The Wayro route from Las Cruces to Hidalgo del Parral is 413 miles (664 km), about 8 h 35 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 | 413 mi (664 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 35 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-10 → US-85 → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-16 → MEX-24 |
| 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 16.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Hidalgo del Parral
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Hidalgo del Parral 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 Hidalgo del Parral is like
MEX-45D (122 mi) and MEX-24 (115 mi) carry about 57% of the 413 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 371 miles left in Mexico. The Mexican leg uses MEX-45D, a toll highway (cuota). Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Las Cruces to Hidalgo del Parral, 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 |
| connecting roads | 263–268 | 5 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-16 | 268–296 | 28 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-24 | 296–411 | 115 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 411–413 | 2 | 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 Hidalgo del Parral
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): 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), Cathedral of Chihuahua (mile 275)
- With kids: 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.
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.
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.
When you get to Hidalgo del Parral
Hidalgo del Parral is a silver-mining city in southern Chihuahua, on the road between Chihuahua city and Durango, that grew up around the La Prieta mine. It is also where Pancho Villa was killed in an ambush on July 20, 1923, and the city marks that history each July with the Jornadas Villistas festival.
- Museo Francisco Villa: The museum occupies the building where Villa's assassins hid before the 1923 ambush. source
- Mina La Prieta: The mine that gave rise to the city worked for 345 years, producing silver, copper, zinc and gold. source
- Palacio Alvarado: Built between 1898 and 1904 by architect Luis E. Rouvier for mine owner Pedro Alvarado, the mansion now serves as a cultural center. source
More drives to Hidalgo del Parral
- Alpine, TX to Hidalgo del Parral
- Marfa, TX to Hidalgo del Parral
- Marathon, TX to Hidalgo del Parral
- Del Rio, TX to Hidalgo del Parral
- Silver City, NM to Hidalgo del Parral
- El Paso, TX to Hidalgo del Parral
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 Hidalgo del Parral, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Hidalgo del Parral, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Las Cruces to Hidalgo del Parral?
About 8 h 35 min of driving without stops, over 413 miles.
How far is Hidalgo del Parral from Las Cruces by car?
About 413 miles (664 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 Hidalgo del Parral 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 Hidalgo del Parral?
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 Hidalgo del Parral?
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 Hidalgo del Parral use?
In order: I-10, US-85, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-16 and MEX-24. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Las Cruces and Hidalgo del Parral?
Closest to the road: 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); 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.