Yonkers to Watertown is 307.7 miles and takes about 6h 21m via New York State Thruway and State Highway 12, with a fuel budget near $50 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, connecting the Northeast region to itself. It's a manageable one-day drive, mostly on surface roads after the initial highway stretch, making it a straightforward option for getting from the southern part of the state to the northern. Plan for about six hours of actual driving time, not including any breaks.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
153.9 miles from Yonkers, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 4m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
New York State Thruway
206.5 mi
4h 2m
State Highway 12
24.3 mi
31m
Bea Luck Road
19.8 mi
23m
State Highway 28
11.7 mi
17m
Erwin Parkway
9.7 mi
11m
West Monroe Street
9.7 mi
15m
Van Allen Road
8.4 mi
9m
Gifford Street
2.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 206.5 mi, about 4h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yonkers, NY and Watertown, NY.
1
Start on US 9; NY 9A
181 ft·11 sec·South Broadway
2
Turn sharp right onto Nepperhan Avenue
0.5 mi·48 sec·Nepperhan Avenue
3
Keep slight left at fork onto Nepperhan Avenue
0.5 mi·56 sec·Nepperhan Avenue
4
Turn right onto NY 9A
0.1 mi·19 sec·Ashburton Avenue
5
Turn left onto NY 9A
1.4 mi·2 min·Saw Mill River Road
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on Tuckahoe Road
0.6 mi·1 min·Tuckahoe Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward I 87 North
8
Merge onto I 87
26 mi·34 min·New York State Thruway
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 87
118 mi·2 hr 15 min·New York State Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
63 mi·1 hr 12 min·New York State Thruway
Toward I 90 West: Buffalo
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 29AToward NY 169: Little Falls, DolgevilleUse the slight right lane.
12
Continue on this road
0.4 mi·54 sec·this road
13
Continue on NY 169
1.9 mi·2 min·NY 169
14
At end of road, turn left onto NY 5; NY 167; NY 169
0.7 mi·1 min·NY 5; NY 167; NY 169
15
Turn right onto NY 167
0.3 mi·36 sec·South Ann Street
16
At end of road, turn left onto NY 169
9.7 mi·15 min·West Monroe Street
17
Continue on NY 28
3.2 mi·4 min·State Highway 28
18
Continue on NY 28
1.2 mi·1 min·Main Street
19
Continue on NY 28
2.5 mi·3 min·State Highway 28
20
Continue on NY 28
1.4 mi·2 min·South Main Street
21
Continue on NY 8; NY 28
0.7 mi·1 min·State Highway 8
22
Turn right onto NY 28
6.0 mi·8 min·State Highway 28
23
Turn right onto NY 12
11 mi·15 min·State Highway 12
24
Continue on NY 12; NY 28
9.7 mi·11 min·Erwin Parkway
25
Continue on NY 12
0.8 mi·51 sec·State Highway 12
26
Continue on NY 12
20 mi·23 min·Bea Luck Road
27
Continue on NY 12
0.5 mi·1 min·Utica Boulevard
28
Continue on NY 12; NY 26
0.6 mi·1 min·South State Street
29
Turn left onto NY 12
0.5 mi·1 min·Dayan Street
30
Continue on NY 12
11 mi·13 min·State Highway 12
31
Continue on NY 12
0.3 mi·22 sec·County Road 14
32
Continue on NY 12
0.6 mi·38 sec·High Street
33
Continue on NY 12
0.6 mi·41 sec·Main Street
34
Continue on NY 12
1.4 mi·1 min·State Highway 12
35
Continue on NY 12
8.4 mi·9 min·Van Allen Road
36
Continue on NY 12
2.4 mi·2 min·Gifford Street
37
At end of road, turn left onto NY 12
1.7 mi·3 min·State Street
38
Continue on NY 3; NY 12
0.2 mi·33 sec·Public Square
39
Turn slight left onto US 11
110 ft·6 sec·Washington Street
40
Turn right onto NY 3; NY 12
27 ft·0 sec·Public Square
41
Arrive at destination
NY 3; NY 12
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 21m estimated drive time, leaving Yonkers in the morning should allow you to reach Watertown before evening. With only one recommended stop and a 307.7-mile distance, you have flexibility in how you pace yourself. The longest continuous stretch is 206.5 miles on the New York State Thruway, so consider taking a break before or after this section. Keep an eye on your fuel as you move from the Thruway onto State Highway 12 and Bea Luck Road, as services might be more spread out on the latter parts of the trip.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 153.9 miles from Yonkers, NY, or about 3h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 206.5 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 68 miles or 1h 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 153.9 miles or 3h 4m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 11m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Watertown, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Yonkers, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Yonkers, NY
This is one driving day of about 307.7 miles and 6h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 68 miles from Yonkers, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on New York State Thruway for about 206.5 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 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 209.8 — 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|Nepperhan Avenue
Turn sharp right onto Nepperhan Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
6
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in|NY 9A / Saw Mill River Road
Turn left onto NY 9A / Saw Mill River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.3 mi into trip|~6m in|I 87 / New York State Thruway
Merge onto I 87 / New York State Thruway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
29.2 mi into trip|~40m in|I 87 / New York State Thruway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 87 / New York State Thruway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
209.8 mi into trip|~4h 8m in
Take the exit toward NY 169: Little Falls, Dolgeville
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 29A
