Amatitán to Pinos Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Amatitán to Pinos is 224 miles (360 km), about 4 h 22 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Zacatecas — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Zacatecas is the Mexican state that contains Pinos. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Parque Metropolitano de GuadalajaraMuseo del Periodismo y las Artes GráficasExconvento del CarmenMuseo Regional de la Ceramica, TlaquepaqueTeocaltitan Archaeological SiteCathedral Basilica of San Juan de los LagosTeatro José Rosas MorenoMuseo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín RiveraAmatitánPinos
Route from Amatitán to Pinos with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance224 mi (360 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 22 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-80D → MEX-80 → MEX-51 → ZAC 144
Mexican states on the routeJalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3), Zacatecas (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-15D, MEX-80D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 8.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below8

Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates

Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP)Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora)
Mexican auto insuranceRequired for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive

Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.

What the drive from Amatitán to Pinos is like

MEX-80D (101 mi) and MEX-80 (33 mi) carry about 60% of the 224 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-80D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15, MEX-80, MEX-51 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Jalisco, Guanajuato, Zacatecas. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Amatitán to Pinos, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
MEX-150–2626Jalisco
MEX-15D26–4620Jalisco
connecting roads46–482Jalisco
MEX-80D48–12173Jalisco
MEX-80121–15433Jalisco
MEX-80D154–18228Jalisco, Guanajuato
connecting roads182–1831Guanajuato
MEX-51183–1918Guanajuato, Jalisco
connecting roads191–1943Jalisco
ZAC 144194–22228Jalisco, Zacatecas
local roads222–2242Zacatecas
  • Mile 179 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
  • Mile 188 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 195 of this route: Jalisco → Zacatecas (state line)

Stops between Amatitán and Pinos

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 25), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 144), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 144)
  • Nature and outdoors: Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 25)
  • Museums and history: Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Gráficas (mile 30), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 34), Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 109), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 116), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 144), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 144)

Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara

Mile 25 · Park · 0.9 mi from the route

Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara is a public park in Zapopan, Jalisco, that hosts many events, including concerts, outdoor movie screenings and food festivals.

Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Gráficas

Mile 30 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Gráficas stands on Paseo Alcalde, formerly Avenida Alcalde, in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco.

Exconvento del Carmen

Mile 30 · Convent · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Built in the 17th century for the Discalced Carmelites, the Ex Convento del Carmen in Guadalajara is now a cultural venue with a long religious history.

Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque

Mile 34 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

On Independencia Street in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, the Museo Regional de la Cerámica is one of the city's two main ceramics museums, alongside the Pantaleón Panduro Museum.

Teocaltitan Archaeological Site

Mile 109 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Near Jalostotitlán in the Los Altos region, the Teocaltitán site holds pyramids, sunken patios and a ball court spread across about nine hectares, built by a people who dominated much of the area from AD 400 to 900.

Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos

Mile 116 · Minor basilica · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Pilgrims come from far and wide to San Juan de los Lagos to see the small image of the Virgin kept in this cathedral basilica, built between 1732 and 1769. Inside are Gothic-style ribbed vaults and a silver-framed Way of the Cross.

Teatro José Rosas Moreno

Mile 144 · Opera house · 0.3 mi from the route

Construction of the Teatro José Rosas Moreno in Lagos de Moreno began in 1867, and the theater opened on May 5, 1907. It is named for Jalisco writer José Rosas Moreno.

Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera

Mile 144 · Museum · 0.5 mi from the route

The Museo Casa Agustín Rivera Altos de Jalisco is a museum you'll find in the town of Lagos de Moreno, in the state of Jalisco.

More drives to Pinos

From Amatitán to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Amatitán to Pinos?

About 4 h 22 min of driving without stops, over 224 miles.

How far is Pinos from Amatitán by car?

About 224 miles (360 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.

Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Amatitán to Pinos?

Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.

Is it safe to drive from Amatitán to Pinos?

The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Amatitán to Pinos use?

In order: MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-80, MEX-51 and ZAC 144. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Amatitán and Pinos?

Closest to the road: Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (park, mile 25, 0.9 mi from the route); Teatro José Rosas Moreno (opera house, mile 144, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (museum, mile 144, 0.5 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.