The Wayro route from Clovis to Agua Prieta is 511 miles (822 km), about 9 h 53 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 510 on this route, near the Douglas port of entry.
| Distance | 511 mi (822 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 53 min |
| Main roads, in order | US-70 → US-54 → I-10 → US-80 Hist |
| Border crossing | about mile 510 of this route, Arizona → Sonora (near the Douglas, AZ port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Sonora (Level 3) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Agua Prieta
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Not needed if you stay within 12 miles (20 km) of the border for 6 days or less; required for longer stays or if you travel farther in |
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Not needed: Agua Prieta is inside Sonora's free zone (west of Highway 15 as far south as Empalme, plus a strip along the border that includes Cananea). Going farther south or east of Highway 15 requires a permit |
| 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. Sonora free zone: Explore Sonora.
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 Clovis to Agua Prieta is like
US-70 (283 mi) and I-10 (129 mi) carry about 81% of the 511 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through New Mexico, Arizona for about 510 miles; after the border at Douglas you are practically in Agua Prieta. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Clovis to Agua Prieta, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | New Mexico |
| US-70 | 1–212 | 211 | New Mexico |
| connecting roads | 212–213 | 1 | New Mexico |
| US-54 | 213–227 | 14 | New Mexico |
| US-70 | 227–299 | 72 | New Mexico |
| I-10 | 299–428 | 129 | New Mexico |
| US-80 Hist | 428–508 | 80 | New Mexico, Arizona |
| local roads | 508–511 | 3 | Arizona, Sonora |
- Mile 460 of this route: New Mexico → Arizona (state line)
- Mile 510 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
Stops between Clovis and Agua Prieta
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Alameda Park Zoo (mile 225), White Sands National Park (mile 240), Lordsburg-Hidalgo County Library (mile 410)
- Nature and outdoors: Oasis State Park (mile 16), White Sands National Park (mile 240), Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument (mile 276)
- Museums and history: New Mexico Museum of Space History (mile 223), Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument (mile 276), Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (mile 292), Prehistoric Trackways National Monument (mile 296), Lordsburg-Hidalgo County Library (mile 410)
- With kids: Alameda Park Zoo (mile 225)
Oasis State Park
Just north of Portales, cottonwoods, sand dunes, and a small fishing lake make this park a quiet stop for anglers, birders, and campers, with short hiking and biking trails.
New Mexico Museum of Space History
Home to the International Space Hall of Fame, this Alamogordo museum covers space flight and New Mexico's role in it, with a dome theater and planetarium plus outdoor aerospace exhibits in the John P. Stapp Air & Space Park.
Alameda Park Zoo
Billed as the oldest zoo in the Southwest, this 12-acre zoo in Alamogordo houses nearly 300 animals from about 90 species and serves as a Species Survival Plan facility for the Mexican gray wolf.
White Sands National Park
Wave-like gypsum dunes cover 275 square miles of the Tularosa Basin, the world's largest gypsum dunefield. The eight-mile Dunes Drive leads into the dunes, where visitors hike, picnic and sled down the white slopes.
Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument
Rocky spires of the Organ Mountains rise to about 9,000 feet above the Chihuahuan Desert in this BLM-managed monument near Las Cruces, where trails invite hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, rock climbing, and camping, with exhibits at Dripping Springs Visitor Center.
Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
The mother church of the Diocese of Las Cruces stands on South Espina Street and holds regular Masses in both English and Spanish.
Prehistoric Trackways National Monument
In the Robledo Mountains near Las Cruces, this BLM monument protects 280-million-year-old Early Permian footprints of amphibians, reptiles, and insects, left long before the dinosaurs, and offers hiking.
Lordsburg-Hidalgo County Library
Built in 1936–37 as a Works Progress Administration project, this single-story adobe library in Lordsburg keeps its original floor plan and stained glass windows, and it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
When you get to Agua Prieta
Right across the line from Douglas, Arizona, Agua Prieta grew up where the railroad from Douglas to the Nacozari mines met the border. Today it is a working border city built on trade, manufacturing, mining and ranching, and it serves as the gateway to the Sierra Alta circuit of small mountain towns in northeastern Sonora.
- Edificio de la Aduana: The old customs house, built in 1918, recalls the Nacozari Railroad concession of 1899 that put Agua Prieta on the map. source
- Plaza de Armas Azueta: Locals call the main plaza the park of Agua Prieta's history and traditions, and it remains the setting for civic and community events. source
- Downtown churches: The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe and the Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón are both listed among the city's visitor attractions. source
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.
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.
More drives to Agua Prieta
- Palm Springs, CA to Agua Prieta
- El Centro, CA to Agua Prieta
- Flagstaff, AZ to Agua Prieta
- Williams, AZ to Agua Prieta
- Rancho Mirage, CA to Agua Prieta
- Santa Fe, NM to Agua Prieta
From Clovis to other places in Mexico
- Clovis, NM to Ciudad Juárez
- Clovis, NM to Ojinaga
- Clovis, NM to Ciudad Acuña
- Clovis, NM to Piedras Negras
- Clovis, NM to Nuevo Casas Grandes
All routes to Agua Prieta, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Agua Prieta, Mexico from the U.S.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Clovis to Agua Prieta?
About 9 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 511 miles.
How far is Agua Prieta from Clovis by car?
About 511 miles (822 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 Clovis to Agua Prieta drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 510 of this route, from Arizona into Sonora, near the Douglas port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Clovis to Agua Prieta?
No vehicle permit is needed. Agua Prieta is inside Sonora's free zone (west of Highway 15 as far south as Empalme, plus a strip along the border that includes Cananea). Going farther south or east of Highway 15 requires a permit. You also need Mexican auto insurance and a passport book or card.
Is it safe to drive from Clovis to Agua Prieta?
The U.S. State Department rates Sonora Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Clovis to Agua Prieta use?
In order: US-70, US-54, I-10 and US-80 Hist. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Clovis and Agua Prieta?
Closest to the road: Alameda Park Zoo (zoo, mile 225, 0.6 mi from the route); White Sands National Park (National park, mile 240, 0.2 mi from the route); Lordsburg-Hidalgo County Library (main library, mile 410, 0.5 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.