The Wayro route from Ouray to Ciudad Juárez is 553 miles (890 km), about 10 h 14 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 547 on this route, near the El Paso port of entry.
| Distance | 553 mi (890 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 14 min |
| Main roads, in order | US-550 → I-25 → I-10 → US-85 |
| Border crossing | about mile 547 of this route, Texas → Chihuahua (near the El Paso, TX port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Chihuahua (Level 3) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Ciudad Juárez
| 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 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 Ouray to Ciudad Juárez is like
US-550 (268 mi) and I-25 (242 mi) carry about 92% of the 553 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Colorado, New Mexico, Texas for about 547 miles; after the border at El Paso you have about 6 miles left in Mexico. Of the 7 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Ouray to Ciudad Juárez, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| US-550 | 0–268 | 268 | Colorado, New Mexico |
| I-25 | 268–510 | 242 | New Mexico |
| connecting roads | 510–511 | 1 | New Mexico |
| I-10 | 511–542 | 31 | New Mexico, Texas |
| US-85 | 542–550 | 8 | Texas, Chihuahua |
| local roads | 550–553 | 3 | Chihuahua |
- Mile 93 of this route: Colorado → New Mexico (state line)
- Mile 531 of this route: New Mexico → Texas (state line)
- Mile 547 of this route: Texas → Chihuahua (international border)
Stops between Ouray and Ciudad Juárez
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (mile 69), Aztec Ruins National Monument (mile 107), Coronado Historic Site (mile 266)
- Nature and outdoors: New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (mile 285)
- Museums and history: Aztec Ruins National Monument (mile 107), Coronado Historic Site (mile 266), Petroglyph National Monument (mile 284), New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (mile 285), Prehistoric Trackways National Monument (mile 499), Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (mile 507)
- With kids: New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (mile 285)
Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
Based in Durango, the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is a heritage railway designated a National Historic Landmark.
Aztec Ruins National Monument
This ancestral Pueblo site near downtown Aztec preserves some of the best-preserved Chacoan structures, including the West Great House with original wooden roof beams and T-shaped doorways, plus a reconstructed Great Kiva you can step inside.
Coronado Historic Site
In Bernalillo, this state historic site preserves the ruins of Kuaua, a pueblo begun around 1300 that grew to more than 1,000 rooms; its visitor center displays kiva murals uncovered in the 1930s.
Petroglyph National Monument
Native Americans and Spanish settlers carved images into volcanic rock here 400 to 700 years ago. On Albuquerque's West Side, trails in Boca Negra, Rinconada, and Piedras Marcadas canyons pass hundreds of petroglyphs, and the Volcanoes area has dormant cinder cones.
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
Near Old Town Albuquerque, this museum showcases dinosaur fossils alongside exhibits on space and volcanoes, while a planetarium and the DynaTheater add shows to a visit.
Prehistoric Trackways National Monument
In the Robledo Mountains near Las Cruces, this BLM monument protects 280-million-year-old Early Permian footprints of amphibians, reptiles, and insects, left long before the dinosaurs, and offers hiking.
Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
The mother church of the Diocese of Las Cruces stands on South Espina Street and holds regular Masses in both English and Spanish.
When you get to Ciudad Juárez
On the Rio Grande opposite El Paso, Ciudad Juárez grew up around a Franciscan mission founded in 1659 on the old route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. The city also played a real part in the Mexican Revolution: its former customs house served as Francisco Madero's provisional offices in 1911 and later as Pancho Villa's headquarters.
- Mission of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Founded in 1659 by Fray García de San Francisco, the mission is the city's oldest building and stands beside the cathedral built in 1941. source
- Museo de la Revolución en la Frontera: Housed in the 1889 customs house where Porfirio Díaz and William Howard Taft met in 1909, the INAH museum tells the border's role in the Revolution. source
- Parque Público Federal El Chamizal: This 237-acre park commemorates the peaceful settlement of the Chamizal boundary dispute and is a sister park to Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso. source
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.
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.
Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick
The seat of the Diocese of El Paso, this cathedral dedicated in 1917 blends Byzantine and Romanesque styles and features a 27-foot marble altar, Emil Frei stained-glass windows, and a centuries-old painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe from Zacatecas.
More drives to Ciudad Juárez
- Roswell, NM to Ciudad Juárez
- Fountain Hills, AZ to Ciudad Juárez
- Del Rio, TX to Ciudad Juárez
- Red River, NM to Ciudad Juárez
- San Angelo, TX to Ciudad Juárez
- Santa Fe, NM to Ciudad Juárez
All routes to Ciudad Juárez, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Ciudad Juárez, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ouray to Ciudad Juárez?
About 10 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 553 miles.
How far is Ciudad Juárez from Ouray by car?
About 553 miles (890 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 Ouray to Ciudad Juárez drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 547 of this route, from Texas into Chihuahua, near the El Paso port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Ouray to Ciudad Juárez?
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 Ouray to Ciudad Juárez?
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 Ouray to Ciudad Juárez use?
In order: US-550, I-25, I-10 and US-85. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Ouray and Ciudad Juárez?
Closest to the road: Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (heritage railway, mile 69, 0.1 mi from the route); Aztec Ruins National Monument (National monument, mile 107, 1 mi from the route); Coronado Historic Site (archaeological site, mile 266, 0.5 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.