The Wayro route from Scottsdale to Mexicali is 260 miles (418 km), about 4 h 31 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 257 on this route, near the Calexico West 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 | 260 mi (418 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 31 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-10 → AZ 85 → US-80 Hist → I-8 → CA-7 |
| Border crossing | about mile 257 of this route, California → Baja California (near the Calexico West, CA port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Baja California (Level 3) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Mexicali
| 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: 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 Calexico West
Calexico West sits in downtown Calexico, directly across from Mexicali, and GSA describes it as the main border crossing linking the Imperial Valley to Baja California. It handles passenger vehicles and pedestrians and is in the middle of a multi-phase federal modernization.
Sources: [1]
What the drive from Scottsdale to Mexicali is like
I-8 (161 mi) and I-10 (34 mi) carry about 75% of the 260 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona, California for about 257 miles; after the border at Calexico West you have about 3 miles left in Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Scottsdale to Mexicali, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 7–11 | 4 | Arizona |
| I-10 | 11–45 | 34 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 45–46 | 1 | Arizona |
| AZ 85 | 46–50 | 4 | Arizona |
| US-80 Hist | 50–79 | 29 | Arizona |
| AZ 85 | 79–82 | 3 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 82–83 | 1 | Arizona |
| I-8 | 83–244 | 161 | Arizona, California |
| connecting roads | 244–245 | 1 | California |
| CA-7 | 245–252 | 7 | California |
| local roads | 252–260 | 8 | California, Baja California |
- Mile 202 of this route: Arizona → California (state line)
- Mile 257 of this route: California → Baja California (international border)
Stops between Scottsdale and Mexicali
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pueblo Grande Ruin and Irrigation Sites (mile 8), St. Mary's Basilica (mile 13), Arizona State Capitol (mile 14), Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción (mile 197)
- Nature and outdoors: Skyline Regional Park (mile 41), Sonoran Desert National Monument (mile 73), Colorado Desert (mile 239)
- Museums and history: Pueblo Grande Ruin and Irrigation Sites (mile 8), St. Mary's Basilica (mile 13), Arizona State Capitol (mile 14), Sonoran Desert National Monument (mile 73), Gatlin Site (mile 77), Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción (mile 197)
Pueblo Grande Ruin and Irrigation Sites
Now called S'edav Va'aki Museum, this National Historic Landmark in Phoenix tells the story of the people who built one of the largest and most sophisticated canal systems in the New World before Europeans arrived.
St. Mary's Basilica
Phoenix's oldest Catholic parish worships in this Mission Revival church, completed in 1914 and lit by Emil Frei stained glass; Pope John Paul II named it a minor basilica in 1985 and prayed here during his 1987 visit.
Arizona State Capitol
Built from 1898 to 1901 and topped by a copper dome and a Winged Victory weathervane, Arizona's historic capitol now houses the Arizona Capitol Museum, including USS Arizona artifacts. Monuments and memorials fill Wesley Bolin Plaza outside.
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.
Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción
Near Winterhaven on the California side of the Colorado River, a state historical landmark marks where Father Francisco Garcés founded a mission-pueblo in October 1780; Quechan and allied tribes destroyed it in July 1781.
Ogilby Hills
The Ogilby Hills are a desert mountain range in Imperial County, California, part of the Colorado Desert in the Lower Colorado River Valley near the Colorado River.
Colorado Desert
Part of the larger Sonoran Desert, the Colorado Desert stretches across Southern California into Baja California. Its low basins are dominated by creosote, ocotillo and cholla cactus, and it meets the Mojave Desert inside Joshua Tree National Park.
When you get to Mexicali
Baja California's state capital sits on the desert floor directly across the border from Calexico, and summer highs here can approach 50°C (about 122°F). Mexicali is known across Mexico for its Chinese food, a tradition that took root when Chinese immigrants settled in the 1910s and built the downtown district called La Chinesca.
- La Chinesca: The historic Chinese quarter downtown mixes Chinese and Mexican architecture and has a Chinese temple, small museums and plenty of Chinese-Mexican restaurants. source
- Museo UABC: Run by the state university since 1977, it covers desert ecology, paleontology, archaeology and the Cucapá, Kiliwa, Pai Pai and Kumiai peoples. source
- Museo Sol del Niño: A hands-on science and environment museum for kids, housed in La Jabonera del Pacífico, a former cottonseed warehouse recognized as heritage by INAH. source
More drives to Mexicali
- Fresno, CA to Mexicali
- Silver City, NM to Mexicali
- Long Beach, CA to Mexicali
- Winslow, AZ to Mexicali
- Poway, CA to Mexicali
- El Centro, CA to Mexicali
From Scottsdale to other places in Mexico
- Scottsdale, AZ to Cananea
- Scottsdale, AZ to Tecate
- Scottsdale, AZ to Puerto Peñasco
- Scottsdale, AZ to Nogales
- Scottsdale, AZ to San Quintín
- Scottsdale, AZ to San Felipe
All routes to Mexicali, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Mexicali, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Scottsdale to Mexicali?
About 4 h 31 min of driving without stops, over 260 miles.
How far is Mexicali from Scottsdale by car?
About 260 miles (418 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 Scottsdale to Mexicali drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 257 of this route, from California into Baja California, near the Calexico West port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Scottsdale to Mexicali?
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.
Is it safe to drive from Scottsdale to Mexicali?
The U.S. State Department rates Baja California Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Scottsdale to Mexicali use?
In order: I-10, AZ 85, US-80 Hist, I-8 and CA-7. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Scottsdale and Mexicali?
Closest to the road: Pueblo Grande Ruin and Irrigation Sites (archaeological site, mile 8, 0.9 mi from the route); St. Mary's Basilica (minor basilica, mile 13, 0.8 mi from the route); Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción (spanish mission, mile 197, 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.