Toward NY 169: Little Falls, Dolgeville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$54.36 one way
$108.71 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg108 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.86
$58.81
$117.63
premium
$5.28
$63.91
$127.83
diesel
$6.18
$74.85
$149.71
Estimated Tolls: $10.33
New York State Thruway
(206.5 mi)$10.33
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
$54
Tolls
$10
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$90–$115
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 107.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
92.3
1
$32.31
$14.77
Efficient EV
76.9
0
$26.92
$12.31
EV Truck/SUV
123.1
1
$43.08
$19.69
Gas CO2
108 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Oct 16, 2026
Origin
Yonkers, NY
Morning
in Yonkers on Saturday
Local time
6:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 9 to 15 mph95% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 2:18PM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 12:42PM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY
Destination
Watertown, NY
Morning
in Watertown on Saturday
Local time
6:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
32°F
Chance Rain Showers then Cloudy
NW 10 to 14 mph46% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 2:18PM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 12:42PM EDT until October 18 at 9:00AM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY
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
16 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
6h 21m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Hamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
Merchant’s clerk, Revolutionary War soldier, first Secretary Treasury of the United States: Alexander Hamilton’s life is memorialized at The Grange, the home he built on a country estate in uptown Man...
The final resting place of President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia, is the largest mausoleum in North America. It testifies to a people’s gratitude for the man who ended the bloodiest conflict...
For centuries, the Oneida Carrying Place, a six-mile portage connecting the Mohawk River and Wood Creek, served as a vital link for those traveling by water from the ocean to the Great Lakes. When Eur...
15 mi from route
~39 min detour
Free
near mile 244.1
Before the 1960s, almost everything about living authentically as a lesbian, a bisexual person or a gay man was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for civil r...
The African Burial Ground stands as the oldest and largest known excavated burial site in North America for both free and enslaved Africans. It offers a profound testament to the enduring legacy of Af...
Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, Castle Clinton marks the place where New York City began and reflects the growth of both the city and the nation. Built to defend the harbor during the War of...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly surface roads, with only 16% of the drive on highways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time cruising on surface streets, but there's a substantial stretch of 206.5 miles on the New York State Thruway early on. Expect to navigate through more towns and potentially encounter more frequent exits once you transition off the Thruway onto State Highway 12 and Bea Luck Road.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
41 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 206.5 mi on New York State Thruway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Nepperhan Avenue.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 307.7 miles you will encounter 17 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 (Nepperhan Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1.1 miles (NY 9A / Saw Mill River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (I 87 / New York State Thruway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,151 ft86 ft
Total Climb
1,740 ft
Total Descent
1,360 ft
Highest Point
1,151 ft
~241.8 mi in
Elevation Range
1,066 ft
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 Yonkers, NY to Watertown, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Dolgeville along the way.
Yonkers is a city of 211,569 people (2020) in Westchester County. The third most populous city in New York state, Yonkers is a suburb of New York City and borders the Borough of the Bronx. Yonkers is known as the "City of Seven Hills," which are Park, Nodine, Ridge, Cross, Locust, Glen, and Church hills.
Top landmarks
•Untermyer Park — public garden
•Hudson River Museum — museum in Yonkers, N.Y.
•Glenview Mansion — historic house in New York, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 21m. Total distance: 307.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 21m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 206.5 miles on New York State Thruway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $10.33 in tolls one way, starting with New York State Thruway. 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 25 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 Watertown, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 25 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Nepperhan Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 1.1 miles (NY 9A / Saw Mill River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (I 87 / New York State Thruway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and Fort Stanwix National Monument (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.4 hours each way, a round trip means 12.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Watertown, NY before the return drive.
