The Wayro route from Sierra Vista to Hidalgo del Parral is 511 miles (823 km), about 12 h 3 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 53 on this route, near the Douglas port of entry.
| Distance | 511 mi (823 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 12 h 3 min |
| Main roads, in order | AZ 90 → US-80 Hist → AZ 80 → MEX-2 → MEX-10 → CHIH 56D → CHIH 7D → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-16 → MEX-24 |
| Border crossing | about mile 53 of this route, Arizona → Sonora (near the Douglas, AZ port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Sonora (Level 3), Chihuahua (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Hidalgo del Parral
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Hidalgo del Parral 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 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 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 Sierra Vista to Hidalgo del Parral is like
MEX-24 (115 mi) and MEX-2 (98 mi) carry about 42% of the 511 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona for about 53 miles; after the border at Douglas you have about 458 miles left in Mexico. The Mexican leg uses MEX-45D, a toll highway (cuota). Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Sierra Vista to Hidalgo del Parral, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Arizona |
| AZ 90 | 2–17 | 15 | Arizona |
| US-80 Hist | 17–28 | 11 | Arizona |
| AZ 80 | 28–52 | 24 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 52–54 | 2 | Arizona, Sonora |
| MEX-2 | 54–152 | 98 | Sonora, Chihuahua |
| MEX-10 | 152–187 | 35 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 187–191 | 4 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 191–192 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-10 | 192–215 | 23 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 56D | 215–253 | 38 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-10 | 253–260 | 7 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 7D | 260–307 | 47 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 307–308 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 308–354 | 46 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 354–362 | 8 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 362–367 | 5 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-16 | 367–395 | 28 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-24 | 395–510 | 115 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 510–511 | 1 | Chihuahua |
- Mile 53 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
- Mile 91 of this route: Sonora → Chihuahua (state line)
Stops between Sierra Vista and Hidalgo del Parral
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Gadsden Hotel (mile 50), Douglas Historic District (mile 50)
- Nature and outdoors: Murray Springs Clovis Site (mile 7), Nombre de Dios Grottoes (mile 367)
- Museums and history: Murray Springs Clovis Site (mile 7), Douglas Historic District (mile 50), Casas Grandes (mile 191), Cathedral of Chihuahua (mile 373)
Murray Springs Clovis Site
Clovis hunters butchered large Ice Age animals here 12,000 to 13,000 years ago. A one-third-mile self-guided interpretive trail in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, about six miles east of Sierra Vista, tells the story.
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.
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.
Casas Grandes
Paquimé, the city at Casas Grandes, thrived as a trading hub between Mesoamerica and the north; its multistory adobe ruins with T-shaped doorways are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Museo de las Culturas del Norte displays finds in stone, shell, and clay.
Nombre de Dios Grottoes
Cathedral of 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.
When you get to Hidalgo del Parral
Hidalgo del Parral is a silver-mining city in southern Chihuahua, on the road between Chihuahua city and Durango, that grew up around the La Prieta mine. It is also where Pancho Villa was killed in an ambush on July 20, 1923, and the city marks that history each July with the Jornadas Villistas festival.
- Museo Francisco Villa: The museum occupies the building where Villa's assassins hid before the 1923 ambush. source
- Mina La Prieta: The mine that gave rise to the city worked for 345 years, producing silver, copper, zinc and gold. source
- Palacio Alvarado: Built between 1898 and 1904 by architect Luis E. Rouvier for mine owner Pedro Alvarado, the mansion now serves as a cultural center. source
More drives to Hidalgo del Parral
- Alpine, TX to Hidalgo del Parral
- Marfa, TX to Hidalgo del Parral
- Marathon, TX to Hidalgo del Parral
- Del Rio, TX to Hidalgo del Parral
- Las Cruces, NM to Hidalgo del Parral
- Silver City, NM to Hidalgo del Parral
From Sierra Vista to other places in Mexico
- Sierra Vista, AZ to Tijuana
- Sierra Vista, AZ to Mulegé
- Sierra Vista, AZ to El Fuerte
- Sierra Vista, AZ to Cananea
- Sierra Vista, AZ to Guaymas
- Sierra Vista, AZ to Bahía de los Ángeles
All routes to Hidalgo del Parral, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Hidalgo del Parral, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Sierra Vista to Hidalgo del Parral?
About 12 h 3 min of driving without stops, over 511 miles.
How far is Hidalgo del Parral from Sierra Vista by car?
About 511 miles (823 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 Sierra Vista to Hidalgo del Parral drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 53 of this route, from Arizona into Sonora, near the Douglas port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Sierra Vista to Hidalgo del Parral?
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 Sierra Vista to Hidalgo del Parral?
The U.S. State Department rates Sonora Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Chihuahua Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Sierra Vista to Hidalgo del Parral use?
In order: AZ 90, US-80 Hist, AZ 80, MEX-2, MEX-10, CHIH 56D, CHIH 7D, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-16 and MEX-24. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Sierra Vista and Hidalgo del Parral?
Closest to the road: Murray Springs Clovis Site (archaeological site, mile 7, 1 mi from the route); Gadsden Hotel (hotel, mile 50, 0.2 mi from the route); Douglas Historic District (historic district, mile 50, 0.2 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.