The drive from The Bronx, NY to Saranac Lake, NY covers 291.1 miles and takes about 6h 3m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NY 17, Adirondack Northway, State Highway 73 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 111.7 miles on NY 17.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $47.92 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
145.5 miles from The Bronx, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 57m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 3m. Total distance: 291.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 3m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from The Bronx, NY to Saranac Lake, NY covers 291.1 miles and takes about 6h 3m, 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 46 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NY 17 is the longest continuous segment at about 111.7 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 6.8 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 33 significant decision points across 291.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 33 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
6.8 mi into trip|~12m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
9
7 mi into trip|~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 4 West: Paramus
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 72A
Toward NJ 4 West: Paramus
8
14 mi into trip|~22m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah
8
29.1 mi into trip|~42m in|NY 17
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 17 toward I 87 North, NY 17 North, New York State Thruway North: Albany
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 87 North, NY 17 North, New York State...
8
140.8 mi into trip|~2h 50m in
Take the exit toward I 787, US 9W: Albany, Troy
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 23
Toward I 787, US 9W: Albany, Troy
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between The Bronx, NY and Saranac Lake, NY, road signs point toward New York State Thruway North: Albany, Troy, Saratoga Springs, Glens Falls and Keene Valley.
New York State Thruway North: Albany
29.1 mi in|~42m|via NY 17
Troy
140.8 mi in|~2h 50m
Saratoga Springs
150.4 mi in|~3h 4m
Glens Falls
153.8 mi in|~3h 9m
Keene Valley
252.3 mi in|~5h 4m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
NY 17
111.7 mi
2h 8m
Adirondack Northway
97.7 mi
1h 53m
State Highway 73
18.7 mi
27m
NJ 17
14.7 mi
18m
I 787
9 mi
12m
NJ 4
6.7 mi
9m
Cascade Road
5.3 mi
7m
Saranac-Placid Road
4.9 mi
7m
Longest stretch:
NY 17
— 111.7 mi, about 2h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between The Bronx, NY and Saranac Lake, NY.
1
Start on Cruger Avenue
398 ft·30 sec·Cruger Avenue
2
Turn sharp right onto Bronxdale Avenue
384 ft·15 sec·Bronxdale Avenue
3
Turn right onto Hunt Avenue
0.2 mi·38 sec·Hunt Avenue
4
At end of road, turn right onto Rhinelander Avenue
0.1 mi·30 sec·Rhinelander Avenue
5
Continue on Unionport Road
0.2 mi·32 sec·Unionport Road
6
Turn right onto Morris Park Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Morris Park Avenue
7
Turn right onto East Tremont Avenue
0.2 mi·41 sec·East Tremont Avenue
8
Turn left onto East 177th Street
413 ft·13 sec·East 177th Street
9
Turn right onto Sheridan Boulevard
506 ft·8 sec·Sheridan Boulevard
Toward NY 895 South, I 95 South
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·20 sec
Toward I 95 South: Cross Bronx Expressway, George Washington Bridge
11
Merge onto I 95
2.6 mi·3 min·Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; US 1
0.7 mi·1 min·Trans-Manhattan Expressway
Toward Upper Level
13
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.6 mi·59 sec·George Washington Bridge (upper level)
14
Continue on I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.5 mi·48 sec·I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.6 mi·39 sec·I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; NJTP
0.1 mi·8 sec·I 95 EXPR; NJTP
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: HackensackUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·23 sec
Exit 72AToward NJ 4 West: ParamusUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto NJ 4
6.7 mi·9 min·NJ 4
Use the slight right lane.
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward GSP South, NJ 17 South, GSP North, NJ 17 North: Grand State Plaza, Newark, MahwahUse the straight lane.
21
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·36 sec
Toward NJ 17 North: MahwahUse the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Merge onto NJ 17
3.3 mi·4 min·NJ 17
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Continue on NJ 17
7.3 mi·9 min·NJ 17
Use the straight / right lanes.
24
Continue on NJ 17
0.7 mi·50 sec·NJ 17
25
Continue on NJ 17
3.3 mi·4 min·NJ 17
26
Continue on I 287; NY 17
0.2 mi·10 sec·I 287; NY 17
27
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 17
112 mi·2 hr 8 min·NY 17
Toward I 87 North, NY 17 North, New York State Thruway North: AlbanyUse the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Take the exit
0.3 mi·50 sec
Exit 23Toward I 787, US 9W: Albany, TroyUse the slight right lane.
