The Wayro route from Las Cruces to Chihuahua is 273 miles (440 km), about 5 h 11 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 42 on this route, near the El Paso port of entry.
| Distance | 273 mi (440 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 11 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-10 → US-85 → MEX-45 → MEX-45D |
| Border crossing | about mile 42 of this route, Texas → Chihuahua (near the El Paso, TX port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Chihuahua (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Chihuahua
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Chihuahua 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 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.
Sources: [1]
What the drive from Las Cruces to Chihuahua is like
MEX-45D (122 mi) and MEX-45 (90 mi) carry about 78% of the 273 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through New Mexico, Texas for about 42 miles; after the border at El Paso you have about 231 miles left in Mexico. The Mexican leg uses MEX-45D, a toll highway (cuota). Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Las Cruces to Chihuahua, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | New Mexico |
| I-10 | 3–37 | 34 | New Mexico, Texas |
| US-85 | 37–45 | 8 | Texas, Chihuahua |
| local roads | 45–57 | 12 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 57–126 | 69 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 126–127 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 127–241 | 114 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 241–255 | 14 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 255–263 | 8 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 263–270 | 7 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 270–273 | 3 | Chihuahua |
- Mile 25 of this route: New Mexico → Texas (state line)
- Mile 42 of this route: Texas → Chihuahua (international border)
Stops between Las Cruces and Chihuahua
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Wet 'n' Wild Waterworld (mile 26), El Paso Museum of Art (mile 44)
- Nature and outdoors: Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument (mile 7), Franklin Mountains State Park (mile 34)
- Museums and history: Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument (mile 7), El Paso Holocaust Museum and Study Center (mile 39), El Paso Museum of Art (mile 44)
- With kids: Wet 'n' Wild Waterworld (mile 26), Western Playland (mile 39)
Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument
Rocky spires of the Organ Mountains rise to about 9,000 feet above the Chihuahuan Desert in this BLM-managed monument near Las Cruces, where trails invite hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, rock climbing, and camping, with exhibits at Dripping Springs Visitor Center.
Wet 'n' Wild Waterworld
Franklin Mountains State Park
Covering about 27,000 acres inside El Paso, this Texas state park offers more than 100 miles of desert trails for hiking and mountain biking, plus rock climbing at McKelligon Canyon and the Tom Mays Unit, where camping is available.
El Paso Holocaust Museum and Study Center
Holocaust survivor Henry Kellen founded this museum in 1984 to educate the community about the Holocaust. Its bilingual permanent exhibits draw on artifacts and survivor stories, with a separate gallery for traveling shows and guided group tours.
Western Playland
In Sunland Park, New Mexico, near El Paso, Western Playland is a family amusement park with thrill rides such as the El Bandido steel roller coaster, plus games and food.
El Paso Museum of Art
Founded in 1959 and set in downtown El Paso, this art museum holds more than 7,000 works strong in American, European, and Mexican art, including Kress Collection paintings by Botticelli and Canaletto and a notable group of Mexican retablos.
Chamizal National Memorial
Along the border in El Paso, this memorial honors the peaceful settlement of a century-long U.S.–Mexico boundary dispute. Stop for borderlands art in the Franklin G. Smith Gallery, walking paths, and ballet folklórico performances.
When you get to Chihuahua
Silver strikes at nearby Santa Eulalia in 1704 led to the founding of Chihuahua in 1709, where the Chuvíscar and Sacramento rivers meet on the high plains of the north. Today the state capital's historic center gathers around a Baroque cathedral built from 1725 to 1826, with mansions and museums tied to the Mexican Revolution a few blocks away.
- Catedral de Chihuahua: Facing the Plaza de Armas, the Baroque cathedral took more than a century to build, and a museum of sacred art occupies a basement behind it. source
- Palacio de Gobierno: Murals trace Chihuahua's history from colonial times to the Revolution, and the building marks the spot where Father Miguel Hidalgo was executed. source
- Museo Casa de Villa: Pancho Villa's former home preserves his belongings, including the car in which he was assassinated in Hidalgo del Parral. source
Cathedral of Chihuahua
Construction on this Baroque cathedral began in 1725 and stretched over more than a century. It anchors the Plaza de Armas in downtown Chihuahua, and a museum of sacred art occupies its basement.
Cruz de Clavos
In Chihuahua City, the Cruz de Clavos is a memorial honoring victims of femicide in the state of Chihuahua.
Museo Casa Juárez
In downtown Chihuahua, the Museo Casa de Juárez occupies the house where President Benito Juárez and Margarita Maza lived when the city served as the seat of the federal government in 1864; it now holds permanent and temporary exhibitions.
More drives to Chihuahua
- Alamogordo, NM to Chihuahua
- Safford, AZ to Chihuahua
- Socorro, NM to Chihuahua
- San Angelo, TX to Chihuahua
- Portales, NM to Chihuahua
- Nogales, AZ to Chihuahua
From Las Cruces to other places in Mexico
- Las Cruces, NM to Ciudad Acuña
- Las Cruces, NM to Nuevo Casas Grandes
- Las Cruces, NM to Cuauhtémoc
- Las Cruces, NM to Puerto Peñasco
- Las Cruces, NM to Nogales
- Las Cruces, NM to San Luis Río Colorado
All routes to Chihuahua, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Chihuahua, Mexico from the U.S.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Las Cruces to Chihuahua?
About 5 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 273 miles.
How far is Chihuahua from Las Cruces by car?
About 273 miles (440 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 Las Cruces to Chihuahua drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 42 of this route, from Texas into Chihuahua, near the El Paso port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Las Cruces to Chihuahua?
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 Las Cruces to Chihuahua?
The U.S. State Department rates Chihuahua Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Las Cruces to Chihuahua use?
In order: I-10, US-85, MEX-45 and MEX-45D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Las Cruces and Chihuahua?
Closest to the road: Wet 'n' Wild Waterworld (water park, mile 26, 0.1 mi from the route); Western Playland (amusement park, mile 39, 1 mi from the route); El Paso Museum of Art (art museum, mile 44, 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.