Origin
Montague, NJ
Late night in Montague on Saturday
Local time
2:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montague, NJ to Clifton, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
55 mi
89 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great 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 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montague, NJ
Dajana Blakcori
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Montague, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 55 miles and takes about 1h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Walling Avenue, Deckertown Turnpike, Paterson - Hamburg Turnpike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.1 miles on Walling Avenue. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.12 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 55 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Montague, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 55 miles and takes about 1h 17m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Walling Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 18.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 42.3 miles in near NJ 23.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55 miles you will encounter 15 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 42.3 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 48.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
42.3 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
NJ 23
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 23
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
48.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
5
48.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 46 East: Clifton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 46 East: Clifton
7
53.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton...
5
53.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
CR 623 / Grove Street
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623 / Grove Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Walling Avenue | 18.1 mi | 27m |
| Deckertown Turnpike | 11 mi | 16m |
| Paterson - Hamburg Turnpike | 9.8 mi | 11m |
| NJ 23 | 7.1 mi | 8m |
| US 46 | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| Libertyville Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Van Houten Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Walling Avenue
— 18.1 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Montague, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on CR 521
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
River Road
2
Turn left onto CR 650
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Deckertown Turnpike
3
Turn left onto CR 653
33 ft
·
3 sec
·
Clove Road
4
Turn right onto CR 650
10 mi
·
15 min
·
Deckertown Turnpike
5
Continue on CR 650
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Libertyville Road
6
At end of road, turn right onto NJ 23
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 23
7
Continue on NJ 23
18 mi
·
27 min
·
Walling Avenue
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on NJ 23
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Paterson - Hamburg Turnpike
9
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 23
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
NJ 23
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
297 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward US 46 East: Clifton
12
Merge onto US 46
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
13
Continue on US 46
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Take the exit
452 ft
·
16 sec
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Use the slight right lane.
15
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
179 ft
·
9 sec
·
Grove Street
16
Turn left onto CR 614
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Houten Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Clifton Avenue
18
Turn left onto St James Place
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
St James Place
19
Turn right onto Donna Drive
522 ft
·
28 sec
·
Donna Drive
20
Turn left onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
21
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.5 mi from Montague, NJ · 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 27.5 miles from Montague, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Clifton, NJ
The final approach into Clifton, 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
$9.12 one way
$18.24 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.99 | $19.97 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.67 | $21.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.14 | $24.29 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.46
Deckertown Turnpike
(11 mi)
$0.77
Paterson - Hamburg Turnpike
(9.8 mi)
$0.69
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$1
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.77 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.81 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.70 | $3.52 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Clifton, NJ
Late night in Clifton on Saturday
Local time
2:12 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Bloomingdale, NJ
28 mi in
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
11 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 17m 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 Montague, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 55 miles and takes about 1h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Walling Avenue, Deckertown Turnpike, Paterson - Hamburg Turnpike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.5 miles from Montague, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.12 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 55 miles you will encounter 15 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 42.3 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 48.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Montague, NJ to Clifton, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. There are 5 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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