The Wayro route from Nogales to Delicias is 492 miles (791 km), about 11 h 9 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 | 492 mi (791 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 9 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 19.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Delicias
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Delicias 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 Delicias is like
MEX-2 (99 mi) and MEX-45 (86 mi) carry about 38% of the 492 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona for about 114 miles; after the border at Douglas you have about 378 miles left in Mexico. The Mexican leg uses MEX-45D, a toll highway (cuota). Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Nogales to Delicias, 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 | 414–447 | 33 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 447–488 | 41 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 488–492 | 4 | Chihuahua |
- Mile 114 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
- Mile 152 of this route: Sonora → Chihuahua (state line)
Stops between Nogales and Delicias
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Gadsden Hotel (mile 112), Douglas Historic District (mile 112)
- Nature and outdoors: Patagonia Lake State Park (mile 14), Murray Springs Clovis Site (mile 68), Nombre de Dios Grottoes (mile 430)
- Museums and history: Murray Springs Clovis Site (mile 68), 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.
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.
Nombre de Dios Grottoes
When you get to Delicias
Founded in 1933, Delicias is a planned farm city in Chihuahua, bordered by the municipalities of Saucillo, Meoqui and Rosales. Its streets radiate from the Círculo del Reloj roundabout in a geometric layout, and the local economy leans on dairy farming, furniture making, and pecan, chile and onion crops.
- Museo del Desierto Chihuahuense: This state museum covers Chihuahua's natural history, with rooms on today's desert, the Ice Age and the Cretaceous, plus stegosaurus and dilophosaurus figures. source
- Museum garden: Beside the Museo del Desierto Chihuahuense, a garden of more than 7,000 square meters shows off the region's native desert plants. source
- Círculo del Reloj: The public clock at the crossing of Avenida del Parque and Calle Central marks the point from which the city's whole street plan was laid out. source
More drives to Delicias
- Socorro, NM to Delicias
- San Angelo, TX to Delicias
- Tucson, AZ to Delicias
- Bisbee, AZ to Delicias
- Marathon, TX to Delicias
- Safford, AZ to Delicias
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 Delicias, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Delicias, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Nogales to Delicias?
About 11 h 9 min of driving without stops, over 492 miles.
How far is Delicias from Nogales by car?
About 492 miles (791 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 Delicias 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 Delicias?
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 Delicias?
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 Delicias 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 Delicias?
Closest to the road: Murray Springs Clovis Site (archaeological site, mile 68, 1 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.