Origin
Cliffside Park, NJ
Late night in Cliffside Park on Sunday
Local time
12:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cliffside Park, 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
24m
Distance
14.9 mi
24 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
5 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cliffside Park, NJ
Malcolm Garret
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Cliffside Park, NJ to Clifton, NJ is 14.9 miles and takes about 24 minutes via US 46, US 1, and NJ 5, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within New Jersey, traversing the Northeast region. Expect a primarily highway-focused experience for this quick trip. It's an ideal route for a quick errand or connecting two points without a significant time commitment, perfect for a single-day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 46 | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| US 1 | 5.5 mi | 8m |
| NJ 5 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Anderson Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Van Houten Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| NJ 19 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Gorge Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 46
— 5.6 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cliffside Park, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on CR 27
75 ft
·
10 sec
·
Palisade Avenue
2
Turn sharp right onto CR S-25
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Gorge Road
3
Turn straight onto CR 29
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Anderson Avenue
4
Turn left onto Columbia Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Columbia Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Turn right onto Glen Road
384 ft
·
24 sec
·
Glen Road
6
Turn sharp left onto NJ 5
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
NJ 5
7
Turn slight right
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
8
Continue on East Homestead Avenue
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
East Homestead Avenue
9
Take the ramp
494 ft
·
12 sec
Toward US 46 West
Use the left lane.
10
Merge onto US 1; US 9; US 46
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
US 1; US 9; US 46
Use the straight / left lanes.
11
Continue on US 46
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
US 46
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward CR 509 South: Broad Street, Clifton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto NJ 19; CR 509
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
NJ 19; CR 509
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn left onto CR 614
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Van Houten Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Clifton Avenue
17
Turn left onto St James Place
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
St James Place
18
Turn right onto Donna Drive
522 ft
·
28 sec
·
Donna Drive
19
Turn left onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
20
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 13.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR S-25 / Gorge Road
Turn sharp right onto CR S-25 / Gorge Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
NJ 5
Turn sharp left onto NJ 5
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
8
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward US 46 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward US 46 West
6
11 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 46
Keep slight right at fork onto US 46
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
13.1 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward CR 509 South: Broad Street, Clifton
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 CR 509 South: Broad Street, Clifton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.47 one way
$4.94 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.71 | $5.41 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.89 | $5.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.29 | $6.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.56 | $0.72 |
| Efficient EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.30 | $0.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6 | 0 | $2.09 | $0.95 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Late night in Clifton on Sunday
Local time
12:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
24m 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?
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 81% of the journey on higher-speed roads. You'll encounter stretches on US 46, US 1, and NJ 5, offering a consistent, fast-paced experience. The longest uninterrupted segment is 5.6 miles on US 46, allowing for a good flow without frequent interruptions. The road's character remains largely consistent, emphasizing efficient travel between your starting and ending points.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.6 mi on US 46.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 46 and US 1. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR S-25 / Gorge Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 14.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR S-25 / Gorge Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1 miles (NJ 5): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 14.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.6 miles on US 46. 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: near the start (CR S-25 / Gorge Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1 miles (NJ 5): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area (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 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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