San Angelo to Chihuahua, Mexico Road Trip: Route & Stops

By admin, 30 September, 2026

The Wayro route from San Angelo to Chihuahua is 469 miles (755 km), about 9 h 25 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 316 on this route, near the Presidio port of entry.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Chihuahua — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Chihuahua is the Mexican state that contains Chihuahua. Check the full advisory for this state before you go.
Museum of the Big BendEl Paisano HotelU.S.–Mexico borderSan AngeloChihuahua
Route from San Angelo to Chihuahua with the 2 stops listed below (blue dots) and the approximate U.S.–Mexico border crossing (red square).
Distance469 mi (755 km)
Driving time, no stops9 h 25 min
Main roads, in orderUS-67 Bus → US-67 → CHIH 18 → CHIH D → MEX-16 → CHIH 85
Border crossingabout mile 316 of this route, Texas → Chihuahua (near the Presidio, TX port of entry)
Mexican states on the routeChihuahua (Level 3)
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 18.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below2

Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Chihuahua

PassportPassport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land
FMM entry permitRequired 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 insuranceRequired 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 Presidio

The Presidio-Ojinaga International Bridge, run on the U.S. side by TxDOT, links Presidio with Ojinaga, Chihuahua. It handles passenger vehicles, pedestrians, buses and trucks, has SENTRI and FAST lanes, and joins US 67 to Mexican Highway 16.

Sources: [1] [2]

What the drive from San Angelo to Chihuahua is like

US-67 (310 mi) and CHIH D (70 mi) carry about 81% of the 469 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Texas for about 316 miles; after the border at Presidio you have about 153 miles left in Mexico. Of the 2 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from San Angelo to Chihuahua, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–22Texas
US-67 Bus2–64Texas
US-676–316310Texas
connecting roads316–3215Chihuahua
CHIH 18321–34524Chihuahua
CHIH D345–41570Chihuahua
MEX-16415–44732Chihuahua
CHIH 85447–4514Chihuahua
MEX-16451–46716Chihuahua
local roads467–4692Chihuahua
  • Mile 316 of this route: Texas → Chihuahua (international border)

Stops between San Angelo and Chihuahua

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museum of the Big Bend (mile 229), El Paisano Hotel (mile 256)
  • Museums and history: Museum of the Big Bend (mile 229)

Museum of the Big Bend

Mile 229 · University museum · 0.4 mi from the route

Run by Sul Ross State University on its Alpine campus, this museum interprets the natural history, prehistory, and cultural diversity of the Big Bend region through its Big Bend Legacy exhibit and hosts the Trappings of Texas show of Western art and cowboy gear.

El Paisano Hotel

Mile 256 · Hotel · 0.4 mi from the route

Designed by El Paso architect Henry C. Trost and opened in 1930, this Marfa hotel hosted Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean during the 1955 filming of Giant, and it still displays memorabilia from the movie.

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

Cathedral · in 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

Monument · in Chihuahua

In Chihuahua City, the Cruz de Clavos is a memorial honoring victims of femicide in the state of Chihuahua.

Museo Casa Chihuahua

Museum · in Chihuahua

This early 20th-century building in central Chihuahua, once the city's Federal Palace, served as a federal building until 2004 and now operates as a cultural heritage museum hosting traveling exhibits.

More drives to Chihuahua

From San Angelo to other places in Mexico

All routes to Chihuahua, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Chihuahua, Mexico from the U.S.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from San Angelo to Chihuahua?

About 9 h 25 min of driving without stops, over 469 miles.

How far is Chihuahua from San Angelo by car?

About 469 miles (755 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 San Angelo to Chihuahua drive cross into Mexico?

At about mile 316 of this route, from Texas into Chihuahua, near the Presidio port of entry.

Do I need a permit to drive my car from San Angelo 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 San Angelo to Chihuahua?

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 San Angelo to Chihuahua use?

In order: US-67 Bus, US-67, CHIH 18, CHIH D, MEX-16 and CHIH 85. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between San Angelo and Chihuahua?

Closest to the road: Museum of the Big Bend (university museum, mile 229, 0.4 mi from the route); El Paisano Hotel (hotel, mile 256, 0.4 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.