The Wayro route from Payson to Ciudad Juárez is 398 miles (641 km), about 7 h 48 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 393 on this route, near the El Paso port of entry.
| Distance | 398 mi (641 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 48 min |
| Main roads, in order | AZ 87 → AZ 188 → US-70 → I-10 → US-85 |
| Border crossing | about mile 393 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 15.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Payson to Ciudad Juárez is like
I-10 (154 mi) and US-70 (150 mi) carry about 76% of the 398 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas for about 393 miles; after the border at El Paso you have about 5 miles left in Mexico. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Payson to Ciudad Juárez, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| AZ 87 | 0–16 | 16 | Arizona |
| AZ 188 | 16–76 | 60 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 76–83 | 7 | Arizona |
| US-70 | 83–233 | 150 | Arizona, New Mexico |
| connecting roads | 233–234 | 1 | New Mexico |
| I-10 | 234–388 | 154 | New Mexico, Texas |
| US-85 | 388–395 | 7 | Texas, Chihuahua |
| local roads | 395–398 | 3 | Chihuahua |
- Mile 204 of this route: Arizona → New Mexico (state line)
- Mile 376 of this route: New Mexico → Texas (state line)
- Mile 393 of this route: Texas → Chihuahua (international border)
Stops between Payson and Ciudad Juárez
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tonto National Monument (mile 51), Downtown Deming Historic District (mile 293)
- Nature and outdoors: Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument (mile 357), Franklin Mountains State Park (mile 385)
- Museums and history: Tonto National Monument (mile 51), Downtown Deming Historic District (mile 293), Prehistoric Trackways National Monument (mile 345), Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (mile 352), Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument (mile 357), El Paso Holocaust Museum and Study Center (mile 390)
Tonto National Monument
Overlooking Roosevelt Lake in the Sonoran Desert, this monument protects two Salado cliff dwellings occupied from 1300 to 1450 CE; a paved trail climbs to the Lower Cliff Dwelling, and guided tours reach the Upper one.
Governor Aker Observatory
Part of Eastern Arizona College's Discovery Park in Safford, the observatory houses a 20-inch Tinsley Cassegrain telescope used for public viewings. The park also has a history of astronomy gallery, a spacecraft simulator, and more than four miles of desert trails.
Downtown Deming Historic District
Downtown Deming's historic commercial blocks include the 1893 Old Deming National Bank and the 1912 Mahoney Building; the city's self-guided walking tour starts at the Deming Luna Mimbres Museum, housed in a 1917 armory.
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.
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.
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.
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
From Payson to other places in Mexico
- Payson, AZ to Hermosillo
- Payson, AZ to Ensenada
- Payson, AZ to Puerto Peñasco
- Payson, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
- Payson, AZ to Nogales
- Payson, AZ to Agua Prieta
All routes to Ciudad Juárez, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Ciudad Juárez, Mexico from the U.S.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Payson to Ciudad Juárez?
About 7 h 48 min of driving without stops, over 398 miles.
How far is Ciudad Juárez from Payson by car?
About 398 miles (641 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 Payson to Ciudad Juárez drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 393 of this route, from Texas into Chihuahua, near the El Paso port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Payson 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 Payson 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 Payson to Ciudad Juárez use?
In order: AZ 87, AZ 188, US-70, 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 Payson and Ciudad Juárez?
Closest to the road: Tonto National Monument (National monument, mile 51, 0.6 mi from the route); Downtown Deming Historic District (historic district, mile 293, 0.3 mi from the route); Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (catholic cathedral, mile 352, 1 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.