The Wayro route from Yuma to San Felipe is 181 miles (292 km), about 3 h 59 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 58 on this route, near the Calexico East 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 | 181 mi (292 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 59 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-8 → CA-7 → MEX-5 |
| Border crossing | about mile 58 of this route, California → Baja California (near the Calexico East, CA port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Baja California (Level 3) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 3 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for San Felipe
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: San Felipe 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 Calexico East
Calexico East lies a few miles east of downtown Calexico, about a mile south of State Route 7, and connects with the eastern side of Mexicali. It carries passenger vehicles, commercial trucks and pedestrians, so it is the usual alternative to the downtown Calexico West crossing.
What the drive from Yuma to San Felipe is like
MEX-5 (119 mi) and I-8 (46 mi) carry about 91% of the 181 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Arizona, California for about 58 miles; after the border at Calexico East you have about 123 miles left in Mexico. None of the 3 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Yuma to San Felipe, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Arizona |
| I-8 | 1–47 | 46 | Arizona, California |
| CA-7 | 47–55 | 8 | California |
| local roads | 55–62 | 7 | California, Baja California |
| MEX-5 | 62–181 | 119 | Baja California |
- Mile 5 of this route: Arizona → California (state line)
- Mile 58 of this route: California → Baja California (international border)
Stops between Yuma and San Felipe
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.
Cerro Prieto
About 22 miles (35 km) south of Mexicali, this small rhyodacite lava dome rises above the desert floor and marks the surface of the Cerro Prieto Geothermal Field, one of Mexico's major geothermal resources.
When you get to San Felipe
Where the Baja desert runs straight into the warm Gulf of California, San Felipe is a fishing town about two hours south of Mexicali. It is known for sport fishing, dramatic low tides that pull the water far from shore, and seafood, especially the shrimp it celebrates with an annual festival.
- Valle de los Gigantes: South of town on the road to Puertecitos, this cactus reserve on Punta Estrella Ranch protects towering cardón cacti up to about 17 meters tall. source
- Sport fishing: Charters head into the Gulf of California from San Felipe, a town long known for sport fishing thanks to the abundance of marine species offshore. source
- Gulf beaches: The town's beaches are made for kayaking, paddleboarding and walking the wide flats exposed at low tide. source
More drives to San Felipe
- Safford, AZ to San Felipe
- Rancho Mirage, CA to San Felipe
- Coronado, CA to San Felipe
- Mesa, AZ to San Felipe
- Bisbee, AZ to San Felipe
- Casa Grande, AZ to San Felipe
From Yuma to other places in Mexico
- Yuma, AZ to Rosarito
- Yuma, AZ to Puerto Peñasco
- Yuma, AZ to Tecate
- Yuma, AZ to Sonoyta
- Yuma, AZ to Magdalena de Kino
- Yuma, AZ to Cananea
All routes to San Felipe, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to San Felipe, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Yuma to San Felipe?
About 3 h 59 min of driving without stops, over 181 miles.
How far is San Felipe from Yuma by car?
About 181 miles (292 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 Yuma to San Felipe drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 58 of this route, from California into Baja California, near the Calexico East port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Yuma to San Felipe?
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 Yuma to San Felipe?
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 Yuma to San Felipe use?
In order: I-8, CA-7 and MEX-5. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Yuma and San Felipe?
Closest to the road: Ogilby Hills (nature area, mile 12, 4 mi from the route); Colorado Desert (desert, mile 42, 4 mi from the route); Cerro Prieto (volcano, mile 77, 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.