The Wayro route from Phoenix to San Felipe is 345 miles (556 km), about 7 h 10 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 204 on this route, near the San Luis port of entry.
What the State Department tells travelers on this route:
- Baja California: “Travelers should remain on main highways and avoid remote locations.”
| Distance | 345 mi (556 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 10 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-10 → AZ 85 → US-80 Hist → I-8 → AZ 195 → SON 3 → BC 4 → BC 41 → MEX-5 |
| Border crossing | about mile 204 of this route, Arizona → Sonora (near the San Luis, AZ port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Sonora (Level 3), Baja California (Level 3) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for San Felipe
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: San Felipe is well beyond the 12-mile (20 km) border zone where the permit is not needed |
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Not needed: Baja California is in Mexico's hassle-free zone for U.S. vehicles |
| 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 San Luis
The San Luis port connects San Luis, Arizona, south of Yuma, with San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora. It handles passenger vehicles and heavy pedestrian traffic, and GSA calls it the second busiest non-commercial vehicle port in Arizona; trucks use the separate San Luis II crossing east of town.
What the drive from Phoenix to San Felipe is like
I-8 (107 mi) and MEX-5 (91 mi) carry about 57% of the 345 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona for about 204 miles; after the border at San Luis you have about 141 miles left in Mexico. Of the 5 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Phoenix to San Felipe, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Arizona |
| I-10 | 2–32 | 30 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 32–34 | 2 | Arizona |
| AZ 85 | 34–37 | 3 | Arizona |
| US-80 Hist | 37–66 | 29 | Arizona |
| AZ 85 | 66–70 | 4 | Arizona |
| I-8 | 70–177 | 107 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 177–178 | 1 | Arizona |
| AZ 195 | 178–204 | 26 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 204–206 | 2 | Sonora |
| SON 3 | 206–229 | 23 | Sonora |
| connecting roads | 229–231 | 2 | Sonora, Baja California |
| BC 4 | 231–250 | 19 | Baja California |
| BC 41 | 250–254 | 4 | Baja California |
| MEX-5 | 254–345 | 91 | Baja California |
- Mile 204 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
- Mile 230 of this route: Sonora → Baja California (state line)
Stops between Phoenix and San Felipe
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Desert West Lake (mile 8), Yuma Desert (mile 189)
- Nature and outdoors: Desert West Lake (mile 8), Skyline Regional Park (mile 29), Sonoran Desert National Monument (mile 61), Yuma Desert (mile 189)
- Museums and history: Sonoran Desert National Monument (mile 61), Gatlin Site (mile 65)
Desert West Lake
Part of Arizona Game and Fish's Community Fishing Program, this west Phoenix lake gives anglers a shot at catfish, trout, bass and sunfish, and the Desert West Skate Park's bowls and ledges sit nearby.
Skyline Regional Park
At the southern edge of the White Tank Mountains in Buckeye, this 8,700-acre city park offers about 20 miles of trails, shaded picnic ramadas and designated dry camping sites.
Sonoran Desert National Monument
Created in 2001, this BLM monument protects saguaro forests across the Maricopa, Sand Tank, and Table Top mountains. Traces of the Juan Bautista de Anza and Butterfield Overland trails cross it, and hikers, campers, and stargazers find three wilderness areas.
Gatlin Site
A National Historic Landmark in the town of Gila Bend, the Gatlin Site is an archaeological site known for a Hohokam platform mound documented by archaeologists.
Yuma Desert
South of Yuma along the Mexican border, this low Sonoran Desert plain is a sweep of sand dunes and sandy soils, including the Yuma Dunes, where rare plants such as sandfood grow and flat-tailed horned lizards and fringe-toed lizards live.
When you get to San Felipe
Where the Baja desert runs straight into the warm Gulf of California, San Felipe is a fishing town about two hours south of Mexicali. It is known for sport fishing, dramatic low tides that pull the water far from shore, and seafood, especially the shrimp it celebrates with an annual festival.
- Valle de los Gigantes: South of town on the road to Puertecitos, this cactus reserve on Punta Estrella Ranch protects towering cardón cacti up to about 17 meters tall. source
- Sport fishing: Charters head into the Gulf of California from San Felipe, a town long known for sport fishing thanks to the abundance of marine species offshore. source
- Gulf beaches: The town's beaches are made for kayaking, paddleboarding and walking the wide flats exposed at low tide. source
More drives to San Felipe
- Safford, AZ to San Felipe
- Rancho Mirage, CA to San Felipe
- Coronado, CA to San Felipe
- Mesa, AZ to San Felipe
- Bisbee, AZ to San Felipe
- Casa Grande, AZ to San Felipe
From Phoenix to other places in Mexico
- Phoenix, AZ to Cananea
- Phoenix, AZ to Bahía de Kino
- Phoenix, AZ to Bahía de los Ángeles
- Phoenix, AZ to Navojoa
- Phoenix, AZ to Tecate
- Phoenix, AZ to San Carlos
All routes to San Felipe, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to San Felipe, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Phoenix to San Felipe?
About 7 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 345 miles.
How far is San Felipe from Phoenix by car?
About 345 miles (556 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 Phoenix to San Felipe drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 204 of this route, from Arizona into Sonora, near the San Luis port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Phoenix to San Felipe?
No vehicle permit is needed. Baja California is in Mexico's hassle-free zone for U.S. vehicles. 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 Phoenix to San Felipe?
The U.S. State Department rates Sonora Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Baja California Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Phoenix to San Felipe use?
In order: I-10, AZ 85, US-80 Hist, I-8, AZ 195, SON 3, BC 4, BC 41 and MEX-5. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Phoenix and San Felipe?
Closest to the road: Desert West Lake (lake, mile 8, 0.9 mi from the route); Gatlin Site (archaeological site, mile 65, 2 mi from the route); Yuma Desert (desert, mile 189, 0.6 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.