The Wayro route from Williams to Magdalena de Kino is 406 miles (654 km), about 6 h 38 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 351 on this route, near the Nogales port of entry.
| Distance | 406 mi (654 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 38 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-40 → I-17 → I-10 → I-19 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Border crossing | about mile 351 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 16.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Magdalena de Kino
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Magdalena de Kino is well beyond the 12-mile (20 km) border zone where the permit is not needed |
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Not needed: Magdalena de Kino 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 Williams to Magdalena de Kino is like
I-17 (157 mi) and I-10 (98 mi) carry about 63% of the 406 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona for about 351 miles; after the border at Nogales you have about 55 miles left in Mexico. The Mexican leg uses MEX-15D, a toll highway (cuota). Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Williams to Magdalena de Kino, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Arizona |
| I-40 | 3–32 | 29 | Arizona |
| I-17 | 32–189 | 157 | Arizona |
| I-10 | 189–287 | 98 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 287–288 | 1 | Arizona |
| I-19 | 288–347 | 59 | Arizona |
| connecting roads | 347–350 | 3 | Arizona |
| MEX-15D | 350–359 | 9 | Arizona, Sonora |
| MEX-15 | 359–402 | 43 | Sonora |
| local roads | 402–406 | 4 | Sonora |
- Mile 351 of this route: Arizona → Sonora (international border)
Stops between Williams and Magdalena de Kino
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Montezuma Castle National Monument (mile 80), Arizona State Capitol (mile 171), Tumacácori National Historical Park (mile 331)
- Nature and outdoors: Walnut Canyon National Monument (mile 32), Oak Creek Canyon (mile 47), Picacho Peak State Park (mile 247), Tumacácori National Historical Park (mile 331)
- Museums and history: Walnut Canyon National Monument (mile 32), Montezuma Castle National Monument (mile 80), Arizona State Capitol (mile 171), Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (mile 219), Tumacácori National Historical Park (mile 331)
Lowell Observatory
Percival Lowell founded this Mars Hill observatory in Flagstaff in 1894, and Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto here in 1930; today visitors can see the Pluto Discovery Dome and look through public telescopes at the Open Deck Observatory.
Walnut Canyon National Monument
Cliff dwellings built between 1125 and 1250 CE line this canyon near Flagstaff. The Island Trail descends 240 stairs past 25 of them, while the shorter Rim Trail offers wide views of the canyon and its dwellings.
Oak Creek Canyon
Between Sedona and Flagstaff, State Route 89A follows this red-rock gorge for about 15 miles, climbing roughly 2,200 feet with hairpin turns and passing Midgley Bridge, Oak Creek Vista, and Slide Rock State Park.
Montezuma Castle National Monument
Tucked into an alcove about 90 feet up a limestone cliff, this 20-room Sinagua dwelling is viewed from below. Established in 1906, the monument also includes Montezuma Well, a separate unit that once supplied the Sinagua with water.
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.
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.
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 Magdalena de Kino
About 50 miles south of the Nogales border on Federal Highway 15, Magdalena de Kino began as a Jesuit mission founded by Father Eusebio Francisco Kino in 1687. The missionary's remains rest here, which draws pilgrims from both sides of the border, and the town joined Mexico's Pueblos Mágicos program in 2012.
- Father Kino's crypt: Kino's remains lie in a mausoleum on the main plaza, where visitors can look down at them through windows. source
- Templo de Santa María Magdalena: The town church holds the venerated reclining image of San Francisco Javier, whose feast is the biggest event on the town calendar. source
- Misión San Ignacio de Cabórica: About 8 km (5 miles) away in the village of San Ignacio, this Kino-era mission has a carved wooden door and an original spiral staircase. source
More drives to Magdalena de Kino
- Goodyear, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
- Cottonwood, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
- Laughlin, NV to Magdalena de Kino
- Boulder City, NV to Magdalena de Kino
- Glendale, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
- Palm Springs, CA to Magdalena de Kino
From Williams to other places in Mexico
- Williams, AZ to Hermosillo
- Williams, AZ to Agua Prieta
- Williams, AZ to Ensenada
- Williams, AZ to Tijuana
- Williams, AZ to Mexicali
- Williams, AZ to Nogales
All routes to Magdalena de Kino, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Magdalena de Kino, Mexico from the U.S.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Williams to Magdalena de Kino?
About 6 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 406 miles.
How far is Magdalena de Kino from Williams by car?
About 406 miles (654 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 Williams to Magdalena de Kino drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 351 of this route, from Arizona into Sonora, near the Nogales port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Williams to Magdalena de Kino?
No vehicle permit is needed. Magdalena de Kino 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 Williams to Magdalena de Kino?
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 Williams to Magdalena de Kino use?
In order: I-40, I-17, 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 Williams and Magdalena de Kino?
Closest to the road: Montezuma Castle National Monument (National monument, mile 80, 0.6 mi from the route); Arizona State Capitol (history museum, mile 171, 0.7 mi from the route); Tumacácori National Historical Park (National Historical Park, mile 331, 0.3 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.