Origin
Elizabeth, NJ
Afternoon in Elizabeth on Sunday
Local time
12:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elizabeth, NJ to White Meadow Lake, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
30.4 mi
49 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
White Meadow Lake, NJ
Mohan Nannapaneni
Trip Overview
Elizabeth, NJ to White Meadow Lake, NJ is 30.4 miles and takes about 46 minutes via Essex Freeway, Grove Street, and Christopher Columbus Highway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip entirely within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region to itself. You'll primarily encounter urban and suburban landscapes as you navigate through Essex and Morris counties. Given its short duration, this route is ideal for a quick excursion or a simple transit between these two points without requiring overnight planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Essex Freeway | 11.5 mi | 14m |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| Grove Street | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| North Broad Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Hillside Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| White Meadow Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Broad Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Coit Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Essex Freeway
— 11.5 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elizabeth, NJ and White Meadow Lake, NJ.
1
Start on this road
34 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
East Jersey Street
3
Turn right onto Jefferson Avenue
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
Jefferson Avenue
4
Turn sharp left onto East Grand Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
East Grand Street
5
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Broad Street
6
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 27
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broad Street
7
Turn left onto CR 628
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Hillside Avenue
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto CR 509
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Chestnut Avenue
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on CR 509
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Coit Street
10
Turn slight left onto CR 509
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Grove Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 280
Use the left lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 280 West: The Oranges
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 280 West: The Oranges
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 280
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Essex Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 280 West, I 80 West
16
Merge onto I 80
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 37
Toward CR 513: Hibernia, Rockaway
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork
177 ft
·
4 sec
Toward CR 513 South: Main Street, Rockaway
Use the left / right lanes.
19
Turn slight right onto CR 513
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Green Pond Road
Use the right lane.
20
Turn straight onto CR 513
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Hibernia Avenue
21
Turn sharp right onto White Meadow Avenue
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
White Meadow Avenue
22
Continue on White Meadow Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
White Meadow Road
23
Turn right
45 ft
·
5 sec
24
Turn right
214 ft
·
24 sec
25
At end of road, turn right
53 ft
·
3 sec
26
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
15 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 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.2 miles from Elizabeth, 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 215 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 28.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East Grand Street
Turn sharp left onto East Grand Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
8
7.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 280 West: The Oranges
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 280 West: The Oranges
8
8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 280 West: The Oranges
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 280 West: The Oranges
8
28.4 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward CR 513: Hibernia, Rockaway
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 37
Toward CR 513: Hibernia, Rockaway
9
28.6 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CR 513 South: Main Street, Rockaway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward CR 513 South: Main Street, Rockaway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.04 one way
$10.08 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.52 | $11.04 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.90 | $11.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.71 | $13.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.6 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 | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.66 | $1.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.26 | $1.95 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
White Meadow Lake, NJ
Afternoon in White Meadow Lake on Sunday
Local time
12:48 PM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
51°F
Concord, NY
15 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
7 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
46m 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 offers a mixed experience, with 38% of the journey on highways. You'll navigate a significant stretch of 11.5 miles on the Essex Freeway, providing a taste of faster-paced driving. As you transition to roads like Christopher Columbus Highway and Grove Street, expect the character to shift towards more local arteries, typical of connecting urban and suburban areas. The drive won't feel like a constant interstate grind, but rather a blend of efficient highway travel punctuated by navigating through populated zones.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.5 mi on Essex Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 0.3 miles in near East Grand Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 21 decision points packed into just 30.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (East Grand Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 7.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8 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 Elizabeth, NJ and White Meadow Lake, NJ, road signs point toward Cr 513: Hibernia and Rockaway.
Cr 513: Hibernia
28.4 mi in
|
~41m
Rockaway
28.4 mi in
|
~41m
About the Cities
Starting in Elizabeth, NJ
Full guide →Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in 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 46m. Total distance: 30.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.5 miles on Essex Freeway. 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 White Meadow Lake, 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 0.3 miles (East Grand Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 7.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8 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 (5 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 White Meadow Lake, 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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