The Wayro route from Santa Rosa to Agua Prieta is 509 miles (819 km), about 8 h 53 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 508 on this route, near the Douglas port of entry.
| Distance | 509 mi (819 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 53 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-40 → I-25 → NM 26 → I-10 → US-80 Hist |
| Border crossing | about mile 508 of this route, Arizona → Sonora (near the Douglas, AZ port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Sonora (Level 3) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Agua Prieta
| 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: Agua Prieta is inside Sonora's free zone (west of Highway 15 as far south as Empalme, plus a strip along the border that includes Cananea). Going farther south or east of Highway 15 requires a permit |
| 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. Sonora free zone: Explore Sonora.
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 Santa Rosa to Agua Prieta is like
I-25 (184 mi) and I-40 (113 mi) carry about 58% of the 509 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through New Mexico, Arizona for about 508 miles; after the border at Douglas you are practically in Agua Prieta. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santa Rosa to Agua Prieta, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | New Mexico |
| I-40 | 2–115 | 113 | New Mexico |
| connecting roads | 115–116 | 1 | New Mexico |
| I-25 | 116–300 | 184 | New Mexico |
| connecting roads | 300–301 | 1 | New Mexico |
| NM 26 | 301–348 | 47 | New Mexico |
| connecting roads | 348–350 | 2 | New Mexico |
| I-10 | 350–426 | 76 | New Mexico |
| US-80 Hist | 426–506 | 80 | New Mexico, Arizona |
| local roads | 506–509 | 3 | Arizona, Sonora |
- Mile 458 of this route: New Mexico → Arizona (state line)
- Mile 508 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
Stops between Santa Rosa and Agua Prieta
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Wildlife West Nature Park (mile 88), Tijeras Canyon (mile 100), San Miguel de Socorro (mile 192), Downtown Deming Historic District (mile 349), Lordsburg-Hidalgo County Library (mile 409)
- Nature and outdoors: Tijeras Canyon (mile 100), New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (mile 116), Elephant Butte Lake State Park (mile 222)
- Museums and history: National Museum of Nuclear Science & History (mile 109), Petroglyph National Monument (mile 116), New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (mile 116), San Miguel de Socorro (mile 192), Downtown Deming Historic District (mile 349), Lordsburg-Hidalgo County Library (mile 409)
- With kids: Wildlife West Nature Park (mile 88), National Museum of Nuclear Science & History (mile 109), New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (mile 116)
Wildlife West Nature Park
Operated by the New Mexico Wildlife Association, this is a nature park and zoo in New Mexico.
Tijeras Canyon
Separating the Sandia Mountains from the Manzano Mountains, this canyon cuts through Bernalillo County in central New Mexico.
National Museum of Nuclear Science & History
Near Sandia National Laboratories and Kirtland Air Force Base, this Albuquerque-area museum covers nuclear science and history.
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.
San Miguel de Socorro
Socorro's Catholic parish church was rebuilt around 1800 on the ruins of a 1620s Spanish mission, a few blocks from the Plaza. Inside, look for massive adobe walls, large carved vigas and corbel arches.
Elephant Butte Lake State Park
Described by the state as New Mexico's largest state park, this reservoir park off I-25 offers fishing, camping on developed sites and beaches, and about 15 miles of 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.
Lordsburg-Hidalgo County Library
Built in 1936–37 as a Works Progress Administration project, this single-story adobe library in Lordsburg keeps its original floor plan and stained glass windows, and it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
When you get to Agua Prieta
Right across the line from Douglas, Arizona, Agua Prieta grew up where the railroad from Douglas to the Nacozari mines met the border. Today it is a working border city built on trade, manufacturing, mining and ranching, and it serves as the gateway to the Sierra Alta circuit of small mountain towns in northeastern Sonora.
- Edificio de la Aduana: The old customs house, built in 1918, recalls the Nacozari Railroad concession of 1899 that put Agua Prieta on the map. source
- Plaza de Armas Azueta: Locals call the main plaza the park of Agua Prieta's history and traditions, and it remains the setting for civic and community events. source
- Downtown churches: The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe and the Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón are both listed among the city's visitor attractions. source
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.
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.
More drives to Agua Prieta
- Palm Springs, CA to Agua Prieta
- El Centro, CA to Agua Prieta
- Flagstaff, AZ to Agua Prieta
- Williams, AZ to Agua Prieta
- Rancho Mirage, CA to Agua Prieta
- Santa Fe, NM to Agua Prieta
From Santa Rosa to other places in Mexico
- Santa Rosa, NM to Ciudad Juárez
- Santa Rosa, NM to Nuevo Casas Grandes
- Santa Rosa, NM to Ojinaga
- Santa Rosa, NM to Cuauhtémoc
- Santa Rosa, NM to Delicias
- Santa Rosa, NM to Chihuahua
All routes to Agua Prieta, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Agua Prieta, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Rosa to Agua Prieta?
About 8 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 509 miles.
How far is Agua Prieta from Santa Rosa by car?
About 509 miles (819 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 Santa Rosa to Agua Prieta drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 508 of this route, from Arizona into Sonora, near the Douglas port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Santa Rosa to Agua Prieta?
No vehicle permit is needed. Agua Prieta is inside Sonora's free zone (west of Highway 15 as far south as Empalme, plus a strip along the border that includes Cananea). Going farther south or east of Highway 15 requires a permit. You also need Mexican auto insurance and a passport book or card.
Is it safe to drive from Santa Rosa to Agua Prieta?
The U.S. State Department rates Sonora Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Santa Rosa to Agua Prieta use?
In order: I-40, I-25, NM 26, I-10 and US-80 Hist. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Santa Rosa and Agua Prieta?
Closest to the road: Wildlife West Nature Park (zoo, mile 88, 0.4 mi from the route); Tijeras Canyon (canyon, mile 100, 0.2 mi from the route); Downtown Deming Historic District (historic district, mile 349, 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.