Origin
Chatham, NJ
Morning in Chatham on Sunday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chatham, NJ to Hamilton, 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 6m
Distance
51.5 mi
83 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 1m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chatham, NJ
Aisling Kerr
Hamilton, NJ
Garrison Gao
Trip Overview
This 51.5-mile drive from Chatham to Hamilton, New Jersey, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 6 minutes. Primarily utilizing the Garden State Parkway Southbound and the Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway, this route is heavily highway-focused, with 94% of the journey on high-speed roads. It's an ideal one-day trip, with an estimated fuel cost of around $9. Given its brevity and highway nature, you won't need to worry about overnight stays. The drive keeps you within the Northeast region, specifically within New Jersey for its entirety.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 35.3 mi | 43m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| NJ 24 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| NJ 33 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| NJ 124 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Old Corlies Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 35.3 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chatham, NJ and Hamilton, NJ.
1
Start on NJ 124
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
2
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 124
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
NJ 124
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward NJ 24 East
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
4
Merge onto NJ 24
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
NJ 24
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City, Newark
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward I 78 East Local: Newark
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 78
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 52
Toward GSP: G.S. Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP South
10
Merge onto GSP
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on Garden State Parkway
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Garden State Parkway Southbound
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
·
Garden State Parkway
13
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP
24 mi
·
27 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 100A
Toward NJ 33 East: Ocean Grove
Use the right lane.
15
Merge onto NJ 33
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 33
16
Turn right onto (17)
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Old Corlies Avenue
17
Turn right onto Gully Road
155 ft
·
4 sec
·
Gully Road
18
Arrive at destination
Gully Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.7 miles from Chatham, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 50 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
NJ 124
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 124
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward NJ 24 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward NJ 24 East
7
4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 78 East Local: Newark
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 78 East Local: Newark
7
7.6 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward GSP: G.S. Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 52
Toward GSP: G.S. Parkway
7
50 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward NJ 33 East: Ocean Grove
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 100A
Toward NJ 33 East: Ocean Grove
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.54 one way
$17.08 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.35 | $18.70 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.99 | $19.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.37 | $22.74 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.49
Garden State Parkway
(41.5 mi)
$2.49
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 18 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.41 | $2.47 |
| Efficient EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.51 | $2.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.21 | $3.30 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Hamilton, NJ
Morning in Hamilton on Sunday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°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
1 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 6m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this 51.5-mile journey. With 94% of the drive on highways, including significant stretches of the Garden State Parkway, you'll encounter consistent high-speed driving. The longest uninterrupted segment is 35.3 miles on the Garden State Parkway, allowing for extended periods of cruising. This profile means you're unlikely to find many opportunities for spontaneous stops on the side of the road, as the route is designed for efficient travel between your origin and destination.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35.3 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near NJ 124.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.5 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.8 miles (NJ 124): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Chatham, NJ and Hamilton, NJ, road signs point toward New York City, Newark and Gsp South.
New York City
3.6 mi in
|
~5m
Newark
3.6 mi in
|
~5m
Gsp South
7.9 mi in
|
~11m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 51.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 35.3 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.49 in tolls one way, starting with Garden State Parkway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Hamilton, 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 0.8 miles (NJ 124): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (4 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 Hamilton, 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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