The Wayro route from Julian to Magdalena de Kino is 501 miles (806 km), about 8 h 34 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 445 on this route, near the Nogales port of entry.
| Distance | 501 mi (806 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 34 min |
| Main roads, in order | CA-78 → CR S2 → I-8 → I-10 → I-19 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Border crossing | about mile 445 of this route, Arizona → Sonora (near the Nogales, AZ port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Sonora (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Magdalena de Kino
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Magdalena de Kino is well beyond the 12-mile (20 km) border zone where the permit is not needed |
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Not needed: Magdalena de Kino 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 Nogales
Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, share several crossings: DeConcini downtown is the main gateway for visitors and daily crossers, Morley Gate nearby serves pedestrians, and Mariposa on the west side handles commercial trucks. The city is also home to Arizona's only rail crossing.
What the drive from Julian to Magdalena de Kino is like
I-8 (261 mi) and I-10 (60 mi) carry about 64% of the 501 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through California, Arizona for about 445 miles; after the border at Nogales you have about 56 miles left in Mexico. The Mexican leg uses MEX-15D, a toll highway (cuota). Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Julian to Magdalena de Kino, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA-78 | 0–12 | 12 | California |
| CR S2 | 12–59 | 47 | California |
| I-8 | 59–320 | 261 | California, Arizona |
| connecting roads | 320–321 | 1 | Arizona |
| I-10 | 321–381 | 60 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 381–382 | 1 | Arizona |
| I-19 | 382–441 | 59 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 441–445 | 4 | Arizona |
| MEX-15D | 445–453 | 8 | Sonora |
| MEX-15 | 453–496 | 43 | Sonora |
| local roads | 496–501 | 5 | Sonora |
- Mile 138 of this route: California → Arizona (state line)
- Mile 445 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
Stops between Julian and Magdalena de Kino
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Saint Augustine (mile 379), Tubac Presidio State Historic Park (mile 423), Tumacácori National Historical Park (mile 426)
- Nature and outdoors: Yuha Desert (mile 68), Colorado Desert (mile 101), Sonoran Desert National Monument (mile 271), Picacho Peak State Park (mile 341), Tubac Presidio State Historic Park (mile 423), Tumacácori National Historical Park (mile 426)
- Museums and history: Sonoran Desert National Monument (mile 271), Cathedral of Saint Augustine (mile 379), Tumacácori National Historical Park (mile 426)
Yuha Desert
South of Interstate 8 and west of El Centro, this Sonoran Desert basin holds Yuha Well, the favored water stop of the Anza expeditions of 1774–76. A State Historic Landmark plaque at the eastbound Sunbeam rest area on I-8 near Seeley tells the story.
Colorado Desert
Part of the larger Sonoran Desert, the Colorado Desert stretches across Southern California into Baja California. Its low basins are dominated by creosote, ocotillo and cholla cactus, and it meets the Mojave Desert inside Joshua Tree National Park.
Ogilby Hills
The Ogilby Hills are a desert mountain range in Imperial County, California, part of the Colorado Desert in the Lower Colorado River Valley near the Colorado River.
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.
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.
Cathedral of Saint Augustine
Mother church of the Diocese of Tucson, this downtown cathedral wears a 1928 cast-stone façade inspired by the Cathedral of Querétaro, Mexico, decorated with yucca and saguaro blossoms and a depiction of Mission San Xavier del Bac.
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park
Known as Arizona's first state park, dedicated in 1958, it preserves ruins of the Spanish presidio founded in 1752. See the museum, an underground archaeology exhibit, and an 1885 territorial schoolhouse.
Tumacácori National Historical Park
An adobe mission church anchors this park in the Santa Cruz River valley, where O'odham, Yaqui, and Apache people met Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries. Tour the mission grounds and visitor center, then walk the Anza Trail along the river.
When you get to Magdalena de Kino
About 50 miles south of the Nogales border on Federal Highway 15, Magdalena de Kino began as a Jesuit mission founded by Father Eusebio Francisco Kino in 1687. The missionary's remains rest here, which draws pilgrims from both sides of the border, and the town joined Mexico's Pueblos Mágicos program in 2012.
- Father Kino's crypt: Kino's remains lie in a mausoleum on the main plaza, where visitors can look down at them through windows. source
- Templo de Santa María Magdalena: The town church holds the venerated reclining image of San Francisco Javier, whose feast is the biggest event on the town calendar. source
- Misión San Ignacio de Cabórica: About 8 km (5 miles) away in the village of San Ignacio, this Kino-era mission has a carved wooden door and an original spiral staircase. source
More drives to Magdalena de Kino
- Goodyear, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
- Cottonwood, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
- Laughlin, NV to Magdalena de Kino
- Boulder City, NV to Magdalena de Kino
- Glendale, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
- Williams, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
From Julian to other places in Mexico
- Julian, CA to Puerto Peñasco
- Julian, CA to Guerrero Negro
- Julian, CA to San Quintín
- Julian, CA to Cananea
- Julian, CA to Agua Prieta
- Julian, CA to Hermosillo
All routes to Magdalena de Kino, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Magdalena de Kino, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Julian to Magdalena de Kino?
About 8 h 34 min of driving without stops, over 501 miles.
How far is Magdalena de Kino from Julian by car?
About 501 miles (806 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 Julian to Magdalena de Kino drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 445 of this route, from Arizona into Sonora, near the Nogales port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Julian to Magdalena de Kino?
No vehicle permit is needed. Magdalena de Kino 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. An FMM entry permit is required too.
Is it safe to drive from Julian to Magdalena de Kino?
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 Julian to Magdalena de Kino use?
In order: CA-78, CR S2, I-8, I-10, I-19, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Julian and Magdalena de Kino?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Saint Augustine (catholic cathedral, mile 379, 0.6 mi from the route); Tubac Presidio State Historic Park (state park, mile 423, 0.4 mi from the route); Tumacácori National Historical Park (National Historical Park, mile 426, 0.3 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.