Traveling from Indian Lake to The Bronx covers 245.8 miles and typically takes about 4 hours and 15 minutes of drive time. This journey is perfectly manageable as a single-day trip, allowing you to depart in the morning and arrive at your destination by the afternoon. You should budget approximately $39 for fuel to complete the trek. Because the route consists entirely of local roads without any highway stretches, the transit feels more like a deliberate, turn-heavy journey than a high-speed commute. While it is a straightforward trek within the Northeast, the lack of interstate travel means your actual pace will depend heavily on local traffic conditions and road navigation.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
122.9 miles from Indian Lake, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 38m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 87
118.6 mi
2h 17m
Adirondack Northway
58.7 mi
1h 9m
Main Street
37.9 mi
57m
NJ 17
14.1 mi
18m
NJ 4
6.7 mi
9m
Cross Bronx Expressway
2.9 mi
3m
I 95 EXPR
1.5 mi
2m
NY 17
0.9 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 87
— 118.6 mi, about 2h 17m
Traffic on I-87
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 60 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,496 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,286
Quietest
1 AM
~113 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
22.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Indian Lake, NY and The Bronx, NY.
1
Start on Crow Hill Road
103 ft·6 sec·Crow Hill Road
2
Turn right onto NY 28; NY 30
34 mi·49 min·Main Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto US 9
4.2 mi·8 min·Main Street
4
Turn left onto CR 35
506 ft·11 sec·Diamond Point-Bakers Crossing Road
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·24 sec
6
Merge onto I 87
59 mi·1 hr 9 min·Adirondack Northway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 87
0.3 mi·31 sec·I 87
Exit 1E-WToward I 87 South, I 90: Boston, Albany, New York, BuffaloUse the slight right lane.
8
Continue on I 87
0.5 mi·51 sec·I 87
Exit 1WToward I 87 South, I 90 West: New York, Buffalo
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 87
118 mi·2 hr 16 min·I 87
Toward I 87 South: New YorkUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 17
0.9 mi·59 sec·NY 17
Exit 15Toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New JerseyUse the slight right lane.
11
Continue on I 287; NJ 17
0.5 mi·39 sec·I 287; NJ 17
12
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17
14 mi·18 min·NJ 17
Exit 66Toward NJ 17 South: MahwahUse the slight left / straight lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.1 mi·19 sec
Toward NJ 4, GSP South: Paterson, Fort Lee, New York
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward NJ 4 East: Fort Lee, New York
15
Merge onto NJ 4
0.3 mi·24 sec·NJ 4
Use the right lane.
16
Continue on NJ 4
6.4 mi·8 min·NJ 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·18 sec
Toward I 95 North: George Washington BridgeUse the straight / slight left lanes.
18
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
0.7 mi·54 sec·I 95 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
0.8 mi·1 min·I 95 EXPR
20
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.6 mi·1 min·George Washington Bridge (upper level)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.7 mi·1 min·Trans-Manhattan Expressway
22
Continue on I 95; US 1
2.9 mi·3 min·Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Exit 4BToward Rosedale AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Continue on Cross Bronx Expressway Service Road
0.3 mi·50 sec·Cross Bronx Expressway Service Road
25
Turn right onto Noble Avenue
0.1 mi·20 sec·Noble Avenue
26
Turn right onto Bronx River Avenue
0.2 mi·34 sec·Bronx River Avenue
27
Turn straight onto East Tremont Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·East Tremont Avenue
28
Turn left onto White Plains Road
0.5 mi·1 min·White Plains Road
Use the left lane.
29
Turn right onto Cruger Avenue
0.1 mi·32 sec·Cruger Avenue
30
Arrive at destination
Cruger Avenue
Trip Plan
Planning for this 245.8-mile drive requires a bit of patience, as the absence of highways means you cannot rely on cruise control to eat up the miles. Aim to depart early in the day to avoid peak-hour congestion as you approach The Bronx, where local road traffic can quickly add time to your arrival estimate. Since this is a continuous, turn-heavy route, ensure you are comfortable with frequent navigation changes before setting out. Given the $39 fuel budget, it is wise to fill your tank before leaving Indian Lake to avoid potential price fluctuations in more densely populated areas. Stay flexible with your timing, as the local nature of the roads means you should account for potential delays that wouldn't typically occur on an interstate.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 122.9 miles from Indian Lake, NY, or about 2h 38m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 118.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 54 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 122.9 miles or 2h 38m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near The Bronx, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Indian Lake, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Indian Lake, NY
This is one driving day of about 245.8 miles and 5h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 54 miles from Indian Lake, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 87 for about 118.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 21
5 decision points cluster between mile 97 and 244.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
97 mi into trip|~2h 7m in|I 87
Keep slight right at fork onto I 87 toward I 87 South, I 90: Boston, Albany, New York, Buffalo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1E-W
Toward I 87 South, I 90: Boston, Albany, New Yo...
