Origin
West Milford, NJ
Morning in West Milford on Sunday
Local time
10:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Milford, NJ to Clifton, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
30.6 mi
49 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Milford, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a straightforward commute or a quick trip through Northern New Jersey, the 30.6-mile drive from West Milford to Clifton is an efficient choice. You can expect to reach your destination in about 41 minutes, making this an ideal one-day excursion that requires no overnight stops. With a fuel budget of just $5, it is a very economical route for a standard vehicle. You will primarily navigate via Union Valley Road, NJ 23, and US 46. Since both points are located within the Northeast region, you will experience a consistent suburban feel throughout the journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 23 | 16.6 mi | 19m |
| Union Valley Road | 7.1 mi | 10m |
| US 46 | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| Van Houten Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| CR 513 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| St James Place | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Donna Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 23
— 16.6 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Milford, NJ and Clifton, NJ.
1
Start on this road
40 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto CR 513
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Union Valley Road
3
Keep slight right at fork onto CR 513
6.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Union Valley Road
4
Take the ramp onto CR 513
179 ft
·
5 sec
·
CR 513
5
Continue on NJ 23; CR 513
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
NJ 23; CR 513
6
Take the exit onto CR 513
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
CR 513
7
At end of road, turn left onto CR 513
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
CR 513
Use the left lane.
8
At end of road, turn left onto NJ 23; CR 513
10 mi
·
12 min
·
NJ 23; CR 513
9
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 23
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
NJ 23
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
297 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward US 46 East: Clifton
12
Merge onto US 46
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
13
Continue on US 46
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Take the exit
452 ft
·
16 sec
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Use the slight right lane.
15
At end of road, turn right onto CR 623
179 ft
·
9 sec
·
Grove Street
16
Turn left onto CR 614
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Houten Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Clifton Avenue
18
Turn left onto St James Place
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
St James Place
19
Turn right onto Donna Drive
522 ft
·
28 sec
·
Donna Drive
20
Turn left onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
21
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 7.5 and 29 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
7.5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
CR 513
At end of road, turn left onto CR 513
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
17.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
NJ 23
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 23
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
24.1 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton
5
24.1 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 46 East: Clifton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 46 East: Clifton
7
29 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.07 one way
$10.15 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.56 | $11.11 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.93 | $11.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.76 | $13.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.21 | $1.47 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.68 | $1.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.28 | $1.96 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Clifton, NJ
Morning in Clifton on Sunday
Local time
10:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 3 to 12 mph
4% chance
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
48 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
41m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 70% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will start by navigating local stretches like Union Valley Road before transitioning onto NJ 23, which features the longest uninterrupted segment of the trip at 16.6 miles. As you merge onto US 46, the character of the drive shifts toward a faster-paced, multi-lane environment typical of suburban transit corridors. Expect a blend of steady highway cruising and brief transitions as you move between these primary routes. The experience is functional and direct rather than winding or scenic, keeping you focused on the road ahead.
70% 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: 16.6 mi on NJ 23.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 23 and Union Valley Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.5 miles in near CR 513.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 30.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.5 miles (CR 513): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
912 ft
137 ft
Total Climb
373 ft
Total Descent
890 ft
Highest Point
912 ft
~6.6 mi in
Elevation Range
775 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 West Milford, NJ to Clifton, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Passaic along the way.
Passaic
29 mi in
|
~37m
About the Cities
Arriving in Clifton, NJ
Full guide →Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey.
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 41m. Total distance: 30.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.6 miles on NJ 23. 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 Clifton, 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 7.5 miles (CR 513): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles (NJ 23): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park (5 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 Clifton, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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