Origin
Jersey City, NJ
Evening in Jersey City on Wednesday
Local time
8:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Jersey City, NJ to Highland Lake, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
46.9 mi
75 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jersey City, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Highland Lake, NJ
Enric Cruz López
Trip Overview
Jersey City, NJ to Highland Lake, NJ is 46.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 8 minutes via Duncan Avenue and US 1, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region's urban edge toward a more tranquil destination. Given the short duration and surface road profile, it's a straightforward drive ideal for a quick getaway or a segment of a larger regional tour. You'll encounter minimal highway driving, making it a relaxed option for those who prefer to stay off the interstate.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 23 | 20.1 mi | 24m |
| NJ 3 | 10.9 mi | 13m |
| Canistear Road | 7 mi | 16m |
| US 46 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Tonnelle Avenue | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| US 1 Truck | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Duncan Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Lakeside Drive East | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 23
— 20.1 mi, about 24m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~5,323 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~318 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 98 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 Jersey City, NJ and Highland Lake, NJ.
1
Start on Olean Avenue
316 ft
·
15 sec
·
Olean Avenue
2
Turn right onto Duncan Avenue
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Duncan Avenue
3
Turn right onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
169 ft
·
4 sec
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Use the straight lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward NJ 139 East, US 1 North, US 9 North: Hoboken, Holland Tunnel, Secaucus, Lincoln Tunnel
Use the right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1-9 North: Secaucus, Lincoln Tunnel
Use the slight left lane.
7
Merge onto US 1; US 9
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Tonnelle Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn straight onto NJ 3
11 mi
·
13 min
·
NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto US 46
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
US 46
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 80 West, NJ 23 North: Delaware Water Gap, Butler
11
Merge onto NJ 23
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
NJ 23
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on NJ 23
16 mi
·
19 min
·
NJ 23
Use the right lane.
13
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
14
Turn right onto Canistear Road
7.0 mi
·
16 min
·
Canistear Road
15
Turn left onto Lookover Lane
310 ft
·
21 sec
·
Lookover Lane
16
Turn right onto Coon Den Road
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
Coon Den Road
17
Turn right onto Lakeside Drive East
0.2 mi
·
54 sec
·
Lakeside Drive East
18
Turn right onto Glen Road
0.1 mi
·
36 sec
·
Glen Road
19
Arrive at destination
Glen Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.4 miles from Jersey City, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 2.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Turn right onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
9
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 139 East, US 1 North, US 9 North: Hoboken, Holland Tunnel, Secaucus, Lincoln Tunnel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward NJ 139 East, US 1 North, US 9 North: Hob...
8
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck toward US 1-9 North: Secaucus, Lincoln Tunnel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 1-9 North: Secaucus, Lincoln Tunnel
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 1; US 9 / Tonnelle Avenue
Merge onto US 1; US 9 / Tonnelle Avenue
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.84 one way
$15.67 round trip
$4.24/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $8.62 | $17.25 |
| premium | $5.01 | $9.25 | $18.51 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $10.34 | $20.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.92 | $2.25 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.57 | $3.00 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Highland Lake, NJ
Evening in Highland Lake on Wednesday
Local time
8:07 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
5 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 8m 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 route is entirely on surface roads, with 0% highway share. You'll be navigating primarily through local streets and US 1 for the entire 46.9 miles. Expect frequent intersections and traffic signals as you move through populated areas. The longest stretch without a significant interruption is not specified, but the overall profile suggests a continuous engagement with local traffic patterns.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.1 mi on NJ 23.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 23 and NJ 3. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck.
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 46.9 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.5 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,208 ft
7 ft
Total Climb
1,226 ft
Total Descent
50 ft
Highest Point
1,208 ft
~46.9 mi in
Elevation Range
1,201 ft
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.
On the drive from Jersey City, NJ to Highland Lake, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Butler along the way.
Butler
19 mi in
|
~24m
About the Cities
Starting in Jersey City, NJ
Full guide →Founded 1609
Jersey City is New Jersey's second-largest city. Jersey City sits in Hudson County in the northeastern section of the state, across the Hudson from its older and bigger cousin, New York City, and south of Hoboken. It is frequently referred to as New York’s “sixth borough”. Until the early 1600s, the area was inhabited by Lenape Indians. The Dutch then settled here as a part of the colony of New Amsterdam. It evolved into an industrial powerhouse, with railroads winding up and down the city (some of these lines are still used today). Although Jersey City declined in the 1960s, an upswing began in the 1980s, and the city was transformed into what it is today.
Top landmarks
- • Holland Tunnel — road tunnel between Manhattan, New York and Jersey City, New Jersey in the Unite...
- • Statue of Liberty National Monument — United States national monument
- • Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal — former railroad terminal in Jersey City, New Jersey
Arriving in Highland Lake, NJ
Full guide →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 8m. Total distance: 46.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.1 miles on NJ 23. 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 Highland 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 0.5 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Highland 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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