By road, Barra de Navidad and Real de Catorce are about 539 miles (868 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 30 min of driving.
| Distance by road | 539 mi (868 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 30 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-110 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-80D → MEX-80 → MEX-70 → MEX-57D → MEX-49 → MEX-63 → SLP 43 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco, Colima, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 insurance | Required 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.
On the road from Barra de Navidad to Real de Catorce
MEX-80D (114 mi) and MEX-54D (91 mi) carry about 38% of the 539 miles. It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Colima, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-200D, MEX-54D and MEX-15D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Barra de Navidad to Real de Catorce
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-200 | 2–40 | 38 | Jalisco, Colima |
| MEX-200D | 40–67 | 27 | Colima |
| connecting roads | 67–69 | 2 | Colima |
| MEX-110 | 69–94 | 25 | Colima |
| MEX-54 | 94–101 | 7 | Colima |
| MEX-54D | 101–192 | 91 | Colima, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 192–209 | 17 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 209–213 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 213–229 | 16 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 229–232 | 3 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 232–304 | 72 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 304–337 | 33 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 337–379 | 42 | Jalisco, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-80 | 379–382 | 3 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70 | 382–400 | 18 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 400–414 | 14 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-49 | 414–424 | 10 | San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 424–425 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-63 | 425–498 | 73 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 43 | 498–532 | 34 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 532–539 | 7 | San Luis Potosí |
- Mile 14 of this route: Jalisco → Colima (state line)
- Mile 111 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 362 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 373 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
Places worth a stop between Barra de Navidad and Real de Catorce
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 57), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 327)
- Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 114)
- Museums and history: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 57), Museo Universitario de Artes Populares María Teresa Pomar (mile 96), Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 137), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 299), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 327), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 408)
Museo Comunitario de la Sal
Set in an old warehouse in Cuyutlán, the community Salt Museum (Museo Comunitario de la Sal) explains how local salt has been harvested, from the old tapeixtle technique to modern methods, with historic photos of the salt works.
Museo Universitario de Artes Populares María Teresa Pomar
Founded by collector María Teresa Pomar and run by the University of Colima, this museum is dedicated to Mexican folk art and handcrafts (artesanía), with pieces from across the country as well as the traditions of Colima state.
Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park
This national park in western Mexico protects the upper slopes of two volcanic peaks, Volcán de Colima and Nevado de Colima, in the states of Jalisco and Colima.
Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral
Ciudad Guzmán's St. Joseph Cathedral (Catedral de San José) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ciudad Guzmán and the seat of its bishop.
Exconvento del Carmen
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.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Gothic-style ribbed vaults rise over the interior of San Juan de los Lagos' cathedral basilica, built from 1732 to 1769, where you'll also find a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
Teatro José Rosas Moreno
Named after Jalisco writer José Rosas Moreno, this theater in Lagos de Moreno took decades to finish: work started in 1867, and it opened on May 5, 1907.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
San Luis Potosí's cathedral anchors the city's historic center, which UNESCO lists as a component of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro World Heritage Site.
When you get to Real de Catorce
High in the mountains of northern San Luis Potosí Real de Catorce is a former silver-mining town whose most prosperous era began in 1778. It joined the Pueblos Mágicos program in 2001, and its identity grew out of both its mining past and the culture of the Huichol (Wixárika) people.
- Túnel de Ogarrio: The Túnel de Ogarrio, the town's famous tunnel, is one of the landmarks SECTUR highlights for visitors to Real de Catorce. source
- Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción: The Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción is the parish church at the center of town life, and the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4 is its biggest celebration. source
- Museo Parroquial Padre José Robledo: The Museo Parroquial Padre José Robledo preserves pieces of the town's religious history. source
More drives to Real de Catorce
- Comfort, TX to Real de Catorce
- San Antonio, TX to Real de Catorce
- Boerne, TX to Real de Catorce
- San Marcos, TX to Real de Catorce
- McAllen, TX to Real de Catorce
- Bandera, TX to Real de Catorce
From Barra de Navidad to other places in Mexico
- Barra de Navidad to Temacapulín
- Barra de Navidad to Mineral de Pozos
- Barra de Navidad to Pinal de Amoles
- Barra de Navidad to Omitlán
- Barra de Navidad to Huasca de Ocampo
- Barra de Navidad to Teúl de González Ortega
Coming to Real de Catorce from the United States? Border crossings, permits and routes from U.S. cities: Driving to Real de Catorce, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Barra de Navidad to Real de Catorce?
About 10 h 30 min of driving without stops, over 539 miles.
How far is Real de Catorce from Barra de Navidad by car?
About 539 miles (868 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 Barra de Navidad to Real de Catorce?
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 Barra de Navidad to Real de Catorce?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Barra de Navidad to Real de Catorce use?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-80, MEX-70, MEX-57D, MEX-49, MEX-63 and SLP 43. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Barra de Navidad to Real de Catorce?
Closest to the road: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 57, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo Universitario de Artes Populares María Teresa Pomar (art gallery, mile 96, 2 mi from the route); Teatro José Rosas Moreno (opera house, mile 327, 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.