Origin
West Milford, NJ
Morning in West Milford on Monday
Local time
6:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Milford, NJ to Middletown, NJ
Drive Time
1h 36m
Distance
71.6 mi
115 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 29m
★
6 AM
1h 37m
8 AM
1h 51m
10 AM
1h 42m
12 PM
1h 40m
3 PM
1h 42m
5 PM
1h 50m
8 PM
1h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Milford, NJ
James Kampeis
Middletown, NJ
Alexa V. Mato
Trip Overview
The drive from West Milford, NJ to Middletown, NJ covers 71.6 miles and takes about 1h 36m 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 23, Union Valley Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 29.1 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
35.8 miles from West Milford, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 46m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 1h 36m highway drive covering 71.6 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and NJ 23. The longest continuous stretch is about 29.1 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 26 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 29.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and NJ 23. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.5 miles in near CR 513.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 71.6 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 7.5 miles (CR 513): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.5 miles (ramp to GSP Southbound): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
7.5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
CR 513
At end of road, turn left onto CR 513
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
17.9 mi into trip
|
~23m 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.
6
29.5 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
ramp to GSP Southbound
Take the exit onto ramp to GSP Southbound toward GSP Toll South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward GSP Toll South
8
65.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
Take the exit toward NJ 35, NJ 36 South: Hazlet, Keyport
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 117
Toward NJ 35, NJ 36 South: Hazlet, Keyport
8
65.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 26m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 35: Hazlet
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 35: Hazlet
Towns Along This Route
Between West Milford, NJ and Middletown, NJ, road signs point toward Clifton, Gsp Toll South and Keyport.
Clifton
24.1 mi in
|
~31m
Gsp Toll South
29.5 mi in
|
~37m
|
via ramp to GSP Southbound
Keyport
65.1 mi in
|
~1h 25m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 29.1 mi | 38m |
| NJ 23 | 16.6 mi | 19m |
| Union Valley Road | 7.1 mi | 10m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| NJ 35 | 5.3 mi | 8m |
| US 46 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| NJ 3 | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| CR 513 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 29.1 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Milford, NJ and Middletown, NJ.
1
Start on this road
40 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto CR 513
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Union Valley Road
3
Keep slight right at fork onto CR 513
6.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Union Valley Road
4
Take the ramp onto CR 513
179 ft
·
5 sec
·
CR 513
5
Continue on NJ 23; CR 513
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
NJ 23; CR 513
6
Take the exit onto CR 513
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
CR 513
7
At end of road, turn left onto CR 513
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
CR 513
Use the left lane.
8
At end of road, turn left onto NJ 23; CR 513
10 mi
·
12 min
·
NJ 23; CR 513
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
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn slight left onto NJ 3
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit onto ramp to GSP Southbound
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
ramp to GSP Southbound
Toward GSP Toll South
Use the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto GSP
22 mi
·
30 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on Garden State Parkway
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Garden State Parkway Southbound
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
·
Garden State Parkway
19
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 117
Toward NJ 35, NJ 36 South: Hazlet, Keyport
Use the slight right lane.
21
Keep slight left at fork
165 ft
·
4 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
22
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward NJ 35: Hazlet
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Merge onto NJ 35
5.3 mi
·
8 min
·
NJ 35
24
Turn right onto CR 50
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
New Monmouth Road
25
At end of road, turn right onto CR 50
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Kings Highway
26
Arrive at destination
CR 50
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 35.8 miles from West Milford, NJ, or about 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 29.1 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 71.6 miles or 1h 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 35.8 miles or 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Middletown, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving West Milford, NJ 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 West Milford, NJ
This is one driving day of about 71.6 miles and 1h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from West Milford, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Garden State Parkway for about 29.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 35.8 mi from West Milford, NJ · 46m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 71.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.8 miles from West Milford, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Middletown, NJ
The final approach into Middletown, NJ 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 Middletown, NJ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.85 one way
$23.70 round trip
$4.20/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $12.96 | $25.93 |
| premium | $4.92 | $13.87 | $27.75 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $15.91 | $31.81 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.12
Garden State Parkway
(35.3 mi)
$2.12
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
$12
Tolls
$2
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.52 | $3.44 |
| Efficient EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.6 | 0 | $10.02 | $4.58 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Middletown, NJ
Morning in Middletown on Monday
Local time
6:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 36m 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 West Milford, NJ to Middletown, NJ covers 71.6 miles and takes about 1h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, NJ 23, Union Valley Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.8 miles from West Milford, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.85 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 demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 71.6 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 7.5 miles (CR 513): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.5 miles (ramp to GSP Southbound): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between West Milford, NJ and Middletown, NJ, road signs point toward Clifton, Gsp Toll South and Keyport.
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