Carthage, NY to Saint Lawrence Park, NY is 42.3 miles and takes about 58m via I 81 and State Route 3, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. Expect a straightforward drive that's mostly highway, making it a quick and easy option for a short excursion. Given the short distance and duration, it's ideal for a same-day trip, offering minimal travel time to your destination.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 81
19.2 mi
22m
State Route 3
6.4 mi
9m
I 781
4 mi
4m
US 11
2.9 mi
3m
Fort Drum Road
2.8 mi
3m
Great Bend Road
2.3 mi
3m
NY 12
1.2 mi
2m
Saint Lawrence Park Road
0.9 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 19.2 mi, about 22m
Traffic on I-81
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~377 veh/hr typical
· worst 563
Quietest
1 AM
~16 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
23.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 48 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carthage, NY and Saint Lawrence Park, NY.
1
Start on NY 126
0.1 mi·17 sec·State Street
2
Turn left onto NY 3
0.5 mi·40 sec·North School Street
3
Continue on NY 3
0.7 mi·59 sec·West End Avenue
4
Continue on NY 3
6.4 mi·9 min·State Route 3
5
Turn right onto NY 26
230 ft·5 sec·Martin Street Road
6
Continue on NY 26
0.2 mi·25 sec·State Highway 26
7
Continue on NY 26
2.3 mi·3 min·Great Bend Road
8
Continue on NY 26
2.8 mi·3 min·Fort Drum Road
9
Turn left onto US 11
2.9 mi·3 min·US 11
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 781 West
11
Continue on I 781
4.0 mi·4 min·I 781
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·31 sec
Exit 1AToward I 81 North: Canada
13
Merge onto I 81
19 mi·22 min·I 81
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 50NToward NY 12 North: Alexandria Bay
15
Turn straight onto NY 12
1.2 mi·2 min·NY 12
16
Turn left onto Saint Lawrence Park Road
0.9 mi·3 min·Saint Lawrence Park Road
17
Arrive at destination
Saint Lawrence Park Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 21.1 miles from Carthage, NY, 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 41.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|NY 3 / North School Street
Turn left onto NY 3 / North School Street
Navigation decision point
4
15.9 mi into trip|~24m in
Take the exit toward I 781 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 781 West
6
20.2 mi into trip|~28m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 81 North: Canada
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 1A
Toward I 81 North: Canada
5
39.7 mi into trip|~51m in
Take the exit toward NY 12 North: Alexandria Bay
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 50N
Toward NY 12 North: Alexandria Bay
4
41.4 mi into trip|~55m in|Saint Lawrence Park Road
Turn left onto Saint Lawrence Park Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.40 one way
$14.81 round trip
$4.45/gal25.4 MPG avg15 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.82
$8.02
$16.05
premium
$5.23
$8.71
$17.42
diesel
$6.18
$10.29
$20.58
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
12.7
0
$4.44
$2.03
Efficient EV
10.6
0
$3.70
$1.69
EV Truck/SUV
16.9
0
$5.92
$2.71
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Forecast as of Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Carthage, NY
Evening
in Carthage on Tuesday
Local time
5:37 PM
EDT
Current temp
27°F
Patchy Fog
SE 6 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 2:22AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 12:34PM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY
Destination
Saint Lawrence Park, NY
Evening
in Saint Lawrence Park on Tuesday
Local time
5:37 PM
EDT
Current temp
30°F
Mostly Clear
S 9 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 18 at 2:22AM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 12:34PM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY
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
58m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is primarily highway driving, with 80% of the 42.3 miles on major roads like I 81 and I 781. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch on I 81, covering 19.2 miles. The remaining portion will shift to State Route 3, offering a change of pace from the interstate. Expect frequent exits and merging traffic as you navigate the highway sections.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.2 mi on I 81.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 81 and State Route 3. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near NY 3 / North School Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 42.3 miles you will encounter 8 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 (NY 3 / North School Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 20.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 42.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.2 miles on I 81. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 (NY 3 / North School Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 20.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Saint Lawrence Park, NY before heading back.
