The Wayro route from Lake Havasu City to San Felipe is 329 miles (529 km), about 7 h 0 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 206 on this route, near the Calexico West 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 | 329 mi (529 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 0 min |
| Main roads, in order | AZ 95 → I-10 → CA-78 → CA-111 → MEX-5 |
| Border crossing | about mile 206 of this route, California → Baja California (near the Calexico West, CA port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Baja California (Level 3) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
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 Calexico West
Calexico West sits in downtown Calexico, directly across from Mexicali, and GSA describes it as the main border crossing linking the Imperial Valley to Baja California. It handles passenger vehicles and pedestrians and is in the middle of a multi-phase federal modernization.
Sources: [1]
What the drive from Lake Havasu City to San Felipe is like
MEX-5 (124 mi) and CA-78 (83 mi) carry about 63% of the 329 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona, California for about 206 miles; after the border at Calexico West you have about 123 miles left in Mexico. Of the 5 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Lake Havasu City to San Felipe, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Arizona |
| AZ 95 | 3–73 | 70 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 73–75 | 2 | Arizona |
| I-10 | 75–99 | 24 | Arizona, California |
| CA-78 | 99–182 | 83 | California |
| CA-111 | 182–202 | 20 | California |
| connecting roads | 202–205 | 3 | California |
| MEX-5 | 205–329 | 124 | California, Baja California |
- Mile 93 of this route: Arizona → California (state line)
- Mile 206 of this route: California → Baja California (international border)
Stops between Lake Havasu City and San Felipe
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cattail Cove State Park (mile 15), Buckskin Mountain State Park (mile 26), Hi Jolly Monument (mile 75)
- Nature and outdoors: Cattail Cove State Park (mile 15), Buckskin Mountain State Park (mile 26), Algodones Dunes (mile 158)
Cattail Cove State Park
On the shore of Lake Havasu, this 2,000-acre state park has a white sand swimming beach, a boat ramp and 61 campsites plus boat-in shoreline camping, with fishing for bass, catfish and bluegill.
Buckskin Mountain State Park
On the Parker Strip of the Colorado River, Buckskin Mountain State Park pairs a beach, boat ramp and riverside campsites with desert mountains. Visitors swim, boat and fish, or hike trails into the hills.
Hi Jolly Monument
This Quartzsite memorial marks the grave of Hi Jolly, a Syrian-born camel driver in the U.S. Army's experimental camel program who later worked as a prospector, scout and courier. The state erected the monument in 1934.
Algodones Dunes
Part of the BLM's Imperial Sand Dunes, this dune system stretches more than 40 miles across southeastern California, with dunes often reaching 300 feet; off-highway vehicles ride mostly south of Highway 78, while the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness welcomes only hikers and horseback riders.
Cerro Prieto
About 22 miles (35 km) south of Mexicali, this small rhyodacite lava dome rises above the desert floor and marks the surface of the Cerro Prieto Geothermal Field, one of Mexico's major geothermal resources.
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 Lake Havasu City to other places in Mexico
- Lake Havasu City, AZ to Sonoyta
- Lake Havasu City, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
- Lake Havasu City, AZ to Cananea
- Lake Havasu City, AZ to Tijuana
- Lake Havasu City, AZ to Hermosillo
- Lake Havasu City, AZ to San Luis Río Colorado
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 Lake Havasu City to San Felipe?
About 7 h 0 min of driving without stops, over 329 miles.
How far is San Felipe from Lake Havasu City by car?
About 329 miles (529 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 Lake Havasu City to San Felipe drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 206 of this route, from California into Baja California, near the Calexico West port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Lake Havasu City 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 Lake Havasu City to San Felipe?
The U.S. State Department rates Baja California Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Lake Havasu City to San Felipe use?
In order: AZ 95, I-10, CA-78, CA-111 and MEX-5. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Lake Havasu City and San Felipe?
Closest to the road: Cattail Cove State Park (state park, mile 15, 0.9 mi from the route); Buckskin Mountain State Park (state park, mile 26, 0.2 mi from the route); Hi Jolly Monument (grave, mile 75, 0.2 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.