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Trip from Montague, NJ to Paterson, NJ

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 15m

Distance

54.4 mi

87 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Fair

4 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 10m ★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m

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

Downtown Montague, NJ, NJ

Montague, NJ

Dajana Blakcori

city in and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States

Paterson, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Montague, NJ to Paterson, NJ is 54.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes via Walling Avenue and Deckertown Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This journey stays within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region towards another part of the Northeast. The drive primarily utilizes local roads, offering a more connected feel to the landscape rather than a high-speed interstate experience. It's a straightforward trip, ideal for a quick transition between two points in the state, and easily manageable within a single day.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 54.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (52%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

This drive offers a mixed experience, with 52% of the route on highways. You'll encounter stretches on Walling Avenue, Deckertown Turnpike, and Paterson - Hamburg Turnpike. The longest uninterrupted drive segment is 18.1 miles on Walling Avenue, allowing for a sustained period of travel before any significant changes in road type. Expect a blend of faster-paced sections and more local road driving as you progress towards Paterson.

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 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.4 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 42.3 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.3 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.

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.
7
48.5 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: New York

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 80 East: New York
8
53.3 mi into trip | ~1h 13m in

Take the exit toward NJ 19: Downtown, Paterson

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 57B Toward NJ 19: Downtown, Paterson
8
53.7 mi into trip | ~1h 14m 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
53.8 mi into trip | ~1h 14m 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.

On the drive from Montague, NJ to Paterson, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Clifton along the way.

Clifton

48.5 mi in | ~1h 7m

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
Christopher Columbus Highway 4.3 mi 4m
Libertyville Road 2.2 mi 3m
Main Street 0.3 mi <1m
Grand Street 0.2 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 Paterson, 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 left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 80 East: New York Use the slight left lane.
12

Merge onto I 80

4.3 mi · 4 min · Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Exit 57B Toward NJ 19: Downtown, Paterson Use the slight right lane.
14

Merge onto NJ 19

474 ft · 5 sec · NJ 19
15

Take the exit

313 ft · 7 sec
Toward I 80 West: Grand Street, Del Water Gap
16

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 23 sec
Toward Grand Street Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
17

Turn right onto CR 638

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Grand Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18

Turn left onto CR 509

0.3 mi · 29 sec · Main Street
Use the straight lane.
19

Turn right onto CR 648

453 ft · 15 sec · Market Street
20

Turn left onto Colt Street

42 ft · 3 sec · Colt Street
21

Arrive at destination

Colt Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 27.2 mi from Montague, NJ · 40m into the drive

Downtown Bloomingdale, NJ, NJ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bloomingdale, NJ

27 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

Sussex, NJ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lake Telemark, NJ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.2 miles from Montague, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Paterson, NJ

The final approach into Paterson, 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

$9.02 one way

$18.04 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $9.88 $19.76
premium $4.93 $10.55 $21.10
diesel $5.61 $12.01 $24.02

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

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 19 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 16.3 0 $5.71 $2.61
Efficient EV 13.6 0 $4.76 $2.18
EV Truck/SUV 21.8 0 $7.62 $3.48

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Montague, NJ

Night in Montague on Friday

Local time

9:13 PM

EDT

Current temp

58°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Paterson, NJ

Night in Paterson on Friday

Local time

9:13 PM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

44°F

Bloomingdale, NJ

27 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

3 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 15m 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 Paterson, NJ covers 54.4 miles and takes about 1h 15m 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 27.2 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 $9.02 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 54.4 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 42.3 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

On the drive from Montague, NJ to Paterson, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Clifton along the way.

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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