Origin
Clifton, NJ
Afternoon in Clifton on Sunday
Local time
12:34 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clifton, NJ to Frenchtown, 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 24m
Distance
63.2 mi
102 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Frenchtown, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Clifton, NJ to Frenchtown, NJ is 63.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 24 minutes via I 287 and US 46, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region towards a more central part of the state. Given its relatively short distance and predominantly highway profile, it's a straightforward trip suitable for a single day. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, making it a quick way to cover the ground between these two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 287 | 19.2 mi | 23m |
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 14.2 mi | 16m |
| US 46 | 10.8 mi | 12m |
| Everittstown Road | 6.5 mi | 11m |
| Pittstown Road | 4.2 mi | 7m |
| Interstate 80 West | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| State Route 3 | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Everittstown Hill Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 287
— 19.2 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, NJ and Frenchtown, NJ.
1
Start on Holly Street
516 ft
·
26 sec
·
Holly Street
2
Turn left onto Donna Drive
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
Donna Drive
3
At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace
441 ft
·
21 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
4
Turn right onto Hutton Road
39 ft
·
7 sec
·
Hutton Road
5
Turn left onto Olga B Terrace
174 ft
·
13 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
6
Turn left onto NJ 161
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Clifton Avenue
7
At end of road, turn right onto CR 602
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Allwood Road
Use the right lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
9
Merge onto NJ 3
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
State Route 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto US 46
11 mi
·
12 min
·
US 46
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 80 West: Dover, Del Water Gap
12
Continue on I 80W
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Interstate 80 West
Toward I 287: Morristown, Mahwah
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
1.9 mi
·
2 min
Exit 43A
Toward I 287 South: Morristown
14
Merge onto I 287
19 mi
·
23 min
·
I 287
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 21B
Toward I 78 West: Easton, Pennsylvania
Use the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto I 78
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 15
Toward NJ 173 East: Clinton, Pittstown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork
150 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Pittstown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn left onto NJ 173; CR 513
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Pittstown Road
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto CR 513
6.5 mi
·
11 min
·
Everittstown Road
21
Continue on CR 513
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Everittstown Hill Road
22
Continue on CR 513
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Race Street
23
Turn left onto South Harrison Street
71 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Harrison Street
24
Arrive at destination
South Harrison Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.6 miles from Clifton, 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 205 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 51.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Olga B Terrace
At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
8
36.8 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward I 78 West: Easton, Pennsylvania
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 21B
Toward I 78 West: Easton, Pennsylvania
8
51.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward NJ 173 East: Clinton, Pittstown
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.
Exit 15
Toward NJ 173 East: Clinton, Pittstown
8
51.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Pittstown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Pittstown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.48 one way
$20.96 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $11.48 | $22.95 |
| premium | $4.93 | $12.26 | $24.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.95 | $27.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19 | 0 | $6.64 | $3.03 |
| Efficient EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.53 | $2.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.3 | 0 | $8.85 | $4.04 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Frenchtown, NJ
Afternoon in Frenchtown on Sunday
Local time
12:34 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Madison, NJ
32 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
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 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 drive is mostly highway, with 75% of the 63.2 miles on major roads. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch on I 287, covering 19.2 miles. Expect a significant portion of your travel to be on the Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway and I 287 before transitioning to US 46. Be prepared for dense exits and merging traffic typical of a heavily used interstate system for a good part of the trip.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.2 mi on I 287.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 287 and Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Olga B Terrace.
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 63.2 miles you will encounter 20 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 0.2 miles (Olga B Terrace): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Clifton, NJ and Frenchtown, NJ, road signs point toward Del Water Gap, Mahwah, Pennsylvania and Pittstown.
Del Water Gap
13.3 mi in
|
~17m
Mahwah
13.5 mi in
|
~17m
|
via I 80W
Pennsylvania
36.8 mi in
|
~46m
Pittstown
51.3 mi in
|
~1h 3m
About the Cities
Starting 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 24m. Total distance: 63.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.2 miles on I 287. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 8 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.
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 Frenchtown, 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 0.2 miles (Olga B Terrace): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Morristown National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Thomas Edison 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 Frenchtown, 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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