The Wayro route from Apache Junction to Chihuahua is 541 miles (870 km), about 12 h 9 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 222 on this route, near the Douglas port of entry.
| Distance | 541 mi (870 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 12 h 9 min |
| Main roads, in order | US-80 Hist → US-60 → AZ 79 → AZ 77 → I-10 → AZ 80 → MEX-2 → MEX-10 → CHIH 56D → CHIH 7D → MEX-45 → MEX-45D |
| Border crossing | about mile 222 of this route, Arizona → Sonora (near the Douglas, AZ port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Sonora (Level 3), Chihuahua (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Chihuahua
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Chihuahua is well beyond the 12-mile (20 km) border zone where the permit is not needed |
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required for a U.S.-registered vehicle this far into Mexico |
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you cross |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
Crossing at Douglas
The Raul Hector Castro port in Douglas sits directly across from Agua Prieta, Sonora. It inspects passenger vehicles, pedestrians and commercial trucks, and GSA plans to move truck traffic to a new stand-alone commercial port about 4.5 miles away.
What the drive from Apache Junction to Chihuahua is like
MEX-2 (99 mi) and US-80 Hist (85 mi) carry about 34% of the 541 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona for about 222 miles; after the border at Douglas you have about 319 miles left in Mexico. The Mexican leg uses MEX-45D, a toll highway (cuota). Of the 6 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Apache Junction to Chihuahua, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| US-80 Hist | 0–4 | 4 | Arizona |
| US-60 | 4–16 | 12 | Arizona |
| US-80 Hist | 16–33 | 17 | Arizona |
| AZ 79 | 33–39 | 6 | Arizona |
| US-80 Hist | 39–78 | 39 | Arizona |
| AZ 77 | 78–96 | 18 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 96–99 | 3 | Arizona |
| I-10 | 99–145 | 46 | Arizona |
| US-80 Hist | 145–170 | 25 | Arizona |
| AZ 80 | 170–220 | 50 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 220–222 | 2 | Arizona |
| MEX-2 | 222–321 | 99 | Sonora, Chihuahua |
| MEX-10 | 321–355 | 34 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 355–360 | 5 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 360–361 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-10 | 361–383 | 22 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 56D | 383–421 | 38 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-10 | 421–429 | 8 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 7D | 429–476 | 47 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 476–477 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 477–522 | 45 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 522–530 | 8 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 530–537 | 7 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 537–541 | 4 | Chihuahua |
- Mile 222 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
- Mile 260 of this route: Sonora → Chihuahua (state line)
Stops between Apache Junction and Chihuahua
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Saint Augustine (mile 100)
- Nature and outdoors: Catalina State Park (mile 84), Kartchner Caverns State Park (mile 152)
- Museums and history: Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (mile 34), Cathedral of Saint Augustine (mile 100), Pima Air & Space Museum (mile 109), Casas Grandes (mile 360)
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Standing for more than 600 years, the Great House is the centerpiece of this preserved Ancestral Sonoran Desert People's farming community near Coolidge. Visitors can also see the adobe walls of Compound A and a visitor center museum.
Catalina State Park
Covering 5,500 acres of foothills and canyons at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson, the park has thousands of saguaros, more than 150 bird species, trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, and guided walks at the Hohokam Romero Ruin.
Cathedral of Saint Augustine
Mother church of the Diocese of Tucson, this downtown cathedral wears a 1928 cast-stone façade inspired by the Cathedral of Querétaro, Mexico, decorated with yucca and saguaro blossoms and a depiction of Mission San Xavier del Bac.
Pima Air & Space Museum
Open since 1976, Tucson's aerospace museum spreads across 80 acres with about 400 historic aircraft, ranging from a Wright Flyer to a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, shown outdoors and in six indoor exhibit hangars.
Kartchner Caverns State Park
Discovered in 1974 in the Whetstone Mountains, this living limestone cave is seen on guided tours past formations like Kubla Khan, a 58-foot column, and a 21-foot soda straw; above ground, the park has trails and camping.
Casas Grandes
Paquimé, the city at Casas Grandes, thrived as a trading hub between Mesoamerica and the north; its multistory adobe ruins with T-shaped doorways are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Museo de las Culturas del Norte displays finds in stone, shell, and clay.
When you get to Chihuahua
Silver strikes at nearby Santa Eulalia in 1704 led to the founding of Chihuahua in 1709, where the Chuvíscar and Sacramento rivers meet on the high plains of the north. Today the state capital's historic center gathers around a Baroque cathedral built from 1725 to 1826, with mansions and museums tied to the Mexican Revolution a few blocks away.
- Catedral de Chihuahua: Facing the Plaza de Armas, the Baroque cathedral took more than a century to build, and a museum of sacred art occupies a basement behind it. source
- Palacio de Gobierno: Murals trace Chihuahua's history from colonial times to the Revolution, and the building marks the spot where Father Miguel Hidalgo was executed. source
- Museo Casa de Villa: Pancho Villa's former home preserves his belongings, including the car in which he was assassinated in Hidalgo del Parral. source
Cathedral of Chihuahua
Construction on this Baroque cathedral began in 1725 and stretched over more than a century. It anchors the Plaza de Armas in downtown Chihuahua, and a museum of sacred art occupies its basement.
Cruz de Clavos
In Chihuahua City, the Cruz de Clavos is a memorial honoring victims of femicide in the state of Chihuahua.
Museo Casa Juárez
In downtown Chihuahua, the Museo Casa de Juárez occupies the house where President Benito Juárez and Margarita Maza lived when the city served as the seat of the federal government in 1864; it now holds permanent and temporary exhibitions.
More drives to Chihuahua
- Alamogordo, NM to Chihuahua
- Safford, AZ to Chihuahua
- Socorro, NM to Chihuahua
- San Angelo, TX to Chihuahua
- Portales, NM to Chihuahua
- Nogales, AZ to Chihuahua
From Apache Junction to other places in Mexico
- Apache Junction, AZ to Cananea
- Apache Junction, AZ to Hermosillo
- Apache Junction, AZ to Sonoyta
- Apache Junction, AZ to Cuauhtémoc
- Apache Junction, AZ to San Felipe
- Apache Junction, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
All routes to Chihuahua, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Chihuahua, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Apache Junction to Chihuahua?
About 12 h 9 min of driving without stops, over 541 miles.
How far is Chihuahua from Apache Junction by car?
About 541 miles (870 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Where does the Apache Junction to Chihuahua drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 222 of this route, from Arizona into Sonora, near the Douglas port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Apache Junction to Chihuahua?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car this far into Mexico. You also need Mexican auto insurance and a passport book or card. An FMM entry permit is required too.
Is it safe to drive from Apache Junction to Chihuahua?
The U.S. State Department rates Sonora Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Chihuahua Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Apache Junction to Chihuahua use?
In order: US-80 Hist, US-60, AZ 79, AZ 77, I-10, AZ 80, MEX-2, MEX-10, CHIH 56D, CHIH 7D, MEX-45 and MEX-45D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Apache Junction and Chihuahua?
Closest to the road: Catalina State Park (state park, mile 84, 2 mi from the route); Cathedral of Saint Augustine (catholic cathedral, mile 100, 0.6 mi from the route); Pima Air & Space Museum (aviation museum, mile 109, 1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway mile markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.