The Wayro route from Bisbee to Creel is 419 miles (675 km), about 10 h 36 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 29 on this route, near the Douglas port of entry.
| Distance | 419 mi (675 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 36 min |
| Main roads, in order | AZ 80 → MEX-2 → MEX-10 → CHIH 15 → CHIH 11 → CHIH 25 → MEX-16 |
| Border crossing | about mile 29 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 16.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 3 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Creel
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Creel 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 Bisbee to Creel is like
CHIH 15 (102 mi) and MEX-2 (98 mi) carry about 48% of the 419 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona for about 29 miles; after the border at Douglas you have about 390 miles left in Mexico. Of the 3 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Bisbee to Creel, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Arizona |
| AZ 80 | 1–27 | 26 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 27–29 | 2 | Arizona |
| MEX-2 | 29–127 | 98 | Sonora, Chihuahua |
| MEX-10 | 127–162 | 35 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 162–167 | 5 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-10 | 167–216 | 49 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 216–218 | 2 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 15 | 218–320 | 102 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 11 | 320–347 | 27 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 25 | 347–359 | 12 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-16 | 359–362 | 3 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 25 | 362–419 | 57 | Chihuahua |
- Mile 29 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
- Mile 66 of this route: Sonora → Chihuahua (state line)
Stops between Bisbee and Creel
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Gadsden Hotel (mile 25), Douglas Historic District (mile 25)
- Museums and history: Douglas Historic District (mile 25), Casas Grandes (mile 167)
Gadsden Hotel
Opened in 1907 and rebuilt after a 1928 fire, this downtown Douglas hotel has a lobby with a white Italian marble staircase, gold-leafed marble columns, and a 42-foot stained-glass desert mural by Ralph Baker.
Douglas Historic District
Douglas grew up as a Phelps Dodge copper-smelting town, and this National Register district along G Avenue preserves its 1901-1935 commercial core, including the 1906 Gadsden Hotel and the terra-cotta-fronted Grand Theatre.
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 Creel
High in the Sierra Tarahumara, at about 7,350 feet, Creel lies roughly 160 miles (260 km) southwest of the city of Chihuahua and serves as a gateway to the Copper Canyon. The town joined the Pueblos Mágicos program in 2007, is a stop on the Chepe Express railway, and is surrounded by Rarámuri communities that keep strong traditions alive.
- Museo de Arte Sacro San Ignacio de Loyola: The museum keeps 45 religious paintings gathered from old Rarámuri places of worship around the sierra. source
- Lago de Arareko: A few kilometers from town, this lake sits within a Rarámuri community and draws visitors for shoreline walks and time on the water. source
- Valleys of the Frogs, Monks and Mushrooms: Near San Ignacio de Arareko, these valleys take their names from their rock formations; in the Valley of the Monks some columns rise more than 30 meters. source
Lake Arareco
Lake Arareco is a lake high in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Chihuahua, near the town of Creel.
More drives to Creel
- Alpine, TX to Creel
- Silver City, NM to Creel
- Marathon, TX to Creel
- Nogales, AZ to Creel
- Marfa, TX to Creel
- Deming, NM to Creel
From Bisbee to other places in Mexico
- Bisbee, AZ to Sonoyta
- Bisbee, AZ to San Felipe
- Bisbee, AZ to Tecate
- Bisbee, AZ to San Carlos
- Bisbee, AZ to Cananea
- Bisbee, AZ to San Luis Río Colorado
All routes to Creel, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Creel, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Bisbee to Creel?
About 10 h 36 min of driving without stops, over 419 miles.
How far is Creel from Bisbee by car?
About 419 miles (675 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 Bisbee to Creel drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 29 of this route, from Arizona into Sonora, near the Douglas port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Bisbee to Creel?
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 Bisbee to Creel?
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 Bisbee to Creel use?
In order: AZ 80, MEX-2, MEX-10, CHIH 15, CHIH 11, CHIH 25 and MEX-16. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Bisbee and Creel?
Closest to the road: Gadsden Hotel (hotel, mile 25, 0.2 mi from the route); Douglas Historic District (historic district, mile 25, 0.2 mi from the route); Casas Grandes (archaeological site, mile 167, 3 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.