The Wayro route from Las Cruces to Ojinaga is 309 miles (498 km), about 5 h 20 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 300 on this route, near the Presidio port of entry.
| Distance | 309 mi (498 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 20 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-10 → US-90 → US-67 → MEX-16 |
| Border crossing | about mile 300 of this route, Texas → Chihuahua (near the Presidio, TX port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Chihuahua (Level 3) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Ojinaga
| 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 Presidio
The Presidio-Ojinaga International Bridge, run on the U.S. side by TxDOT, links Presidio with Ojinaga, Chihuahua. It handles passenger vehicles, pedestrians, buses and trucks, has SENTRI and FAST lanes, and joins US 67 to Mexican Highway 16.
What the drive from Las Cruces to Ojinaga is like
I-10 (162 mi) and US-90 (74 mi) carry about 76% of the 309 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through New Mexico, Texas for about 300 miles; after the border at Presidio you have about 9 miles left in Mexico. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Las Cruces to Ojinaga, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | New Mexico |
| I-10 | 3–165 | 162 | New Mexico, Texas |
| US-90 | 165–239 | 74 | Texas |
| US-67 | 239–299 | 60 | Texas |
| MEX-16 | 299–309 | 10 | Texas, Chihuahua |
- Mile 25 of this route: New Mexico → Texas (state line)
- Mile 300 of this route: Texas → Chihuahua (international border)
Stops between Las Cruces and Ojinaga
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): El Paso Holocaust Museum and Study Center (mile 40), El Paso Museum of Art (mile 45), Chamizal National Memorial (mile 47), El Paisano Hotel (mile 239)
- 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 40), El Paso Museum of Art (mile 45), Socorro Mission (mile 61)
- 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.
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 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.
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.
Socorro Mission
Rooted in a Franciscan mission founded for Piro, Tano, and Jémez people after the 1680 Pueblo Revolt, the present adobe church dates to about 1840. Carved, painted beams from the older church still hold up the roof, and it remains an active parish.
El Paisano Hotel
Designed by El Paso architect Henry C. Trost and opened in 1930, this Marfa hotel hosted Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean during the 1955 filming of Giant, and it still displays memorabilia from the movie.
When you get to Ojinaga
Ojinaga sits across the Rio Grande from Presidio, Texas, at La Junta, the place where the Río Conchos flows into the Rio Grande. The town has a place in Mexican Revolution history: in January 1914 Pancho Villa's forces defeated the federal army here, and the retreating troops crossed into Presidio.
More drives to Ojinaga
- Roswell, NM to Ojinaga
- San Antonio, TX to Ojinaga
- Waco, TX to Ojinaga
- Smithville, TX to Ojinaga
- Alamogordo, NM to Ojinaga
- Las Vegas, NM to Ojinaga
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 Ojinaga, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Ojinaga, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Las Cruces to Ojinaga?
About 5 h 20 min of driving without stops, over 309 miles.
How far is Ojinaga from Las Cruces by car?
About 309 miles (498 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 Ojinaga drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 300 of this route, from Texas into Chihuahua, near the Presidio port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Las Cruces to Ojinaga?
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 Ojinaga?
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 Ojinaga use?
In order: I-10, US-90, US-67 and MEX-16. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Las Cruces and Ojinaga?
Closest to the road: El Paso Holocaust Museum and Study Center (holocaust museum, mile 40, 0.7 mi from the route); El Paso Museum of Art (art museum, mile 45, 0.3 mi from the route); El Paisano Hotel (hotel, mile 239, 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.