Origin
Mount Olive, NJ
Late night in Mount Olive on Tuesday
Local time
5:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mount Olive, NJ to Clifton, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
37.2 mi
60 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mount Olive, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Mount Olive to Clifton is 37.2 miles and takes about 48 minutes via Christopher Columbus Highway and US 46, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays entirely within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a local feel for much of this trip, with a good amount of turning involved as you navigate from Mount Olive towards Clifton. It's a straightforward, relatively short journey perfect for a quick hop between towns without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 26.7 mi | 30m |
| US 46 | 6.3 mi | 8m |
| Mount Olive Road | 1.6 mi | 4m |
| Van Houten Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| St James Place | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Donna Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Holly Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Christopher Columbus Highway
— 26.7 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Olive, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on Mount Olive Road
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Mount Olive Road
2
Continue on CR 667
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
Mount Olive Road
3
Turn right onto US 46
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on US 46
500 ft
·
9 sec
·
US 46
5
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 80 East: New York City, Denville
6
Merge onto I 80; US 206
27 mi
·
30 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 53
Toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto US 46
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
9
Continue on US 46
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Take the exit
452 ft
·
16 sec
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Use the slight right lane.
11
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
179 ft
·
9 sec
·
Grove Street
12
Turn left onto CR 614
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Houten Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Clifton Avenue
14
Turn left onto St James Place
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
St James Place
15
Turn right onto Donna Drive
522 ft
·
28 sec
·
Donna Drive
16
Turn left onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
17
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.6 miles from Mount Olive, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 35.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 46
Turn right onto US 46
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
3.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 80; US 206 / Christopher Columbus Highway
Merge onto I 80; US 206 / Christopher Columbus Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
30.6 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
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 53
Toward US 46 East: Wayne, Clifton, Lincoln Tunn...
7
35.6 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton...
5
35.7 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
CR 623 / Grove Street
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623 / Grove Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.17 one way
$12.33 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.75 | $13.51 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.21 | $14.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.21 | $16.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.91 | $1.79 |
| Efficient EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.26 | $1.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.21 | $2.38 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Clifton, NJ
Late night in Clifton on Tuesday
Local time
5:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Mostly Sunny
SE 3 to 10 mph
1% chance
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
25 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
48m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a "turn-heavy local drive," meaning you'll be making frequent turns and navigating local roads for a significant portion of the 37.2 miles. Only 17% of the journey is on highways, so prepare for a more engaged driving experience. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 26.7 miles along the Christopher Columbus Highway. As you progress, the road will transition from Mount Olive Road to US 46, with the highway component primarily on the Christopher Columbus Highway before you reach Clifton.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.7 mi on Christopher Columbus Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near US 46.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 37.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (US 46): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (I 80; US 206 / Christopher Columbus Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Mount Olive, NJ to Clifton, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Denville along the way.
Denville
3.4 mi in
|
~7m
About the Cities
Starting in Mount Olive, NJ
Full guide →Mr. Olive is a city in Morris County in the Skylands region of New Jersey. It consists of two sub-regions just south of Route 80 in the western part of the county. Flanders is located around Route 206, and Budd Lake is named for the lake with the same name along Route 46, which leads into Long Valley and Hackettstown in Warren County.
Arriving in Clifton, NJ
Full guide →Clifton is a city in Passaic County, 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 48m. Total distance: 37.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.7 miles on Christopher Columbus Highway. 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 Clifton, 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 1.6 miles (US 46): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (I 80; US 206 / Christopher Columbus Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown 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 Clifton, 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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