Origin
Mountain Lakes, NJ
Morning in Mountain Lakes on Saturday
Local time
6:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mountain Lakes, NJ to Union, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
22.2 mi
36 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mountain Lakes, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Union, NJ
Arjun Gheewala
Trip Overview
Mountain Lakes to Union is 22.2 miles and takes about 33 minutes via NJ 24 and I-287, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick trip stays entirely within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its short distance and primarily highway profile, it's a straightforward drive suitable for a single day. You'll be on major roadways for most of the way, making it an efficient option for moving between these two locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 24 | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| I 287 | 5 mi | 6m |
| Vauxhall Road | 2 mi | 5m |
| Fanny Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Springfield Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Parsippany Boulevard | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 24
— 9.3 mi, about 10m
Traffic on I-287
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
8 AM
~5,359 veh/hr typical · worst 6,391
Quietest
3 AM
~298 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 103 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 Mountain Lakes, NJ and Union, 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
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 49B
Toward NJ 124 East: Maplewood
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn straight onto NJ 124
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Springfield Avenue
14
Turn right onto CR 630
2.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Vauxhall Road
15
Turn left onto Harding Avenue
243 ft
·
10 sec
·
Harding Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
Harding Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 19 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Fanny Road
Turn sharp right onto Fanny Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
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
7
19 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward NJ 124 East: Maplewood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 49B
Toward NJ 124 East: Maplewood
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.82 one way
$7.63 round trip
$4.37/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $4.19 | $8.37 |
| premium | $5.13 | $4.48 | $8.96 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $5.22 | $10.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.33 | $1.07 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.94 | $0.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.11 | $1.42 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Union, NJ
Morning in Union on Saturday
Local time
6:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°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
14 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
33m 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?
Expect about 68% of this 22.2-mile route to be highway driving. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 9.3 miles on NJ 24. You'll transition to surface roads like Vauxhall Road towards the end of your trip. Given the predominantly highway profile, anticipate merging and navigating multiple exits as you approach your destination.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 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?
8/10
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 0.8 miles in near Fanny Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 22.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (Fanny Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; 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.
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 Union, NJ, road signs point toward New York City and Newark.
New York City
17.5 mi in
|
~24m
Newark
17.5 mi in
|
~24m
About the Cities
Starting in Mountain Lakes, NJ
Full guide →Founded 1924
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 33m. Total distance: 22.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m 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 Union, 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 0.8 miles (Fanny Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Union, 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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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