7
97.8 mi into trip|~2h 9m in|I 87
Keep slight right at fork onto I 87 toward I 87 South: New York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 87 South: New York
9
215.5 mi into trip|~4h 25m in|NY 17
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 17 toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 15
Toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
8
216.9 mi into trip|~4h 27m in|NJ 17
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17 toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 66
Toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
7
244.2 mi into trip|~5h 4m in
Take the exit toward Rosedale Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 4B
Toward Rosedale Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.76 one way
$79.53 round trip
$4.11/gal25.4 MPG avg86 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.46
$43.15
$86.30
premium
$4.85
$46.91
$93.83
diesel
$4.80
$46.41
$92.82
Estimated Tolls: $16.00
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$40
Tolls
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$81–$106
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 86 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
73.7
0
$25.81
$11.80
Efficient EV
61.5
0
$21.51
$9.83
EV Truck/SUV
98.3
1
$34.41
$15.73
Gas CO2
86 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Indian Lake, NY
Morning
in Indian Lake on Tuesday
Local time
6:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Smoke
S 2 to 8 mph87% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 3:46AM EDT until July 18 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued July 18 at 2:52AM EDT until July 18 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Destination
The Bronx, NY
Morning
in The Bronx on Tuesday
Local time
6:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Areas Of Smoke
S 5 to 13 mph96% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 3:46AM EDT until July 18 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued July 18 at 2:52AM EDT until July 18 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
4 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 10m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
General Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
The final resting place of President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia, is the largest mausoleum in North America. It testifies to a people’s gratitude for the man who ended the bloodiest conflict...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 237.3
Caution: Lower Crypt Access Subject to Safe Conditions
Merchant’s clerk, Revolutionary War soldier, first Secretary Treasury of the United States: Alexander Hamilton’s life is memorialized at The Grange, the home he built on a country estate in uptown Man...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 237.3
In 1777, a large British invasion force met an equally large American army here at Saratoga. After two intense battles, an eight-mile retreat, and a three-day siege, British General John Burgoyne surr...
8 mi from route
~21 min detour
Free
near mile 67.8
Before the 1960s, almost everything about living authentically as a lesbian, a bisexual person or a gay man was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for civil r...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
Free
near mile 237.3
The African Burial Ground stands as the oldest and largest known excavated burial site in North America for both free and enslaved Africans. It offers a profound testament to the enduring legacy of Af...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
Free
near mile 237.3
Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, Castle Clinton marks the place where New York City began and reflects the growth of both the city and the nation. Built to defend the harbor during the War of...
12 mi from route
~30 min detour
Free
near mile 237.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a very different experience than the usual interstate grind, as this entire route is composed of local roads with 0% highway travel. The drive is defined by its turn-heavy character, requiring your full attention as you navigate through the Northeast corridor. Because there are no long, uninterrupted stretches, the road demands constant engagement rather than the repetitive nature of highway cruising. As you move away from the Adirondacks toward the city, the road personality shifts from rural local segments to the more complex infrastructure of the metropolitan area. You will find that the lack of high-speed lanes makes the 4-hour and 15-minute duration feel significantly more active.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 118.6 mi on I 87.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 97 miles in near I 87.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 245.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 97 miles (I 87): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 97.8 miles (I 87): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 215.5 miles (NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,748 ft53 ft
Total Climb
594 ft
Total Descent
2,289 ft
Highest Point
1,748 ft
Elevation Range
1,695 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Indian Lake, NY and The Bronx, NY, road signs point toward Albany, New York, Buffalo, Gsp South: Paterson and Fort Lee.
The Bronx is one of the five boroughs of New York. Known for Yankee Stadium, the home field of the New York Yankees baseball team, it has been a borough of New York City since 1898. The vast Bronx Zoo houses hundreds of species of animals. Nearby, the sprawling New York Botanical Garden features a landmark greenhouse with rainforest and cactus displays. By the Hudson River, Wave Hill is a landscaped public garden with wooded paths and a cultural center.
Top landmarks
•New York Botanical Garden — botanical garden in the Bronx, New York City
•Woodlawn Cemetery — cemetery in the Bronx, New York City
•Hall of Fame for Great Americans — architectural structure
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 10m. Total distance: 245.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 118.6 miles on I 87. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $16.00 in tolls one way, starting with George Washington Bridge. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 16 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 The Bronx, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 16 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 97 miles (I 87): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 97.8 miles (I 87): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 215.5 miles (NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — General Grant National Memorial, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and Saratoga National Historical Park (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.2 hours each way, a round trip means 10.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at The Bronx, NY before the return drive.
