Paterson to Silver Ridge is 78.3 miles and takes about 1h 40m via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within New Jersey, making it a straightforward drive. It's primarily a highway route, so expect efficient travel. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this is a convenient option for a single-day excursion within the Northeast region.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.2 miles from Paterson, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Garden State Parkway
67.9 mi
1h 24m
Garden State Parkway Southbound
6.2 mi
8m
NJ 19
2 mi
2m
Lakehurst Road
0.4 mi
<1m
Ward Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Oliver Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Ellison Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Memorial Drive
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 67.9 mi, about 1h 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Paterson, NJ and Silver Ridge, NJ.
1
Start on Colt Street
216 ft·17 sec·Colt Street
2
Turn right onto Ellison Street
0.2 mi·28 sec·Ellison Street
3
Turn right onto Memorial Drive
0.1 mi·14 sec·Memorial Drive
Use the right lane.
4
Turn right
267 ft·9 sec
5
Turn straight onto Ward Street
0.3 mi·34 sec·Ward Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on NJ 19
0.2 mi·17 sec·Oliver Street
7
Turn slight left onto NJ 19
2.0 mi·2 min·NJ 19
Use the slight left lane.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward GSP SouthUse the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto GSP
24 mi·33 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Continue on Garden State Parkway
6.2 mi·8 min·Garden State Parkway Southbound
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
0.7 mi·49 sec·Garden State Parkway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP
43 mi·50 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·35 sec
Exit 81Toward Lakehurst Road, Toms RiverUse the slight right lane.
14
At end of road, turn left onto CR 527
0.4 mi·57 sec·Lakehurst Road
15
Turn left onto Foxwood Terrace
502 ft·19 sec·Foxwood Terrace
16
Turn right onto Colleen Court
503 ft·22 sec·Colleen Court
17
Turn right onto Bertha Road
224 ft·7 sec·Bertha Road
18
Arrive at destination
Bertha Road
Trip Plan
For this 1h 40m drive, you can easily complete it in one day. Leaving Paterson in the morning or mid-afternoon will help you avoid the worst of the local traffic. With only 78.3 miles, you won't need many stops, but it's always wise to factor in a break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $13, and it's best to fill up before you get too low, especially on a highway-heavy route like this.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.2 miles from Paterson, NJ, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 67.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 17 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.2 miles or 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Silver Ridge, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Paterson, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Paterson, NJ
This is one driving day of about 78.3 miles and 1h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Paterson, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Garden State Parkway for about 67.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 77.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Ellison Street
Turn right onto Ellison Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Memorial Drive
Turn right onto Memorial Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
2.8 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the exit toward GSP South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward GSP South
6
34.1 mi into trip|~47m in|GSP / Garden State Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
77.5 mi into trip|~1h 38m in
Take the exit toward Lakehurst Road, Toms River
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 81
Toward Lakehurst Road, Toms River
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.46 one way
$26.91 round trip
$4.37/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.79
$14.77
$29.53
premium
$5.13
$15.80
$31.61
diesel
$5.97
$18.39
$36.79
Estimated Tolls: $4.44
Garden State Parkway
(74.1 mi)$4.44
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Tolls
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.5
0
$8.22
$3.76
Efficient EV
19.6
0
$6.85
$3.13
EV Truck/SUV
31.3
0
$10.96
$5.01
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Forecast as of Aug 1, 2026
Origin
Paterson, NJ
Morning
in Paterson on Saturday
Local time
7:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Mostly Clear then Patchy Fog
SW 2 mph6% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Silver Ridge, NJ
Morning
in Silver Ridge on Saturday
Local time
7:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
11 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 40m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Silk cloth and steam locomotives; textiles and continuous paper rolls; firearms and aircraft engines. What do these things have in common? All were manufactured in the same place - Paterson, NJ. In 17...
0 mi from route
~1 min detour
Free
Caution: Limited Amphitheater Accessibility
Caution: Overlook Park Parking Lot - Vehicles Must Be Parked in a Designated Spot
Today, the brick buildings on Main Street in West Orange, NJ seem quiet, betraying little evidence of the research, development, and innovation of their heyday. Visitors can step back in time to Thoma...
Morristown National Historical Park commemorates the sites of General Washington and the Continental Army’s winter encampment from December 1779 to June 1780, where soldiers survived the coldest winte...
15 mi from route
~37 min detour
Free
near mile 18.9
Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for...
18 mi from route
~45 min detour
Free
near mile 45.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend nearly all your time on the highway, with a 97% highway share. The longest continuous stretch of highway driving is 67.9 miles on the Garden State Parkway. Expect a highly urban feel with frequent exits for much of this drive, especially as you navigate out of the Paterson area and onto the Parkway.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 67.9 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Ellison Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 78.3 miles you will encounter 14 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: near the start (Ellison Street): Navigation decision point; 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.
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
•Great Falls — waterfalls on the Passaic River
•Passaic County Court House — courthouse in Paterson, New Jersey
•Lambert Castle — historic building in Paterson, New Jersey
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 40m. Total distance: 78.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 67.9 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $4.44 in tolls one way, starting with Garden State Parkway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 11 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 Silver Ridge, 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: near the start (Ellison Street): Navigation decision point; 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.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown 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 Silver Ridge, NJ before heading back.
