Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
31.3 mi
50 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Hopatcong, NJ
Mathias Reding
This quick 31.3-mile drive from Clifton to Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, takes about 41 minutes and is perfect for a single-day excursion. With a modest fuel cost of around $5, it's an easy and budget-friendly option. The route primarily uses US 46 and NJ 15 North, offering a mixed driving experience. Since it's a short trip within the Northeast region, you won't need to worry about overnight stays. This journey is ideal if you're looking for a straightforward drive to a popular lake destination without a significant time commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 46 | 10.8 mi | 12m |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 9.7 mi | 11m |
| NJ 15 North | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Interstate 80 West | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| State Route 3 | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| CR 615 | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Espanong Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, NJ and Lake Hopatcong, 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
Merge onto US 46
Take the exit
Continue on I 80W
Take the exit
Merge onto I 80
Take the exit
Continue on NJ 15
Take the exit
Continue on CR 615
At end of road, turn left onto CR 615
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 25.1 — 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 I 80 West: Delaware Water Gap
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward NJ 15 North: Sparta, Jefferson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$5.19 one way
$10.38 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.68 | $11.37 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.07 | $12.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.91 | $13.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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 Sunday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Morning in Lake Hopatcong on Sunday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
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.
You'll experience a mixed drive on this route, with 58% of it being highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 10.8 miles on US 46. As you progress, the drive transitions from more urban approaches to potentially more open areas as you head towards Lake Hopatcong. Expect a blend of faster-paced highway sections and potentially some slower segments as you navigate through various towns. This varied character means you'll get a bit of everything behind the wheel, from cruising to more engaged driving.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 31.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
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.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Clifton, NJ and Lake Hopatcong, NJ, road signs point toward Del Water Gap, Mahwah and Jefferson.
Del Water Gap
Mahwah
Jefferson
Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 31.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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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