29
Continue on I 787
9.0 mi·12 min·I 787
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 787
0.4 mi·29 sec·NY 787
31
Take the exit
0.3 mi·50 sec
Exit 9WToward NY 7 West: Schenectady, Saratoga SpringsUse the right lane.
32
Merge onto NY 7
3.1 mi·3 min·NY 7
33
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward I 87 North: Saratoga Springs, Glens Falls
34
Merge onto I 87
98 mi·1 hr 53 min·Adirondack Northway
35
Take the exit
0.3 mi·31 sec
Exit 30Toward US 9, NY 73: Keene, Keene Valley
36
Turn left onto US 9
2.2 mi·2 min·US Highway 9
37
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 73
11 mi·16 min·State Highway 73
38
Continue on NY 9N; NY 73
1.8 mi·3 min·State Highway 9N
39
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 73
7.2 mi·10 min·State Highway 73
40
Continue on NY 73
5.3 mi·7 min·Cascade Road
41
Turn slight left onto CR 35
3.6 mi·6 min·Old Military Road
42
At end of road, turn left onto NY 86
4.9 mi·7 min·Saranac-Placid Road
43
Continue on NY 86
1.2 mi·3 min·Lake Flower Avenue
44
At end of road, turn left onto NY 86
0.3 mi·42 sec·River Street
45
Turn right onto NY 3; NY 86
0.4 mi·42 sec·Church Street
46
Arrive at destination
NY 3; NY 86
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 145.5 miles from The Bronx, NY, or about 2h 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 111.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 64 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 145.5 miles or 2h 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saranac Lake, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving The Bronx, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from The Bronx, NY
This is one driving day of about 291.1 miles and 6h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 64 miles from The Bronx, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on NY 17 for about 111.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 145.5 mi from The Bronx, NY
· 2h 57m into the drive
The midpoint is around 145.5 miles from The Bronx, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before NY 17 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 111.7 miles.
Arriving in Saranac Lake, NY
The final approach into Saranac Lake, NY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Saranac Lake, NY.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Hamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
Merchant’s clerk, Revolutionary War soldier, first Secretary Treasury of the United States: Alexander Hamilton’s life is memorialized at The Grange, the home he built on a country estate in uptown Man...
The final resting place of President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia, is the largest mausoleum in North America. It testifies to a people’s gratitude for the man who ended the bloodiest conflict...
In 1777, a large British invasion force met an equally large American army here at Saratoga. After two intense battles, an eight-mile retreat, and a three-day siege, British General John Burgoyne surr...
9 mi from route
~21 min detour
Free
near mile 170.6
Before the 1960s, almost everything about living authentically as a lesbian, a bisexual person or a gay man was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for civil r...
The African Burial Ground stands as the oldest and largest known excavated burial site in North America for both free and enslaved Africans. It offers a profound testament to the enduring legacy of Af...
Here at Federal Hall, George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States, marking the beginning of the American constitutional republic. This historic site served as...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$47.92 one way
$95.83 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg102 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$51.81
$103.63
premium
$4.92
$56.42
$112.84
diesel
$5.61
$64.27
$128.54
Estimated Tolls: $16.00
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Tolls
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$89–$114
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 101.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
87.3
1
$30.57
$13.97
Efficient EV
72.8
0
$25.47
$11.64
EV Truck/SUV
116.4
1
$40.75
$18.63
Gas CO2
102 kg
EV CO2
34 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 16, 2026
Origin
The Bronx, NY
Afternoon
in The Bronx on Thursday
Local time
3:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Saranac Lake, NY
Afternoon
in Saranac Lake on Thursday
Local time
3:49 PM
EDT
Current temp
34°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
35°F
Hudson, NY
146 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
13 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
6h 3m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from The Bronx, NY to Saranac Lake, NY covers 291.1 miles and takes about 6h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NY 17, Adirondack Northway, State Highway 73. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 145.5 miles from The Bronx, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $47.92 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 33 significant decision points across 291.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between The Bronx, NY and Saranac Lake, NY, road signs point toward New York State Thruway North: Albany, Troy, Saratoga Springs, Glens Falls and Keene Valley.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and Saratoga National Historical Park. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.