, NJ
Night in Middletown on Thursday
Local time
10:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Middletown, NJ to Ridgewood, NJ
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
52.8 mi
85 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Middletown, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Ridgewood, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Middletown, NJ to Ridgewood, NJ covers 52.8 miles and takes about 1h 18m 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, NJ 35, Lincoln Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 37.2 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.75 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 52.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 18m highway drive covering 52.8 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and NJ 35. The longest continuous stretch is about 37.2 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 22 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 37.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and NJ 35. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.8 miles you will encounter 17 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 5.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
5.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward GSP: Clark Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward GSP: Clark Street
8
6.2 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Local, All Exits
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Local, All Exits
7
43.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward NJ 19: Paterson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 155A
Toward NJ 19: Paterson
8
46 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Grand Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Grand Street
7
46.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
CR 638 / Grand Street
Turn right onto CR 638 / Grand Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Middletown, NJ and Ridgewood, NJ, road signs point toward Local, All Exits and Del Water Gap.
Local
6.2 mi in
|
~10m
All Exits
6.2 mi in
|
~10m
Del Water Gap
46 mi in
|
~1h 4m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 37.2 mi | 50m |
| NJ 35 | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| Lincoln Avenue | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| River Street | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| NJ 19 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Godwin Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| New Monmouth Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 37.2 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Middletown, NJ and Ridgewood, NJ.
1
Start on CR 50
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Kings Highway
2
Turn left onto CR 50
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
New Monmouth Road
3
Turn left onto NJ 35
5.2 mi
·
8 min
·
NJ 35
Use the right lane.
4
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP: Clark Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
Toward Local, All Exits
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto GSP
37 mi
·
50 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 155A
Toward NJ 19: Paterson
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Merge onto NJ 19
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 19
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
313 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 80 West: Grand Street, Del Water Gap
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
Toward Grand Street
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto CR 638
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Grand Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn left onto CR 509
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn right onto River Street
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
River Street
14
Turn right onto 2nd Avenue
350 ft
·
11 sec
·
2nd Avenue
15
Turn left onto East 19th Street
509 ft
·
10 sec
·
East 19th Street
16
Continue on CR 504; CR 653
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Lincoln Avenue
17
At end of road, turn right onto CR 80
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Godwin Avenue
18
Continue on CR 80
412 ft
·
16 sec
·
Wilsey Square
19
Continue on CR 80
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Garber Square
20
Turn right onto North Broad Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
North Broad Street
21
Turn left onto East Ridgewood Avenue
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
East Ridgewood Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
East Ridgewood Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.4 mi from Middletown, NJ · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.4 miles from Middletown, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ridgewood, NJ
The final approach into Ridgewood, NJ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.75 one way
$17.51 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.59 | $19.17 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.24 | $20.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.66 | $23.32 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.23
Garden State Parkway
(37.2 mi)
$2.23
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.54 | $2.53 |
| Efficient EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.62 | $2.11 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.1 | 0 | $7.39 | $3.38 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Ridgewood, NJ
Night in Ridgewood on Thursday
Local time
10:51 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
15 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
1h 18m 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 Ridgewood, NJ covers 52.8 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, NJ 35, Lincoln 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 26.4 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 $8.75 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 52.8 miles you will encounter 17 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 5.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Middletown, NJ and Ridgewood, NJ, road signs point toward Local, All Exits and Del Water Gap.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Ridgewood, NJ
More trips to Ridgewood, NJ
Explore more options from Middletown, NJ or browse trips ending in Ridgewood, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.
Explore maps for Middletown, NJ or Ridgewood, NJ on MapSof.net.