Bisbee to Cuauhtémoc, Mexico: Border Crossing, Route & Stops

By admin, 30 September, 2026

The Wayro route from Bisbee to Cuauhtémoc is 364 miles (585 km), about 8 h 57 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 29 on this route, near the Douglas port of entry.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Sonora — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Chihuahua — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Chihuahua is the Mexican state that contains Cuauhtémoc. Check the full advisory for this state before you go.
Gadsden HotelDouglas Historic DistrictCasas GrandesU.S.–Mexico borderBisbeeCuauhtémoc
Route from Bisbee to Cuauhtémoc with the 3 stops listed below (blue dots) and the approximate U.S.–Mexico border crossing (red square).
Distance364 mi (585 km)
Driving time, no stops8 h 57 min
Main roads, in orderAZ 80 → MEX-2 → MEX-10 → CHIH 15 → CHIH 5
Border crossingabout mile 29 of this route, Arizona → Sonora (near the Douglas, AZ port of entry)
Mexican states on the routeSonora (Level 3), Chihuahua (Level 3)
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 14.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below3

Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Cuauhtémoc

PassportPassport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land
FMM entry permitRequired for this trip: Cuauhtémoc 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 insuranceRequired 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.

Sources: [1] [2]

What the drive from Bisbee to Cuauhtémoc is like

MEX-2 (98 mi) and MEX-10 (84 mi) carry about 50% of the 364 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona for about 29 miles; after the border at Douglas you have about 335 miles left in Mexico. Of the 3 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Bisbee to Cuauhtémoc, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Arizona
AZ 801–2726Arizona
connecting roads27–292Arizona
MEX-229–12798Sonora, Chihuahua
MEX-10127–16235Chihuahua
local roads162–1675Chihuahua
MEX-10167–21649Chihuahua
connecting roads216–2182Chihuahua
CHIH 15218–29274Chihuahua
CHIH 5292–36270Chihuahua
local roads362–3642Chihuahua
  • Mile 29 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
  • Mile 66 of this route: Sonora → Chihuahua (state line)

Stops between Bisbee and Cuauhtémoc

  • 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

Mile 25 · Hotel · 0.2 mi from the route

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

Mile 25 · Historic district · 0.2 mi from the route

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

Mile 167 · Archaeological site · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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 Cuauhtémoc

Cuauhtémoc sits on the high plains west of the city of Chihuahua and is the heart of a large Mennonite community. About 1,300 families arrived from Manitoba, Canada, in 1922, and their farm 'campos' of apple orchards, cheese makers and workshops still spread out along the corridor outside town.

  • Museo Menonita: A restored pioneer home built in Dutch and German styles shows household goods, kitchen tools and a horse stable. source
  • Corredor Comercial Menonita: Workshops, furniture makers and dozens of cheese factories producing queso menonita line the Álvaro Obregón corridor. source
  • Campo 22: One of the earliest Mennonite settlements keeps traditional homes, including one built in 1922 with Canadian lumber. source

More drives to Cuauhtémoc

From Bisbee to other places in Mexico

All routes to Cuauhtémoc, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Cuauhtémoc, Mexico from the U.S.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Bisbee to Cuauhtémoc?

About 8 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 364 miles.

How far is Cuauhtémoc from Bisbee by car?

About 364 miles (585 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 Cuauhtémoc 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 Cuauhtémoc?

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 Cuauhtémoc?

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 Cuauhtémoc use?

In order: AZ 80, MEX-2, MEX-10, CHIH 15 and CHIH 5. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Bisbee and Cuauhtémoc?

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.