Origin
Newark, NJ
Morning in Newark on Saturday
Local time
6:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Newark, NJ to Highland Lake, 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
1h 4m
Distance
43.8 mi
71 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Newark, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Highland Lake, NJ
Enric Cruz López
Trip Overview
The drive from Newark, NJ to Highland Lake, NJ covers 43.8 miles and takes about 1h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NJ 23, Canistear Road, McCarter Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.1 miles on NJ 23. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.53 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 23 | 20.1 mi | 24m |
| Canistear Road | 7 mi | 16m |
| McCarter Highway | 5.8 mi | 6m |
| NJ 3 | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| US 46 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Washington Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Broad Street | 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 Newark, NJ and Highland Lake, NJ.
1
Start on CR 510
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Market Street
2
Turn right
217 ft
·
7 sec
3
Turn straight onto Washington Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto Broad Street
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Broad Street
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right
150 ft
·
5 sec
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on CR 506 Spur
518 ft
·
13 sec
·
Clay Street
7
Turn left onto NJ 21
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
McCarter Highway
Use the left lane.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 9
Toward NJ 3: Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
Use the slight right lane.
10
Continue on NJ 3
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto US 46
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
US 46
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 80 West, NJ 23 North: Delaware Water Gap, Butler
13
Merge onto NJ 23
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
NJ 23
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on NJ 23
16 mi
·
19 min
·
NJ 23
Use the right lane.
15
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
16
Turn right onto Canistear Road
7.0 mi
·
16 min
·
Canistear Road
17
Turn left onto Lookover Lane
310 ft
·
21 sec
·
Lookover Lane
18
Turn right onto Coon Den Road
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
Coon Den Road
19
Turn right onto Lakeside Drive East
0.2 mi
·
54 sec
·
Lakeside Drive East
20
Turn right onto Glen Road
0.1 mi
·
36 sec
·
Glen Road
21
Arrive at destination
Glen Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 21.9 miles from Newark, 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 0.8 and 7.4 — 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
|
~1m in
|
Broad Street
Turn left onto Broad Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Turn right
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
NJ 21 / McCarter Highway
Turn left onto NJ 21 / McCarter Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
7.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward NJ 3: Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 9
Toward NJ 3: Clifton, Lincoln Tunnel
7
7.4 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NJ 3 West: Clifton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.53 one way
$15.05 round trip
$4.37/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $8.26 | $16.52 |
| premium | $5.13 | $8.84 | $17.68 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $10.29 | $20.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.60 | $2.10 |
| Efficient EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.13 | $2.80 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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
Morning in Highland Lake on Saturday
Local time
6:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°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
7 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
1h 4m 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?
43.8 mi in 1h 4m, mostly highway — 20.1 mi of that is on NJ 23.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 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?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 23 and Canistear Road. 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 Broad Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.8 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 0.8 miles (Broad Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (NJ 21 / McCarter Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,208 ft
10 ft
Total Climb
1,364 ft
Total Descent
188 ft
Highest Point
1,208 ft
~43.8 mi in
Elevation Range
1,199 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 Newark, NJ to Highland Lake, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Butler along the way.
Butler
15.9 mi in
|
~20m
About the Cities
Starting in Newark, NJ
Full guide →Founded 1666
Newark is New Jersey's largest city and second largest in Metro New York. Although one of the great historic cities of the Northeast and the most culture-rich city in the state, Newark is often overlooked in favor of Goliath-like Manhattan and towns along the Hudson River, such as Jersey City and Hoboken. While no longer the industrial powerhouse it once was, Newark remains one of America's major shipping, rail, and air hubs. Public transportation is abundant, making it easy to get to, from, and around the city. Newark has been economically disadvantaged for some time, and suffers from a bad reputation, often informed by negative stereotyping. Thanks in large part to a nationally high-profile mayor (Cory Booker, now a U.S.
Top landmarks
- • Newark Liberty International Airport — international airport in Newark, New Jersey
- • Newark Penn Station — railway station in Newark, New Jersey, United States
- • Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart — cathedral in Newark, 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 4m. Total distance: 43.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). 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.
Yes — we found about 8 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 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 0.8 miles (Broad Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (NJ 21 / McCarter Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
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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