The Wayro route from Las Cruces to Ciudad Juárez is 48 miles (77 km), about 55 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 | 48 mi (77 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-10 → US-85 |
| 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) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 1.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Ciudad Juárez
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Not needed if you stay within 12 miles (20 km) of the border for 6 days or less; required for longer stays or if you travel farther in |
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Not needed inside the border zone; required if you drive farther 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 Ciudad Juárez is like
I-10 (34 mi) and US-85 (8 mi) carry about 88% of the 48 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 6 miles left in Mexico. Of the 5 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Las Cruces to Ciudad Juárez, 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 | 45–48 | 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 Ciudad Juárez
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Wet 'n' Wild Waterworld (mile 26)
- 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)
- 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.
When you get to Ciudad Juárez
On the Rio Grande opposite El Paso, Ciudad Juárez grew up around a Franciscan mission founded in 1659 on the old route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. The city also played a real part in the Mexican Revolution: its former customs house served as Francisco Madero's provisional offices in 1911 and later as Pancho Villa's headquarters.
- Mission of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Founded in 1659 by Fray García de San Francisco, the mission is the city's oldest building and stands beside the cathedral built in 1941. source
- Museo de la Revolución en la Frontera: Housed in the 1889 customs house where Porfirio Díaz and William Howard Taft met in 1909, the INAH museum tells the border's role in the Revolution. source
- Parque Público Federal El Chamizal: This 237-acre park commemorates the peaceful settlement of the Chamizal boundary dispute and is a sister park to Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso. source
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.
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.
Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick
The seat of the Diocese of El Paso, this cathedral dedicated in 1917 blends Byzantine and Romanesque styles and features a 27-foot marble altar, Emil Frei stained-glass windows, and a centuries-old painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe from Zacatecas.
More drives to Ciudad Juárez
- Roswell, NM to Ciudad Juárez
- Fountain Hills, AZ to Ciudad Juárez
- Del Rio, TX to Ciudad Juárez
- Red River, NM to Ciudad Juárez
- San Angelo, TX to Ciudad Juárez
- Santa Fe, NM to Ciudad Juárez
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 Ciudad Juárez, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Ciudad Juárez, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Las Cruces to Ciudad Juárez?
About 55 min of driving without stops, over 48 miles.
How far is Ciudad Juárez from Las Cruces by car?
About 48 miles (77 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 Ciudad Juárez 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 Ciudad Juárez?
Not needed inside the border zone; required if you drive farther into Mexico. You also need Mexican auto insurance and a passport book or card.
Is it safe to drive from Las Cruces to Ciudad Juárez?
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 Ciudad Juárez use?
In order: I-10 and US-85. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Las Cruces and Ciudad Juárez?
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 Holocaust Museum and Study Center (holocaust museum, mile 39, 1 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.