How far is Pompton Lakes, NJ from Clifton, NJ?

The driving distance from Pompton Lakes, NJ to Clifton, NJ is about 15 miles (24.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 26m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 12.1 miles (19.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 52m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
14.99 mi
00h 26m
Flight
12.12 mi
19.51 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Pompton Lakes.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
12.12 mi
Kilometers
19.51 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
14.99 mi
Kilometers
24.12 km
Drive Time
00h 26m

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 26m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Clifton
Thu, Apr 23, 12:07 AM EDT
Return by in Pompton Lakes
Thu, Apr 23, 12:33 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Pompton Lakes
2026-04-22T23:41
Arrive Clifton
Thu, Apr 23, 12:07 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 26m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:26 AM to 7:26 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:38 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Pompton Lakes
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
Wayne
NJ

Township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States

From Pompton Lakes
7.8 mi
00h 13m
To Clifton
7.2 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
60°F
Wednesday

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph SE
Destination
60°F
Wednesday

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
8 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Pompton Lakes and Clifton.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Pompton Lakes and Clifton.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    12 m · 9 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Lakeside Avenue

    25 m · 5 sec · Lakeside Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn sharp left onto Wanaque Avenue

    2271 ft · 42 sec · Wanaque Avenue

  4. 4

    Keep slight right to continue on Wanaque Avenue

    70 m · 4 sec · Wanaque Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn slight right onto Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike

    1.3 km · 2 min · Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Newark-Pompton Turnpike

    1.5 km · 1 min · Newark-Pompton Turnpike

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    3090 ft · 47 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight left

    6.2 mi · 7 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight left toward I 80 East, US 46 East: New York, Clifton

    91 m · 7 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on US 46 East: Clifton

    1737 ft · 42 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight right

    2.1 mi · 2 min

  12. 12

    Continue straight

    2.4 mi · 3 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward Grove Street, Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, Passaic

    138 m · 16 sec

  14. 14

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Grove Street

    55 m · 10 sec · Grove Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Van Houten Avenue

    1.3 km · 2 min · Van Houten Avenue

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Clifton Avenue

    1817 ft · 47 sec · Clifton Avenue

  17. 17

    Turn left onto St James Place

    680 ft · 32 sec · St James Place

  18. 18

    Turn right onto Donna Drive

    159 m · 28 sec · Donna Drive

  19. 19

    Turn left onto Holly Street

    157 m · 23 sec · Holly Street

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Holly Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Pompton Lakes and Clifton.

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
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
133.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Newark-Pompton Turnpike
7.75 mi · 52%
US 46 East
4.87 mi · 33%
Van Houten Avenue
0.84 mi · 6%
Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike
0.8 mi · 5%
Wanaque Avenue
0.47 mi · 3%
Clifton Avenue
0.34 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Newark-Pompton Turnpike

Keep slight left

6.21 mi · 00h 07m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 26m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.9 mi
12.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Wayne
00h 13m from Pompton Lakes
Leave By
7:38 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Rain Showers Likely leaving Pompton Lakes and Rain Showers Likely near Clifton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Pompton Lakes to Clifton?

The road trip is about 15 miles (24.1 km) and usually takes 00h 26m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Wayne is a useful midpoint, sitting about 7.8 miles from Pompton Lakes and 7.2 miles from Clifton.

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

The direct path is about 12.1 miles (19.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.9 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:38 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.17 one way or $4.33 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 4.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain Showers Likely around Pompton Lakes and Rain Showers Likely near Clifton.

Stop Ideas Near Wayne

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Wayne, 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 Wayne.

RAIL

Pennsylvania Station

23 mi away
1 Raymond Plaza West
RAIL

Newark Liberty International Airport

26 mi away
Newark Liberty International Airport
RAIL

Pennsylvania Station

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

Yonkers station

31 mi away
5 Buena Vista Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Pompton Lakes and Clifton. Straight-line distance: 12.12 mi (19.51 km).

Pompton Lakes

#1 Pompton Lakes

Town in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States

Population10,931
Coordinates41.0053800, -74.2907000
Altitude67
CountryUnited States
Clifton

#2 Clifton

The most populous city in Passaic County, New Jersey.

Population85,025
Coordinates40.8584300, -74.1637600
Altitude57
CountryUnited States
Start: Lakeside Avenue (-74.290576, 41.005434)
End: Holly Street (-74.163585, 40.858575)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 24 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 29m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 22m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 17m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 14m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 12m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 11m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.53 gal
2 L · about $2.17
Round trip
$4.33
1.06 gal · 4 L
Estimated CO2
4.7 kg one way
Round trip: 9.4 kg / 21 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $2.17 $4.33
Mid-grade $4.60 $2.44 $4.87
Premium $4.95 $2.63 $5.25
Diesel $5.98 $3.17 $6.34

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 · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Pompton Lakes and Clifton. The current time is 23:41:13.

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.