Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
42.6 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Keansburg, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Clifton, NJ to Keansburg, NJ covers 42.6 miles and takes about 1h 2m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Garden State Parkway, Garden State Parkway Southbound, NJ 36 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 29.4 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.32 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 29.4 mi | 39m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| NJ 36 | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Allwood Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Donna Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Olga B Terrace | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, NJ and Keansburg, NJ.
Start on Holly Street
Turn left onto Donna Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace
Turn right onto Hutton Road
Turn left onto Olga B Terrace
Turn left onto NJ 161
At end of road, turn right onto CR 602
Take the ramp
Merge onto NJ 3
Take the exit
Merge onto GSP
Continue on Garden State Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on NJ 36
Take the exit
Turn left onto Hudson Avenue
Turn left onto Palmer Avenue
Continue on CR 7
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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.
A short stop after about 42.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 21.3 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 37.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
At end of road, turn right onto CR 602 / Allwood Road
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward NJ 35, NJ 36 South: Hazlet, Keyport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 36 South: Keyport, Keansburg, Gateway National Recreation Area at Sandy Hook
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$7.32 one way
$14.64 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $8.03 | $16.07 |
| premium | $5.13 | $8.60 | $17.20 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $10.01 | $20.02 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.13
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.47 | $2.04 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.73 | $1.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17 | 0 | $5.96 | $2.73 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Clifton on Saturday
Local time
7:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Keansburg on Saturday
Local time
7:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
42.6 mi in 1h 2m, mostly highway — 29.4 mi of that is on Garden State Parkway.
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 0.2 miles in near Olga B Terrace.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 42.6 miles you will encounter 18 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 0.9 miles (CR 602 / Allwood Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
164 ft
Total Descent
331 ft
Highest Point
178 ft
Elevation Range
168 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Clifton, NJ and Keansburg, NJ, road signs point toward Keyport and Gateway National Recreation Area At Sandy Hook.
Keyport
Gateway National Recreation Area At Sandy Hook
Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey.
Top landmarks
Keansburg (Gem of the Bayshore) is a working class resort town in Monmouth County, New Jersey, on the east coast of the United States of America. This article also covers the neighboring village of Hazlet.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 42.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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