The Wayro route from Apache Junction to Nuevo Casas Grandes is 359 miles (577 km), about 8 h 8 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 | 359 mi (577 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | US-80 Hist → US-60 → AZ 79 → AZ 77 → I-10 → AZ 80 → MEX-2 → MEX-10 |
| 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) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Nuevo Casas Grandes
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Nuevo Casas Grandes 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 Nuevo Casas Grandes is like
MEX-2 (99 mi) and US-80 Hist (85 mi) carry about 51% of the 359 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona for about 222 miles; after the border at Douglas you have about 137 miles left in Mexico. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Apache Junction to Nuevo Casas Grandes, 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 | 355–359 | 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 Nuevo Casas Grandes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Saint Augustine (mile 100), Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park (mile 171)
- Nature and outdoors: Catalina State Park (mile 84), Kartchner Caverns State Park (mile 152), Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park (mile 171)
- Museums and history: Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (mile 34), Cathedral of Saint Augustine (mile 100), Pima Air & Space Museum (mile 109)
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.
Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park
Tombstone's red brick 1882 Cochise County courthouse now serves as a museum, with a period courtroom and sheriff's office, mining and ranching exhibits, a saloon and gaming room, and displays on Wyatt Earp and the OK Corral gunfight.
When you get to Nuevo Casas Grandes
Nuevo Casas Grandes is a ranching and farming town in northwestern Chihuahua, about three hours southwest of Ciudad Juárez. Most visitors come for Paquimé, the pre-Hispanic city just outside town that UNESCO inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1998, with some 2,000 earthen rooms and distinctive T-shaped doorways.
- Paquimé archaeological zone: This adobe city peaked in the 14th and 15th centuries as a trade link between the Pueblo cultures of the Southwest and Mesoamerica. source
- Museo de las Culturas del Norte: INAH's museum beside the ruins, opened in 1996, shows pottery and ornaments of stone, shell, bone and copper from Paquimé and nearby sites. source
- Casas Grandes: The neighboring Pueblo Mágico was formally established in 1661 around a Franciscan mission and sits right beside the Paquimé ruins. source
More drives to Nuevo Casas Grandes
- Mesa, AZ to Nuevo Casas Grandes
- Taos, NM to Nuevo Casas Grandes
- Camp Verde, AZ to Nuevo Casas Grandes
- Nogales, AZ to Nuevo Casas Grandes
- Lubbock, TX to Nuevo Casas Grandes
- Silver City, NM to Nuevo Casas Grandes
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 Nuevo Casas Grandes, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Nuevo Casas Grandes, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Apache Junction to Nuevo Casas Grandes?
About 8 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 359 miles.
How far is Nuevo Casas Grandes from Apache Junction by car?
About 359 miles (577 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 Nuevo Casas Grandes 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 Nuevo Casas Grandes?
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 Nuevo Casas Grandes?
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 Nuevo Casas Grandes use?
In order: US-80 Hist, US-60, AZ 79, AZ 77, I-10, AZ 80, MEX-2 and MEX-10. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Apache Junction and Nuevo Casas Grandes?
Closest to the road: 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); Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park (state park, mile 171, 0.2 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.