By road, Madera and Mapimí are about 448 miles (721 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 4 min of driving.
| Distance | 448 mi (721 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 4 min |
| Main roads, in order | CHIH 11 → MEX-16 → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → CHIH 187 → MEX-49D → MEX-30 |
| Mexican states on the route | Chihuahua, Durango |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-45D, MEX-49D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora) |
|---|---|
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
Driving Madera to Mapimí: the shape of the trip
MEX-49D (118 mi) and CHIH 11 (99 mi) carry about 48% of the 448 miles. It runs through 2 states: Chihuahua, Durango. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-45D and MEX-49D. Of the 5 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Madera to Mapimí, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHIH 11 | 0–99 | 99 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-16 | 99–168 | 69 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 168–177 | 9 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 177–227 | 50 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 227–262 | 35 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 262–263 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 187 | 263–267 | 4 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 267–311 | 44 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 311–313 | 2 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-49D | 313–431 | 118 | Chihuahua, Durango |
| connecting roads | 431–433 | 2 | Durango |
| MEX-30 | 433–448 | 15 | Durango |
- Mile 361 of this route: Chihuahua → Durango (state line)
What to see on the way from Madera to Mapimí
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de San Antonio de Padua (mile 108), Museo de Paleontología de Delicias (mile 224)
- Museums and history: Catedral de San Antonio de Padua (mile 108), Museo Casa Juárez (mile 172), Cruz de Clavos (mile 173), Museo de Paleontología de Delicias (mile 224), Museo del Desierto Chihuahuense (mile 225)
Catedral de San Antonio de Padua
In the city of Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, the Catedral de San Antonio de Padua is the seat of the Diocese of Cuauhtémoc-Madera.
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.
Cruz de Clavos
In Chihuahua City, the Cruz de Clavos is a memorial honoring victims of femicide in the state of Chihuahua.
Museo de Paleontología de Delicias
Founded with INAH support in 1982, the Museo de Paleontología de Delicias displays seven dinosaur skeletons, a mammoth, and a gray whale, plus fossil snails, fish, and plants.
Museo del Desierto Chihuahuense
Opened in 2010 in Delicias, the Museo del Desierto Chihuahuense (Mudech) has four permanent halls on the geology, plants, and animals of the Chihuahuan Desert, including Velafrons coahuilensis.
More drives to Mapimí
- San Juan de los Lagos to Mapimí
- Tepatitlán to Mapimí
- Guanajuato to Mapimí
- Salamanca to Mapimí
- Guadalajara to Mapimí
- Pénjamo to Mapimí
From Madera to other places in Mexico
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Madera to Mapimí?
About 9 h 4 min of driving without stops, over 448 miles.
How far is Mapimí from Madera by car?
About 448 miles (721 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.
Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Madera to Mapimí?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.
Is it safe to drive from Madera to Mapimí?
The U.S. State Department rates Chihuahua Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Durango Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Madera to Mapimí use?
In order: CHIH 11, MEX-16, MEX-45, MEX-45D, CHIH 187, MEX-49D and MEX-30. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Madera to Mapimí?
Closest to the road: Catedral de San Antonio de Padua (cathedral, mile 108, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo de Paleontología de Delicias (museum, mile 224, 1 mi from the route); Museo del Desierto Chihuahuense (museum, mile 225, 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.