Origin
Short Hills, NJ
Late night in Short Hills on Saturday
Local time
1:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Short Hills, 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
31m
Distance
17.3 mi
28 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Short Hills, NJ
MINEIA MARTINS
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 17.3-mile drive from Short Hills, NJ, to Clifton, NJ, is easily managed in about 31 minutes, making it perfect for a quick day trip. You'll primarily navigate via South Orange Avenue and the Garden State Parkway, with a portion on Allwood Road. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $3, this route offers a straightforward journey through the Northeast region of New Jersey. Since it's such a brief trip, you won't need an overnight stay, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 17.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a mixed drive experience on this journey, with 36% of the route utilizing highway travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 6.2 miles along South Orange Avenue. This drive balances faster-paced highway sections with more local road driving, offering a varied feel behind the wheel. As you progress, you'll notice the transition from potentially busier main roads to the specific characteristics of Allwood Road in the latter part of your trip.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Orange Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 6.2 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 0.2 miles in near CR 608 / White Oak Ridge Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 17.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CR 608 / White Oak Ridge Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (CR 608 / White Oak Ridge Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (CR 510 / South Orange Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 608 / White Oak Ridge Road
At end of road, turn right onto CR 608 / White Oak Ridge Road
Navigation decision point
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CR 608 / White Oak Ridge Road
At end of road, turn left onto CR 608 / White Oak Ridge Road
Navigation decision point
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CR 510 / South Orange Avenue
Turn right onto CR 510 / South Orange Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
7.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
14th Avenue
Keep slight left at fork onto 14th Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
13.7 mi into trip
|
~24m 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
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Short Hills, NJ and Clifton, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North, Montclair and Nutley.
Gsp Toll North
7.4 mi in
|
~15m
Montclair
13.7 mi in
|
~24m
Nutley
13.7 mi in
|
~24m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Orange Avenue | 6.2 mi | 12m |
| Garden State Parkway | 6.1 mi | 8m |
| Allwood Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| White Oak Ridge Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Passaic Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East Passaic Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Bloomfield Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Orange Avenue
— 6.2 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Short Hills, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on Westview Road
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Westview Road
2
At end of road, turn right onto CR 608
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
White Oak Ridge Road
3
At end of road, turn left onto CR 608
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
White Oak Ridge Road
4
Turn right onto CR 510
6.2 mi
·
12 min
·
South Orange Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Turn right onto Oraton Parkway
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Oraton Parkway
Use the left lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto 14th Avenue
349 ft
·
8 sec
·
14th Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward GSP Toll North
8
Merge onto GSP
6.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Garden State Parkway
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 151
Toward Montclair, Nutley
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto CR 655
483 ft
·
15 sec
·
Watchung Avenue
11
At end of road, turn left onto CR 652
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Passaic Avenue
12
Turn right onto CR 622
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
West Passaic Avenue
13
Turn left onto CR 622
411 ft
·
7 sec
·
Darling Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on CR 622
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Bloomfield Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Enter roundabout onto CR 602
261 ft
·
4 sec
·
Allwood Road
16
Continue on CR 602
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Allwood Road
17
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Clifton Avenue
18
Turn right onto Olga B Terrace
174 ft
·
9 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
19
Turn right onto Hutton Road
39 ft
·
6 sec
·
Hutton Road
20
Turn left onto Olga B Terrace
441 ft
·
25 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
21
Turn left onto Donna Drive
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Donna Drive
22
Turn right onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
23
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.87 one way
$5.74 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.14 | $6.28 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.36 | $6.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.82 | $7.64 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.37
Garden State Parkway
(6.1 mi)
$0.37
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.51 | $0.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.11 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Clifton, NJ
Late night in Clifton on Saturday
Local time
1:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
24 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
31m 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 Short Hills, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 17.3 miles and takes about 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Orange Avenue, Garden State Parkway, Allwood Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.6 miles from Short Hills, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.87 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 is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 17.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CR 608 / White Oak Ridge Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (CR 608 / White Oak Ridge Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (CR 510 / South Orange Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Between Short Hills, NJ and Clifton, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North, Montclair and Nutley.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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