The Wayro route from Surprise to Guaymas is 465 miles (749 km), about 7 h 49 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 205 on this route, near the Nogales port of entry.
| Distance | 465 mi (749 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 49 min |
| Main roads, in order | US-60 → AZ 101 Loop → I-10 → I-19 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Border crossing | about mile 205 of this route, Arizona → Sonora (near the Nogales, AZ port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Sonora (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Guaymas
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Guaymas is well beyond the 12-mile (20 km) border zone where the permit is not needed |
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Not needed: Guaymas 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 Nogales
Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, share several crossings: DeConcini downtown is the main gateway for visitors and daily crossers, Morley Gate nearby serves pedestrians, and Mariposa on the west side handles commercial trucks. The city is also home to Arizona's only rail crossing.
What the drive from Surprise to Guaymas is like
MEX-15D (147 mi) and I-10 (125 mi) carry about 58% of the 465 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona for about 205 miles; after the border at Nogales you have about 260 miles left in Mexico. The Mexican leg uses MEX-15D, a toll highway (cuota). Of the 7 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Surprise to Guaymas, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Arizona |
| US-60 | 1–5 | 4 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 5–6 | 1 | Arizona |
| AZ 101 Loop | 6–14 | 8 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 14–16 | 2 | Arizona |
| I-10 | 16–141 | 125 | Arizona |
| I-19 | 141–201 | 60 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 201–204 | 3 | Arizona |
| MEX-15D | 204–213 | 9 | Arizona, Sonora |
| MEX-15 | 213–256 | 43 | Sonora |
| MEX-15D | 256–394 | 138 | Sonora |
| MEX-15 | 394–464 | 70 | Sonora |
| local roads | 464–465 | 1 | Sonora |
- Mile 205 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
Stops between Surprise and Guaymas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Arizona State Capitol (mile 25), St. Mary's Basilica (mile 26), Cathedral of Saint Augustine (mile 140), Tumacácori National Historical Park (mile 185)
- Nature and outdoors: Picacho Peak State Park (mile 101), Tumacácori National Historical Park (mile 185)
- Museums and history: Arizona State Capitol (mile 25), St. Mary's Basilica (mile 26), Arizona State University Art Museum (mile 35), Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (mile 73), Cathedral of Saint Augustine (mile 140), Tumacácori National Historical Park (mile 185)
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.
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 University Art Museum
Housed in Antoine Predock's Nelson Fine Arts Center, opened in 1989 on ASU's Tempe campus, the museum fills three floors with exhibitions drawn from a collection begun in 1950.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Standing for more than 600 years, the Great House is the centerpiece of this preserved Ancestral Sonoran Desert People's farming community near Coolidge. Visitors can also see the adobe walls of Compound A and a visitor center museum.
Picacho Peak State Park
Between Tucson and Casa Grande off I-10, the park surrounds 1,500-foot Picacho Peak, site of the 1862 Battle of Picacho Pass. Expect hiking trails, a campground, and spring displays of Mexican gold poppies.
Cathedral of Saint Augustine
Mother church of the Diocese of Tucson, this downtown cathedral wears a 1928 cast-stone façade inspired by the Cathedral of Querétaro, Mexico, decorated with yucca and saguaro blossoms and a depiction of Mission San Xavier del Bac.
Tumacácori National Historical Park
An adobe mission church anchors this park in the Santa Cruz River valley, where O'odham, Yaqui, and Apache people met Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries. Tour the mission grounds and visitor center, then walk the Anza Trail along the river.
When you get to Guaymas
Guaymas is a working port on Sonora's Gulf of California coast, where the desert mountains drop straight to the sea. Its old downtown keeps a cluster of historic churches and a waterfront plaza, and the resort area of San Carlos sits just up the coast.
- Templo de San Fernando: The church of San Fernando is one of the historic landmarks of downtown Guaymas. source
- Plaza 13 de Julio: This downtown plaza is one of the public squares highlighted by Mexico's Culture Ministry among Guaymas' points of interest. source
- Templo de San José de Guaymas: The parish church of San José is another stop on a walk through the city's historic churches, along with the Sagrado Corazón church. source
More drives to Guaymas
- Gilbert, AZ to Guaymas
- Goodyear, AZ to Guaymas
- Cottonwood, AZ to Guaymas
- Clarkdale, AZ to Guaymas
- Sierra Vista, AZ to Guaymas
- Tucson, AZ to Guaymas
From Surprise to other places in Mexico
- Surprise, AZ to Bahía de los Ángeles
- Surprise, AZ to San Carlos
- Surprise, AZ to Sonoyta
- Surprise, AZ to Nogales
- Surprise, AZ to Mexicali
- Surprise, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
All routes to Guaymas, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Guaymas, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Surprise to Guaymas?
About 7 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 465 miles.
How far is Guaymas from Surprise by car?
About 465 miles (749 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 Surprise to Guaymas drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 205 of this route, from Arizona into Sonora, near the Nogales port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Surprise to Guaymas?
No vehicle permit is needed. Guaymas 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. An FMM entry permit is required too.
Is it safe to drive from Surprise to Guaymas?
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 Surprise to Guaymas use?
In order: US-60, AZ 101 Loop, I-10, I-19, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Surprise and Guaymas?
Closest to the road: St. Mary's Basilica (minor basilica, mile 26, 0.7 mi from the route); Cathedral of Saint Augustine (catholic cathedral, mile 140, 0.6 mi from the route); Tumacácori National Historical Park (National Historical Park, mile 185, 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.