Origin
Blairstown, NJ
Afternoon in Blairstown on Sunday
Local time
12:17 PM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Blairstown, NJ to Clifton, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
53.6 mi
86 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Blairstown, NJ
James Kampeis
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Blairstown, NJ to Clifton, NJ is 53.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 7 minutes via Christopher Columbus Highway and US 46, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Northeast region, specifically New Jersey, offering a local perspective. Expect a route that involves frequent turns and a mix of road types. It's a straightforward trip, ideal for a single day with minimal planning needed. Consider this if you're looking for a direct connection between these two points without extensive travel time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 41.3 mi | 47m |
| US 46 | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| Hope Road | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| Hope - Blairstown Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Van Houten Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Hope - Blairstorm Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| NJ 94 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Christopher Columbus Highway
— 41.3 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Blairstown, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on Carhart Street
391 ft
·
25 sec
·
Carhart Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto NJ 94
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
NJ 94
3
Continue on CR 521
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Hope Road
4
Continue on CR 521
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Hope - Blairstorm Road
5
Continue on CR 521
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Hope - Blairstown Road
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 80 East: Netcong
7
Merge onto I 80
41 mi
·
47 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 53
Toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto US 46
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
10
Continue on US 46
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Take the exit
452 ft
·
16 sec
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Use the slight right lane.
12
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
179 ft
·
9 sec
·
Grove Street
13
Turn left onto CR 614
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Houten Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Clifton Avenue
15
Turn left onto St James Place
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
St James Place
16
Turn right onto Donna Drive
522 ft
·
28 sec
·
Donna Drive
17
Turn left onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
18
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.8 miles from Blairstown, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 52.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NJ 94
At end of road, turn left onto NJ 94
Navigation decision point
5
5.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 80 / Christopher Columbus Highway
Merge onto I 80 / Christopher Columbus Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
47 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
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 53
Toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunn...
7
52 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m 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
52.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
CR 623 / Grove Street
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623 / Grove Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.89 one way
$17.77 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.73 | $19.46 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.40 | $20.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.83 | $23.67 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 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 | 16.1 | 0 | $5.63 | $2.57 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.69 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.50 | $3.43 |
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
Afternoon in Clifton on Sunday
Local time
12:17 PM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 3 to 12 mph
4% chance
Live forecast
43°F
Wharton, 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
50 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 7m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is characterized by frequent turns, earning it a 'Turn-heavy local drive' profile. With only a 9% highway share, you'll mostly be on local roads, including sections of Hope Road, US 46, and the Christopher Columbus Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 41.3 miles on the Christopher Columbus Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before returning to more varied road conditions. Prepare for a dynamic driving experience with frequent adjustments in direction and speed.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41.3 mi on Christopher Columbus Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near NJ 94.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.1 miles (NJ 94): Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles (I 80 / Christopher Columbus Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 47 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Clifton, NJ
Full guide →Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 53.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 41.3 miles on Christopher Columbus Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Clifton, NJ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (NJ 94): Navigation decision point; at 5.8 miles (I 80 / Christopher Columbus Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 47 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park (5 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Clifton, NJ before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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