Bernal to Lo de Marcos is about 404 road miles (650 km): roughly 7 h 12 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Total distance | 404 mi (650 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 12 min |
| Main roads, in order | QRO 100 → QRO 4 → MEX-57D → MEX-45D → MEX-90 → MEX-90D → MEX-110 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Querétaro, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-57D, MEX-45D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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.
How the Bernal to Lo de Marcos drive plays out
MEX-15D (140 mi) and MEX-45D (65 mi) carry about 51% of the 404 miles. It runs through 5 states: Querétaro, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D, MEX-45D and MEX-90D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Bernal to Lo de Marcos: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| QRO 100 | 0–4 | 4 | Querétaro |
| QRO 4 | 4–24 | 20 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 24–36 | 12 | Querétaro |
| MEX-45D | 36–101 | 65 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 101–102 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90 | 102–147 | 45 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90D | 147–160 | 13 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 160–182 | 22 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 182–183 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 183–258 | 75 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 258–267 | 9 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 267–332 | 65 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 332–366 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 366–385 | 19 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 385–400 | 15 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 400–403 | 3 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 403–404 | 1 | Nayarit |
- Mile 43 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 159 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 188 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 315 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Places worth a stop between Bernal and Lo de Marcos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de la Ciudad de Querétaro (mile 35), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 326)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 395)
- Museums and history: Teatro de la República (mile 35), Museo de la Ciudad de Querétaro (mile 35), Celaya Cathedral (mile 63), Irapuato Cathedral (mile 99), Plazuelas (mile 139), Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (mile 250), Guachimontones (mile 280), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 326)
Teatro de la República
Originally named Teatro Iturbide, the Teatro de la República stands in Querétaro's historic center. The neoclassical building has a three-level hall with about 500 seats.
Museo de la Ciudad de Querétaro
Inside the 18th-century Baroque former Capuchin convent in Querétaro's historic center, the Museo de la Ciudad hosts contemporary visual art along with music, film and theater.
Celaya Cathedral
The space now taken by the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, the main Catholic church in Celaya, was once a chapel annexed to the Temple of St. Francis next door.
Irapuato Cathedral
Irapuato's cathedral, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, dates from the 18th century and has a Baroque facade. It served as the seat of the local parish until 2004, when the new Diocese of Irapuato made it a cathedral.
Plazuelas
Near Pénjamo, Plazuelas flourished between AD 450 and 700. Trails lead to Casas Tapadas, a platform crowned by four pyramid bases, a ball court, and rocks carved with spirals and La Maqueta, a low-relief model of Casas Tapadas.
Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara
Only a few museums in Mexico are devoted to fossils, and one of them sits in Guadalajara's Parque Agua Azul, where it has welcomed visitors since 2000.
Guachimontones
Near the town of Teuchitlán, Guachimontones is known for its circular structures. INAH describes it as the first large population center in western Mexico, emerging around 1000 BC, with two ball courts and about 40 circular buildings across 20 hectares.
Ixtlán del Rio
Between roughly 300 BC and AD 600, people made their home at Los Toriles in Ixtlán del Río. Today visitors come for its circular temple, a rare design in Mesoamerica.
Rincón de Guayabitos
Rincón de Guayabitos is a beach town in Compostela, Nayarit, with about two kilometers of shore known for gentle waves, a popular getaway from Tepic and Guadalajara.
More drives to Lo de Marcos
- San Juan de los Lagos to Lo de Marcos
- León to Lo de Marcos
- Aguascalientes to Lo de Marcos
- Paracho to Lo de Marcos
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Lo de Marcos
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Lo de Marcos
From Bernal to other places in Mexico
- Bernal to Ihuatzio
- Bernal to Tócuaro
- Bernal to Pacanda
- Bernal to Zirahuén
- Bernal to Temacapulín
- Bernal to San Luis Soyatlán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Bernal to Lo de Marcos?
About 7 h 12 min of driving without stops, over 404 miles.
What is the driving distance from Bernal to Lo de Marcos?
About 404 miles (650 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 Bernal to Lo de Marcos?
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 Bernal to Lo de Marcos?
The U.S. State Department rates Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Bernal to Lo de Marcos use?
In order: QRO 100, QRO 4, MEX-57D, MEX-45D, MEX-90, MEX-90D, MEX-110, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Bernal to Lo de Marcos?
Closest to the road: Museo de la Ciudad de Querétaro (museum, mile 35, 1 mi from the route); Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (museum, mile 250, 1 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 326, 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 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.