The Wayro route from Tempe to Rosarito is 367 miles (591 km), about 6 h 39 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 334 on this route, near the Tecate 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 | 367 mi (591 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 39 min |
| Main roads, in order | AZ 202 Loop → I-10 → AZ 85 → US-80 Hist → I-8 → CA-94 → MEX-2 → BC 201 |
| Border crossing | about mile 334 of this route, California → Baja California (near the Tecate, CA port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Baja California (Level 3) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Rosarito
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Rosarito is well beyond the 12-mile (20 km) border zone where the permit is not needed |
| 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 Tecate
The Tecate crossing sits about 40 miles southeast of San Diego and connects Tecate, California, with Tecate, Baja California. It is the smallest of the San Diego-area ports and handles both passenger vehicles and pedestrians.
Sources: [1]
What the drive from Tempe to Rosarito is like
I-8 (221 mi) and I-10 (33 mi) carry about 69% of the 367 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona, California for about 334 miles; after the border at Tecate you have about 33 miles left in Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tempe to Rosarito, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Arizona |
| AZ 202 Loop | 2–10 | 8 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 10–11 | 1 | Arizona |
| I-10 | 11–44 | 33 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 44–45 | 1 | Arizona |
| AZ 85 | 45–49 | 4 | Arizona |
| US-80 Hist | 49–78 | 29 | Arizona |
| AZ 85 | 78–81 | 3 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 81–82 | 1 | Arizona |
| I-8 | 82–303 | 221 | Arizona, California |
| CA-94 | 303–330 | 27 | California |
| connecting roads | 330–333 | 3 | California |
| MEX-2 | 333–349 | 16 | California, Baja California |
| BC 201 | 349–360 | 11 | Baja California |
| local roads | 360–367 | 7 | Baja California |
- Mile 201 of this route: Arizona → California (state line)
- Mile 334 of this route: California → Baja California (international border)
Stops between Tempe and Rosarito
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): St. Mary's Basilica (mile 12), Arizona State Capitol (mile 14), Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción (mile 196), In-Ko-Pah Gorge (mile 282), Desert View Tower (mile 290)
- Nature and outdoors: Sonoran Desert National Monument (mile 72), Colorado Desert (mile 238), Yuha Desert (mile 270), In-Ko-Pah Gorge (mile 282), Desert View Tower (mile 290)
- Museums and history: St. Mary's Basilica (mile 12), Arizona State Capitol (mile 14), Sonoran Desert National Monument (mile 72), Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción (mile 196)
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.
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.
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.
Yuha Desert
South of Interstate 8 and west of El Centro, this Sonoran Desert basin holds Yuha Well, the favored water stop of the Anza expeditions of 1774–76. A State Historic Landmark plaque at the eastbound Sunbeam rest area on I-8 near Seeley tells the story.
In-Ko-Pah Gorge
Originally known as Myer Canyon, In-Ko-Pah Gorge is a deep, narrow canyon along the line between San Diego and Imperial Counties in the mountains of far southern California.
Desert View Tower
Off I-8 near Jacumba, a four-story stone tower built by Bert Vaughn starting in 1922 now serves as a small museum, and nearby Boulder Park has animals carved into granite boulders during the Depression.
When you get to Rosarito
Playas de Rosarito lines the Pacific coast of Baja California between Tijuana and Ensenada. The beach town calls itself the cradle of surfing in Baja California, and its Baja Studios have hosted productions such as Titanic, Pearl Harbor and Fear the Walking Dead. Just south, the Puerto Nuevo lobster village has served fried lobster with rice, beans and flour tortillas since the 1950s.
- Rosarito Beach Hotel and Pier: The Rosarito Beach Hotel carries more than 100 years of history, and the town's pier juts into the Pacific right in front of it. source
- Puerto Nuevo Lobster Village: Fishermen's wives began cooking lobster at home for visitors in the 1950s, and the village is still built around that lobster tradition. source
- Popotla: This fishing village south of downtown sells local crafts and has the Popotla Arch, a rock arch almost 10 meters high used for rappelling. source
More drives to Rosarito
- Pasadena, CA to Rosarito
- Benicia, CA to Rosarito
- Yuma, AZ to Rosarito
- Laguna Beach, CA to Rosarito
- Solana Beach, CA to Rosarito
- Huntington Beach, CA to Rosarito
From Tempe to other places in Mexico
- Tempe, AZ to Nogales
- Tempe, AZ to Tijuana
- Tempe, AZ to Hermosillo
- Tempe, AZ to Ciudad Obregón
- Tempe, AZ to Bahía de Kino
- Tempe, AZ to Ciudad Juárez
All routes to Rosarito, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Rosarito, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tempe to Rosarito?
About 6 h 39 min of driving without stops, over 367 miles.
How far is Rosarito from Tempe by car?
About 367 miles (591 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 Tempe to Rosarito drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 334 of this route, from California into Baja California, near the Tecate port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Tempe to Rosarito?
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. An FMM entry permit is required too.
Is it safe to drive from Tempe to Rosarito?
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 Tempe to Rosarito use?
In order: AZ 202 Loop, I-10, AZ 85, US-80 Hist, I-8, CA-94, MEX-2 and BC 201. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tempe and Rosarito?
Closest to the road: Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción (spanish mission, mile 196, 0.2 mi from the route); In-Ko-Pah Gorge (canyon, mile 282, 0.1 mi from the route); Desert View Tower (observation tower, mile 290, 0.1 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.