Every Wayro route we publish from U.S. cities to Batopilas, Chihuahua, with the border crossing each one uses and what you need to bring a U.S. car across.
About Batopilas
Deep in the Copper Canyon of Chihuahua's Sierra Tarahumara, Batopilas takes its name from a Tarahumara word for a boxed-in river. Silver found here in 1708 made it a rich mining town, and it became the second place in Mexico, after Mexico City, to get electricity. A Pueblo Mágico since 2012, it is about three hours by road from Creel.
- Misión de Satevó: About 8 km (5 miles) from town, this mission dedicated to the Santo Ángel Custodio was built by the Jesuits in 1760. source
- Hacienda San Miguel: The old hacienda is one of the landmarks left from Batopilas's silver boom, listed among the town's main attractions. source
- Templo de la Virgen del Carmen: The town's church is the focus of the Virgen del Carmen festival held each July. source
- Community museum: A small community museum tells the story of the silver mines that built Batopilas. source
Crossing into Mexico: what you need to drive to Batopilas
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Batopilas 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.
Where drivers cross the border
Presidio
The Presidio-Ojinaga International Bridge, run on the U.S. side by TxDOT, links Presidio with Ojinaga, Chihuahua. It handles passenger vehicles, pedestrians, buses and trucks, has SENTRI and FAST lanes, and joins US 67 to Mexican Highway 16. Used by 3 of the routes below.
El Paso
El Paso and Ciudad Juárez are joined by several Rio Grande bridges, including Paso del Norte downtown for pedestrians and northbound cars, Stanton Street with a northbound SENTRI lane, and the Bridge of the Americas for passenger vehicles and trucks. Paso del Norte also has Ready Lanes. Used by 2 of the routes below.
Columbus
The Columbus port sits in the village of Columbus, about 30 miles south of Deming, across from Palomas, Chihuahua. It handles pedestrians, passenger vehicles and commercial trucks, and it is also one of New Mexico's two livestock crossings. Used by 2 of the routes below.
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. Used by 2 of the routes below.
Drives to Batopilas from the U.S.
| From | Miles | Driving time | Border crossing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marfa, TX | 457 | 10 h 56 min | Presidio |
| El Paso, TX | 473 | 10 h 35 min | El Paso |
| Alpine, TX | 483 | 11 h 25 min | Presidio |
| Deming, NM | 488 | 12 h 40 min | Columbus |
| Bisbee, AZ | 503 | 13 h 8 min | Douglas |
| Marathon, TX | 513 | 11 h 58 min | Presidio |
| Las Cruces, NM | 518 | 11 h 23 min | El Paso |
| Sierra Vista, AZ | 528 | 13 h 41 min | Douglas |
| Silver City, NM | 541 | 13 h 53 min | Columbus |
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.