Skip to main content

Trip from Washington Heights, NY to Gardnertown, NY

Pin this trip

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 12m

Distance

56.8 mi

91 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 7m ★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Washington Heights, NY, NY

Washington Heights, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Gardnertown, NY, NY

Gardnertown, NY

Renan Tagliaferro

Trip Overview

Washington Heights, NY to Gardnertown, NY is 56.8 miles and takes about 1h 12m via NY 17, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, single-day trip primarily navigating highways within the Northeast region. Expect a drive that's almost entirely on high-speed roads, making it an efficient way to cover the distance between these two New York locations. If you're looking for a quick transit between your starting and ending points without much deviation, this route fits the bill.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
NY 17 29.9 mi 34m
NJ 17 14.7 mi 18m
NJ 4 6.7 mi 9m
I 95 EXPR 1.2 mi 1m
Route 300 1.1 mi 2m
George Washington Bridge (upper level) 0.4 mi <1m
Gardnertown Road 0.3 mi <1m
US 9 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: NY 17 — 29.9 mi, about 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Washington Heights, NY and Gardnertown, NY.

1

Start on US 9

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Broadway
2

Turn right onto US 9

0.1 mi · 20 sec · West 179th Street
3

Take the ramp onto US 9

0.3 mi · 39 sec · US 9
Toward I 95 South: George Washington Bridge, New Jersey
4

Merge onto I 95; US 1; US 9

0.4 mi · 43 sec · George Washington Bridge (upper level)
5

Continue on I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR

0.5 mi · 48 sec · I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR

0.6 mi · 39 sec · I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; NJTP

0.1 mi · 8 sec · I 95 EXPR; NJTP
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 72A Toward NJ 4 West: Paramus Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10

Merge onto NJ 4

6.7 mi · 9 min · NJ 4
Use the slight right lane.
11

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward GSP South, NJ 17 South, GSP North, NJ 17 North: Grand State Plaza, Newark, Mahwah Use the straight lane.
12

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 36 sec
Toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Merge onto NJ 17

3.3 mi · 4 min · NJ 17
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Continue on NJ 17

7.3 mi · 9 min · NJ 17
Use the straight / right lanes.
15

Continue on NJ 17

0.7 mi · 50 sec · NJ 17
16

Continue on NJ 17

3.3 mi · 4 min · NJ 17
17

Continue on I 287; NY 17

0.2 mi · 10 sec · I 287; NY 17
18

Keep slight left at fork onto NY 17

30 mi · 34 min · NY 17
Toward I 87 North, NY 17 North, New York State Thruway North: Albany
19

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 12 sec
Exit 17 Toward I 84, NY 300, NY 17K: Scranton, Newburgh Use the slight right lane.
20

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 28 sec
Toward I 84, NY 300: Danbury, Scranton
21

Continue on this road

485 ft · 11 sec · this road
22

Keep slight left at fork

400 ft · 9 sec
Toward I 84 West, NY 300: Scranton, Newburgh
23

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward NY 300: Newburgh
24

Turn left onto NY 300

0.2 mi · 16 sec · Union Avenue
25

Continue on NY 300

1.1 mi · 2 min · Route 300
26

Turn left onto Gardnertown Road

0.3 mi · 50 sec · Gardnertown Road
27

Turn right onto Union Avenue

156 ft · 4 sec · Union Avenue
28

Arrive at destination

Union Avenue

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Suffern, NY

28 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

Inwood, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ramapo, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.4 miles from Washington Heights, NY, 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 19

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.2 and 54.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
2.2 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the exit toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack

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. Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
9
2.4 mi into trip | ~4m in

Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 4 West: Paramus

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 72A Toward NJ 4 West: Paramus
7
9.2 mi into trip | ~13m in

Take the exit toward GSP South, NJ 17 South, GSP North, NJ 17 North: Grand State Plaza, Newark, Mahwah

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight lane. Toward GSP South, NJ 17 South, GSP North, NJ 17...
8
9.4 mi into trip | ~14m in

Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah
8
54.4 mi into trip | ~1h 8m in

Take the exit toward I 84, NY 300, NY 17K: Scranton, Newburgh

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 17 Toward I 84, NY 300, NY 17K: Scranton, Newburgh

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.35 one way

$18.70 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $10.11 $20.22
premium $4.92 $11.01 $22.02
diesel $5.61 $12.54 $25.08

Estimated Tolls: $16.00

George Washington Bridge $16.00

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Tolls

$16

Total

$25

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17 0 $5.96 $2.73
Efficient EV 14.2 0 $4.97 $2.27
EV Truck/SUV 22.7 0 $7.95 $3.64

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Washington Heights, NY

Morning in Washington Heights on Tuesday

Local time

8:10 AM

EDT

Current temp

60°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Gardnertown, NY

Morning in Gardnertown on Tuesday

Local time

8:10 AM

EDT

Current temp

59°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

1 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

1h 12m 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?

This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 95% of the journey utilizing high-speed roads. You'll experience a consistent driving pace for much of the 1 hour and 12 minutes, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 29.9 miles on NY 17. The route is designed for efficiency, meaning you'll spend most of your time on major arteries like NY 17, NJ 17, and NJ 4. Expect a smooth, albeit potentially monotonous, experience as you cover the 56.8 miles.

95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.9 mi on NY 17.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NY 17 and NJ 17. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.8 miles you will encounter 19 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 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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.

Between Washington Heights, NY and Gardnertown, NY, road signs point toward Gsp South, Gsp North, Newark, Mahwah and New York State Thruway North: Albany.

Gsp South

9.2 mi in | ~13m

Gsp North

9.2 mi in | ~13m

Newark

9.2 mi in | ~13m

Mahwah

9.2 mi in | ~13m

New York State Thruway North: Albany

24.5 mi in | ~33m | via NY 17

About the Cities

Starting in Washington Heights, NY

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 12m. Total distance: 56.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 29.9 miles on NY 17. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $16.00 in tolls one way, starting with George Washington Bridge. 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.

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 Gardnertown, NY 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 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument (6 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 Gardnertown, NY 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 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

Explore More

Explore more options from Washington Heights, NY or browse trips ending in Gardnertown, NY.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.