Road trip routes

Phoenix to Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point)

Arizona's beach: south through Ajo and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, across at Lukeville and Sonoyta, and down to the Sea of Cortez.

• About 215 mi345 km
• About 4 hplus the border
• 1 day
• US and MexicoArizona and Sonora

Before you go

• Passport book or card for everyone to get back into the US. US citizens under 16 can use a birth certificate at land crossings.
• Mexican car insurance. US policies generally don't cover you in Mexico. Buy a Mexican policy before you cross.
• No vehicle permit needed. Puerto Peñasco is inside the Sonora free zone.
• Tourist permit (FMM): the rules for short trips have changed over the years. Check with INM (Mexico immigration) or at the office in Sonoyta.
• Rental car? Make sure the company allows driving into Mexico.
• Lukeville isn't open 24 hours. Check the CBP Lukeville page for current hours.

The route

1. Phoenix to Ajo

   About 110 mi, 2 h

   • I-10 west to exit 112, then AZ-85 south through Gila Bend to Ajo.
   • Ajo's Spanish-style plaza is a good break.

2. Ajo to Lukeville

   About 37 mi, 45 min

   • Through Why and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. The visitor center is just off AZ-85.
   • Fill up in Ajo or Why before the border.

3. Sonoyta to Puerto Peñasco

   About 62 mi, 1 h

   • Cross at Lukeville into Sonoyta, then take Mexico Highway 8 south across the desert to the coast.
   • Pesos and dollars are both widely used in Rocky Point.

Good to know

• Coming home: lines at Lukeville get long on Sunday afternoons and after holiday weekends. Check the live border wait times before you leave.
• There's a Border Patrol checkpoint on AZ-85 northbound. Have ID ready.
• Two cars? Cross together and agree where to meet in Sonoyta in case one gets pulled aside for inspection.

Written by the Cerqa team on October 21, 2026 from public sources. Distances and times are rough driving estimates without stops. Rules, hours and fees change, so check the official links before you go. Drove it recently? Tell us what's changed.