The Wayro route from Cottonwood to Nuevo Casas Grandes is 474 miles (763 km), about 9 h 21 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 338 on this route, near the Douglas port of entry.
| Distance | 474 mi (763 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 21 min |
| Main roads, in order | AZ 260 → I-17 → I-10 → US-80 Hist → AZ 80 → MEX-2 → MEX-10 |
| Border crossing | about mile 338 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 19.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 Cottonwood to Nuevo Casas Grandes is like
I-10 (141 mi) and I-17 (105 mi) carry about 52% of the 474 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona for about 338 miles; after the border at Douglas you have about 136 miles left in Mexico. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cottonwood to Nuevo Casas Grandes, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Arizona |
| AZ 260 | 1–14 | 13 | Arizona |
| I-17 | 14–119 | 105 | Arizona |
| I-10 | 119–260 | 141 | Arizona |
| US-80 Hist | 260–286 | 26 | Arizona |
| AZ 80 | 286–336 | 50 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 336–338 | 2 | Arizona |
| MEX-2 | 338–437 | 99 | Sonora, Chihuahua |
| MEX-10 | 437–471 | 34 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 471–474 | 3 | Chihuahua |
- Mile 338 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
- Mile 375 of this route: Sonora → Chihuahua (state line)
Stops between Cottonwood and Nuevo Casas Grandes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Arizona State Capitol (mile 101)
- Nature and outdoors: Picacho Peak State Park (mile 176), Kartchner Caverns State Park (mile 268)
- Museums and history: Montezuma Castle National Monument (mile 12), Agua Fria National Monument (mile 49), Arizona State Capitol (mile 101), Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (mile 149), Pima Air & Space Museum (mile 225)
Montezuma Castle National Monument
Tucked into an alcove about 90 feet up a limestone cliff, this 20-room Sinagua dwelling is viewed from below. Established in 1906, the monument also includes Montezuma Well, a separate unit that once supplied the Sinagua with water.
Agua Fria National Monument
About 40 miles north of Phoenix off I-17, this BLM monument protects mesa-top pueblo ruins, petroglyph panels, and the Agua Fria River canyon, with hiking, birding, and primitive camping; much of Bloody Basin Road needs high clearance.
Arizona State Capitol
Built from 1898 to 1901 and topped by a copper dome and a Winged Victory weathervane, Arizona's historic capitol now houses the Arizona Capitol Museum, including USS Arizona artifacts. Monuments and memorials fill Wesley Bolin Plaza outside.
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.
Picacho Peak State Park
Between Tucson and Casa Grande off I-10, the park surrounds 1,500-foot Picacho Peak, site of the 1862 Battle of Picacho Pass. Expect hiking trails, a campground, and spring displays of Mexican gold poppies.
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.
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 Cottonwood to other places in Mexico
- Cottonwood, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
- Cottonwood, AZ to Guaymas
- Cottonwood, AZ to Nogales
- Cottonwood, AZ to Hermosillo
- Cottonwood, AZ to Tecate
- Cottonwood, AZ to Ciudad Juárez
All routes to Nuevo Casas Grandes, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Nuevo Casas Grandes, Mexico from the U.S.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cottonwood to Nuevo Casas Grandes?
About 9 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 474 miles.
How far is Nuevo Casas Grandes from Cottonwood by car?
About 474 miles (763 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 Cottonwood to Nuevo Casas Grandes drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 338 of this route, from Arizona into Sonora, near the Douglas port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood to Nuevo Casas Grandes use?
In order: AZ 260, I-17, I-10, US-80 Hist, 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 Cottonwood and Nuevo Casas Grandes?
Closest to the road: Arizona State Capitol (history museum, mile 101, 0.7 mi from the route); Picacho Peak State Park (state park, mile 176, 2 mi from the route); Pima Air & Space Museum (aviation museum, mile 225, 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.