Origin
Mountain Lakes, NJ
Morning in Mountain Lakes on Sunday
Local time
11:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mountain Lakes, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
27.8 mi
45 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mountain Lakes, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 27.8-mile drive from Mountain Lakes to Elizabeth, New Jersey, is easily manageable in about 40 minutes. Primarily utilizing highways like NJ 24 and I-287, it's a perfect candidate for a single-day trip with no need for an overnight stay. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $5, making it an economical option. This route stays within the Northeast region, offering a quick connection between two points in the Garden State. Expect a highway-focused experience throughout.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 24 | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| I 287 | 5 mi | 6m |
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| Spring Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Broad Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Fanny Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| Hillside Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 24
— 9.3 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mountain Lakes, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.
1
Start on Glen Road
0.2 mi
·
59 sec
·
Glen Road
2
Turn right onto CR 618
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Boulevard
3
Turn sharp right onto Fanny Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Fanny Road
4
Continue on US 202; CR 511
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Parsippany Boulevard
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 287 South, I 80 South: Morristown
6
Merge onto I 287
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 287
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 37
Toward NJ 24 East: Springfield
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on NJ 24
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
NJ 24
Use the straight lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City, Newark
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward I 78 East Local: Newark
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto I 78
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 54
Toward Hillside, Irvington
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
Toward Hillside
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Continue on Winans Avenue
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Winans Avenue
15
Turn right onto Liberty Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Liberty Avenue
16
Turn left onto CR 628
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Hillside Avenue
17
Continue on CR 628
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
Hillside Avenue
18
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broad Street
19
Turn left onto NJ 439
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Avenue
20
Turn right onto Spring Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Spring Street
21
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
East Jersey Street
22
Turn right
34 ft
·
2 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 7.5 and 22.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
7.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward NJ 24 East: Springfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 37
Toward NJ 24 East: Springfield
6
17.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City, Newark
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City...
7
17.9 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 78 East Local: Newark
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 78 East Local: Newark
8
22.7 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward Hillside, Irvington
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 54
Toward Hillside, Irvington
8
22.9 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Hillside
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward Hillside
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.61 one way
$9.22 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.05 | $10.10 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.39 | $10.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.14 | $12.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.92 | $1.33 |
| Efficient EV | 7 | 0 | $2.43 | $1.11 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.89 | $1.78 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Elizabeth, NJ
Morning in Elizabeth on Sunday
Local time
11:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°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
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
40m 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?
You'll find this drive is predominantly highway, with 68% of the journey on faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.3 miles on NJ 24, allowing for a good period of consistent speed. The Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway also plays a role in this commute. Overall, it's a highway-focused profile, meaning you'll likely experience a steady pace with limited slowdowns unless traffic dictates otherwise. The character remains largely consistent across the miles.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.3 mi on NJ 24.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 24 and I 287. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.5 miles in.
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 17 decision points packed into just 27.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
490 ft
19 ft
Total Climb
217 ft
Total Descent
688 ft
Highest Point
490 ft
Elevation Range
471 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.
Between Mountain Lakes, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ, road signs point toward New York City, Newark, Hillside and Irvington.
New York City
17.5 mi in
|
~24m
Newark
17.5 mi in
|
~24m
Hillside
22.7 mi in
|
~30m
Irvington
22.7 mi in
|
~30m
About the Cities
Arriving 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 40m. Total distance: 27.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.3 miles on NJ 24. 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 Elizabeth, 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 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Morristown National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (4 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 Elizabeth, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Elizabeth, NJ
More from Mountain Lakes, NJ
More trips to Elizabeth, NJ
Explore more options from Mountain Lakes, NJ or browse trips ending in Elizabeth, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.