The Wayro route from Nogales to Chihuahua is 433 miles (697 km), about 10 h 1 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 114 on this route, near the Douglas port of entry.
| Distance | 433 mi (697 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | AZ 82 → AZ 90 → US-80 Hist → AZ 80 → MEX-2 → MEX-10 → CHIH 56D → CHIH 7D → MEX-45 → MEX-45D |
| Border crossing | about mile 114 of this route, Arizona → Sonora (near the Douglas, AZ port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Sonora (Level 3), Chihuahua (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
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 Douglas
The Raul Hector Castro port in Douglas sits directly across from Agua Prieta, Sonora. It inspects passenger vehicles, pedestrians and commercial trucks, and GSA plans to move truck traffic to a new stand-alone commercial port about 4.5 miles away.
What the drive from Nogales to Chihuahua is like
MEX-2 (99 mi) and MEX-10 (63 mi) carry about 37% of the 433 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona for about 114 miles; after the border at Douglas you have about 319 miles left in Mexico. The Mexican leg uses MEX-45D, a toll highway (cuota). Of the 6 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Nogales to Chihuahua, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Arizona |
| AZ 82 | 1–51 | 50 | Arizona |
| AZ 90 | 51–79 | 28 | Arizona |
| US-80 Hist | 79–89 | 10 | Arizona |
| AZ 80 | 89–112 | 23 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 112–115 | 3 | Arizona, Sonora |
| MEX-2 | 115–214 | 99 | Sonora, Chihuahua |
| MEX-10 | 214–248 | 34 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 248–252 | 4 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 252–254 | 2 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-10 | 254–276 | 22 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 56D | 276–314 | 38 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-10 | 314–321 | 7 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 7D | 321–368 | 47 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 368–369 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 369–414 | 45 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 414–423 | 9 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 423–430 | 7 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 430–433 | 3 | Chihuahua |
- Mile 114 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
- Mile 152 of this route: Sonora → Chihuahua (state line)
Stops between Nogales and Chihuahua
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church (mile 86), Gadsden Hotel (mile 112), Douglas Historic District (mile 112)
- Nature and outdoors: Patagonia Lake State Park (mile 14), Murray Springs Clovis Site (mile 68)
- Museums and history: Murray Springs Clovis Site (mile 68), St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church (mile 86), Douglas Historic District (mile 112), Casas Grandes (mile 252)
Patagonia Lake State Park
Tucked into the rolling hills of southeastern Arizona, this lake park draws visitors for fishing, water skiing, camping and a creek trail where birders watch for herons, vermilion flycatchers and hummingbirds.
Murray Springs Clovis Site
Clovis hunters butchered large Ice Age animals here 12,000 to 13,000 years ago. A one-third-mile self-guided interpretive trail in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, about six miles east of Sierra Vista, tells the story.
St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church
Consecrated in 1917, this church designed by architect Albert C. Martin stands on Higgins Hill about 200 feet above Tombstone Canyon in Bisbee, built with California terra-cotta and fitted with stained glass windows from St. Louis.
Gadsden Hotel
Opened in 1907 and rebuilt after a 1928 fire, this downtown Douglas hotel has a lobby with a white Italian marble staircase, gold-leafed marble columns, and a 42-foot stained-glass desert mural by Ralph Baker.
Douglas Historic District
Douglas grew up as a Phelps Dodge copper-smelting town, and this National Register district along G Avenue preserves its 1901-1935 commercial core, including the 1906 Gadsden Hotel and the terra-cotta-fronted Grand Theatre.
Casas Grandes
Paquimé, the city at Casas Grandes, thrived as a trading hub between Mesoamerica and the north; its multistory adobe ruins with T-shaped doorways are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Museo de las Culturas del Norte displays finds in stone, shell, and clay.
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
- El Paso, TX to Chihuahua
From Nogales to other places in Mexico
- Nogales, AZ to San Quintín
- Nogales, AZ to Nuevo Casas Grandes
- Nogales, AZ to Rosarito
- Nogales, AZ to El Fuerte
- Nogales, AZ to San Luis Río Colorado
- Nogales, AZ to Cananea
All routes to Chihuahua, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Chihuahua, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Nogales to Chihuahua?
About 10 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 433 miles.
How far is Chihuahua from Nogales by car?
About 433 miles (697 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 Nogales to Chihuahua drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 114 of this route, from Arizona into Sonora, near the Douglas port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Nogales 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 Nogales to Chihuahua?
The U.S. State Department rates Sonora Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Chihuahua Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Nogales to Chihuahua use?
In order: AZ 82, AZ 90, US-80 Hist, AZ 80, MEX-2, MEX-10, CHIH 56D, CHIH 7D, 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 Nogales and Chihuahua?
Closest to the road: St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church (catholic church building, mile 86, 0.3 mi from the route); Gadsden Hotel (hotel, mile 112, 0.2 mi from the route); Douglas Historic District (historic district, mile 112, 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.