How far is Clifton, NJ from Highland Lake, NJ?

The driving distance from Clifton, NJ to Highland Lake, NJ is about 34.1 miles (54.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 53m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 26.8 miles (43.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 47m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
34.1 mi
00h 53m
Flight
26.77 mi
43.09 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Clifton.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
26.77 mi
Kilometers
43.09 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
34.1 mi
Kilometers
54.88 km
Drive Time
00h 53m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 53m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Highland Lake
Sat, May 2, 1:49 PM EDT
Return by in Clifton
Sat, May 2, 2:43 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Clifton
2026-05-02T12:55
Arrive Highland Lake
Sat, May 2, 1:49 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 53m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:54 AM to 10:54 AM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:42 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Clifton
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Kinnelon
NJ

Borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States

From Clifton
17 mi
00h 27m
To Highland Lake
17 mi
00h 27m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
60°F
Saturday

Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sat, May 2 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 8 mph W
Destination
52°F
Saturday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 2 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Clifton and Highland Lake.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Clifton and Highland Lake.

  1. 1

    Start on Holly Street

    157 m · 27 sec · Holly Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Donna Drive

    733 ft · 35 sec · Donna Drive

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace

    135 m · 21 sec · Olga B Terrace

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Hutton Road

    12 m · 7 sec · Hutton Road

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Olga B Terrace

    53 m · 13 sec · Olga B Terrace

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Clifton Avenue

    2821 ft · 1 min · Clifton Avenue

  7. 7

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Allwood Road

    1069 ft · 31 sec · Allwood Road

  8. 8

    Take the ramp left toward NJ 3 West, GSP South

    654 ft · 18 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto State Route 3

    1.3 mi · 1 min · State Route 3

  10. 10

    Merge slight right

    3.7 mi · 4 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80 West, NJ 23 North: Delaware Water Gap, Butler

    1159 ft · 28 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight right

    4.6 mi · 5 min

  13. 13

    Continue straight

    15.5 mi · 19 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right

    676 ft · 21 sec

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Canistear Road

    7 mi · 17 min · Canistear Road

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Lookover Lane

    95 m · 22 sec · Lookover Lane

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Coon Den Road

    685 ft · 39 sec · Coon Den Road

  18. 18

    Turn right onto Lakeside Drive East

    949 ft · 55 sec · Lakeside Drive East

  19. 19

    Turn right onto Glen Road

    643 ft · 37 sec · Glen Road

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Glen Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Clifton and Highland Lake.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
20 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
58.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 80 West
20.5 mi · 60%
Canistear Road
6.95 mi · 20%
State Route 3
4.95 mi · 15%
Clifton Avenue
0.53 mi · 2%
Allwood Road
0.2 mi · 1%
Lakeside Drive East
0.18 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 80 West

Continue straight

15.5 mi · 00h 19m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 53m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 48m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+7.3 mi
26.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Kinnelon
00h 27m from Clifton
Leave By
4:42 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Rain Showers leaving Clifton and Partly Sunny near Highland Lake.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Clifton to Highland Lake?

The road trip is about 34.1 miles (54.9 km) and usually takes 00h 53m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Kinnelon is a useful midpoint, sitting about 17 miles from Clifton and 17 miles from Highland Lake.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 26.8 miles (43.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 7.3 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:42 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.90 one way or $9.81 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 10.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Rain Showers around Clifton and Partly Sunny near Highland Lake.

Stop Ideas Near Kinnelon

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Kinnelon, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Kinnelon.

RAIL

Pennsylvania Station

34 mi away
1 Raymond Plaza West
RAIL

Newark Liberty International Airport

36 mi away
Newark Liberty International Airport
RAIL

Yonkers station

40 mi away
5 Buena Vista Ave.
RAIL

Pennsylvania Station

42 mi away
8th Ave 31st Street / 8th Ave 33rd Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Clifton and Highland Lake. Straight-line distance: 26.77 mi (43.09 km).

Clifton

#1 Clifton

The most populous city in Passaic County, New Jersey.

Population85,025
Coordinates40.8584300, -74.1637600
Altitude57
CountryUnited States
Highland Lake

#2 Highland Lake

Town

Population4,933
Coordinates41.1767600, -74.4565500
Altitude371
CountryUnited States
Start: Clifton (-74.16376, 40.85843)
End: Highland Lake (-74.45655, 41.17676)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 55 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 08m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 51m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 40m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 34m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 29m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 25m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.2 gal
4.56 L · about $4.90
Round trip
$9.81
2.4 gal · 9.12 L
Estimated CO2
10.7 kg one way
Round trip: 21.3 kg / 47 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $4.90 $9.81
Mid-grade $4.60 $5.52 $11.04
Premium $4.95 $5.94 $11.89
Diesel $5.98 $7.18 $14.35

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in New Jersey · May 02, 2026

There is no time difference between Clifton and Highland Lake. The current time is 12:55:41.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.