The Wayro route from Cottonwood to San Felipe is 437 miles (704 km), about 8 h 52 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 297 on this route, near the San Luis port of entry.
What the State Department tells travelers on this route:
- Baja California: “Travelers should remain on main highways and avoid remote locations.”
| Distance | 437 mi (704 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | AZ 260 → I-17 → AZ 303 → I-10 → AZ 85 → US-80 Hist → I-8 → AZ 195 → SON 3 → BC 4 → BC 41 → MEX-5 |
| Border crossing | about mile 297 of this route, Arizona → Sonora (near the San Luis, AZ port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Sonora (Level 3), Baja California (Level 3) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for San Felipe
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: San Felipe is well beyond the 12-mile (20 km) border zone where the permit is not needed |
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Not needed: Baja California is in Mexico's hassle-free zone for U.S. vehicles |
| 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 San Luis
The San Luis port connects San Luis, Arizona, south of Yuma, with San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora. It handles passenger vehicles and heavy pedestrian traffic, and GSA calls it the second busiest non-commercial vehicle port in Arizona; trucks use the separate San Luis II crossing east of town.
What the drive from Cottonwood to San Felipe is like
I-8 (106 mi) and MEX-5 (91 mi) carry about 45% of the 437 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona for about 297 miles; after the border at San Luis you have about 140 miles left in Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cottonwood to San Felipe, 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 | 14–78 | 64 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 78–81 | 3 | Arizona |
| AZ 303 | 81–113 | 32 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 113–114 | 1 | Arizona |
| I-10 | 114–125 | 11 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 125–126 | 1 | Arizona |
| AZ 85 | 126–129 | 3 | Arizona |
| US-80 Hist | 129–158 | 29 | Arizona |
| AZ 85 | 158–162 | 4 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 162–163 | 1 | Arizona |
| I-8 | 163–269 | 106 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 269–270 | 1 | Arizona |
| AZ 195 | 270–296 | 26 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 296–298 | 2 | Arizona, Sonora |
| SON 3 | 298–321 | 23 | Sonora |
| connecting roads | 321–323 | 2 | Sonora, Baja California |
| BC 4 | 323–342 | 19 | Baja California |
| BC 41 | 342–346 | 4 | Baja California |
| MEX-5 | 346–437 | 91 | Baja California |
- Mile 297 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
- Mile 322 of this route: Sonora → Baja California (state line)
Stops between Cottonwood and San Felipe
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pioneer Living History Museum (mile 75), Wildlife World Zoo (mile 107), Yuma Desert (mile 281)
- Nature and outdoors: Fort Verde State Historic Park (mile 14), Daisy Mountain Preserve (mile 70), Sonoran Desert National Monument (mile 153), Yuma Desert (mile 281)
- Museums and history: Montezuma Castle National Monument (mile 12), Agua Fria National Monument (mile 49), Pioneer Living History Museum (mile 75), Sonoran Desert National Monument (mile 153), Gatlin Site (mile 157)
- With kids: Wildlife World Zoo (mile 107)
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.
Fort Verde State Historic Park
Three original buildings from the frontier fort in Camp Verde hold museum exhibits on Arizona's Indian Wars and the tools used to settle the Verde Valley, and guided tours visit the homes on Officers' Row.
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.
Daisy Mountain Preserve
This State Trust Land mountain rising above Anthem is open to hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders, but only with a recreation permit from the Arizona State Land Department; motorized vehicles are not allowed.
Pioneer Living History Museum
Territorial Arizona from 1863 to 1912 comes alive at this 90-acre open-air museum in north Phoenix, where 20 historic buildings, including homes, a blacksmith shop and a dress shop, stand alongside a telephone history museum.
Wildlife World Zoo
Out in Litchfield Park on the West Valley's edge, this attraction combines a zoo, aquarium and safari park, with more than 600 species on display plus daily sea lion and parrot-feeding shows.
Sonoran Desert National Monument
Created in 2001, this BLM monument protects saguaro forests across the Maricopa, Sand Tank, and Table Top mountains. Traces of the Juan Bautista de Anza and Butterfield Overland trails cross it, and hikers, campers, and stargazers find three wilderness areas.
Gatlin Site
A National Historic Landmark in the town of Gila Bend, the Gatlin Site is an archaeological site known for a Hohokam platform mound documented by archaeologists.
Yuma Desert
South of Yuma along the Mexican border, this low Sonoran Desert plain is a sweep of sand dunes and sandy soils, including the Yuma Dunes, where rare plants such as sandfood grow and flat-tailed horned lizards and fringe-toed lizards live.
When you get to San Felipe
Where the Baja desert runs straight into the warm Gulf of California, San Felipe is a fishing town about two hours south of Mexicali. It is known for sport fishing, dramatic low tides that pull the water far from shore, and seafood, especially the shrimp it celebrates with an annual festival.
- Valle de los Gigantes: South of town on the road to Puertecitos, this cactus reserve on Punta Estrella Ranch protects towering cardón cacti up to about 17 meters tall. source
- Sport fishing: Charters head into the Gulf of California from San Felipe, a town long known for sport fishing thanks to the abundance of marine species offshore. source
- Gulf beaches: The town's beaches are made for kayaking, paddleboarding and walking the wide flats exposed at low tide. source
More drives to San Felipe
- Safford, AZ to San Felipe
- Rancho Mirage, CA to San Felipe
- Coronado, CA to San Felipe
- Mesa, AZ to San Felipe
- Bisbee, AZ to San Felipe
- Casa Grande, AZ to San Felipe
From Cottonwood to other places in Mexico
- Cottonwood, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
- Cottonwood, AZ to Guaymas
- Cottonwood, AZ to Nuevo Casas Grandes
- Cottonwood, AZ to Nogales
- Cottonwood, AZ to Hermosillo
- Cottonwood, AZ to Tecate
All routes to San Felipe, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to San Felipe, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cottonwood to San Felipe?
About 8 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 437 miles.
How far is San Felipe from Cottonwood by car?
About 437 miles (704 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 San Felipe drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 297 of this route, from Arizona into Sonora, near the San Luis port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Cottonwood to San Felipe?
No vehicle permit is needed. Baja California is in Mexico's hassle-free zone for U.S. vehicles. 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 San Felipe?
The U.S. State Department rates Sonora Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Baja California Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Cottonwood to San Felipe use?
In order: AZ 260, I-17, AZ 303, I-10, AZ 85, US-80 Hist, I-8, AZ 195, SON 3, BC 4, BC 41 and MEX-5. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Cottonwood and San Felipe?
Closest to the road: Pioneer Living History Museum (museum, mile 75, 0.5 mi from the route); Wildlife World Zoo (zoo, mile 107, 0.4 mi from the route); Yuma Desert (desert, mile 281, 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.