Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
48.6 mi
78 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Paterson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Belford, NJ
Aisling Kerr
Paterson to Belford is 48.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 8 minutes via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a straightforward drive that's mostly highway, making it a quick and easy option for getting from point A to point B without much fuss. You'll likely find it a very practical way to cover this distance, especially if you're looking to minimize time on the road.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 31.1 mi | 41m |
| NJ 36 | 6.4 mi | 9m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| NJ 19 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Ward Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Oliver Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Ellison Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Paterson, NJ and Belford, NJ.
Start on Colt Street
Turn right onto Ellison Street
Turn right onto Memorial Drive
Turn right
Turn straight onto Ward Street
Continue on NJ 19
Turn slight left onto NJ 19
Take the exit
Merge onto GSP
Continue on Garden State Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on NJ 36
Take the exit
Turn right onto East Morris Avenue
Turn right onto Main Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 24.3 miles from Paterson, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 41.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Memorial Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward GSP South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward NJ 35, NJ 36 South: Hazlet, Keyport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 36 South: Keyport, Keansburg, Gateway National Recreation Area at Sandy Hook
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$7.75 one way
$15.50 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.48 | $8.58 | $17.15 |
| premium | $4.81 | $9.20 | $18.40 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $9.18 | $18.35 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.24
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.10 | $2.33 |
| Efficient EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.25 | $1.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.80 | $3.11 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Paterson on Sunday
Local time
12:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Partly Cloudy
Extreme Heat Watch
Extreme Heat Watch issued July 13 at 2:08AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
Afternoon in Belford on Sunday
Local time
12:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Mostly Clear
Extreme Heat Watch
Extreme Heat Watch issued July 13 at 2:08AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This route is predominantly highway, with 94% of the drive on limited-access roads. You'll spend the longest stretch of 31.1 miles on the Garden State Parkway. The transition to NJ 36 will mark the end of the main highway segment, bringing you onto surface roads for the final part of your trip. Expect a driving experience marked by relatively consistent speeds and straightforward navigation for most of the distance.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and NJ 36. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Memorial Drive.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.6 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.2 miles (Memorial Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.1 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
222 ft
Total Descent
297 ft
Highest Point
166 ft
~6.9 mi in
Elevation Range
157 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Paterson, NJ and Belford, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp South, Keyport, Keansburg and Gateway National Recreation Area At Sandy Hook.
Gsp South
Keyport
Keansburg
Gateway National Recreation Area At Sandy Hook
Founded 1792
For the township in the Hunter region of New South Wales, see Paterson (New South Wales). Paterson is New Jersey's third largest city (about 155,000 inhabitants as of 2022), and hosts a great attraction: the Great Falls, which are very extensive and second only to Niagara Falls in terms of volume of water in waterfalls east of the Mississippi. Paterson is 12 miles away from Manhattan. It is an ethnically diverse city that houses large Hispanic, Arab, Italian-American, African American and Bengali communities. South Paterson is home to one of the nation's largest Arab communities.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 8m. Total distance: 48.6 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 (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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.
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