Plan on about 6 h 2 min of driving for the 359-mile (577 km) trip from Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Mineral de Pozos, before any stops.
| Distance by road | 359 mi (577 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 2 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-37D → MEX-14D → MEX-15D → MEX-43D → MEX-45D → MEX-57 → GTO 100 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán, Guerrero, Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-37D, MEX-14D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.3 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 Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Mineral de Pozos drive plays out
MEX-37D (171 mi) and MEX-43D (51 mi) carry about 62% of the 359 miles. It runs through 4 states: Michoacán, Guerrero, Guanajuato, Querétaro. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-37D, MEX-14D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas and Mineral de Pozos
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 2–135 | 133 | Michoacán, Guerrero |
| MEX-14D | 135–163 | 28 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 163–201 | 38 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 201–202 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 202–206 | 4 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 206–207 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-43D | 207–258 | 51 | Michoacán, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 258–307 | 49 | Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-57 | 307–345 | 38 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| local roads | 345–350 | 5 | Guanajuato |
| GTO 100 | 350–359 | 9 | Guanajuato |
- Mile 4 of this route: Michoacán → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 38 of this route: Guerrero → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 221 of this route: Michoacán → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 300 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 332 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas and Mineral de Pozos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Claustro de San Felipe Neri - Palacio Conin (mile 308)
- Nature and outdoors: Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park (mile 134)
- Museums and history: Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 160), Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 160), Historic Centre of Morelia (mile 190), Celaya Cathedral (mile 280), El Cerrito (mile 304), Queretaro Art Museum (mile 307), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 320)
Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park
In Michoacán, Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park follows the headwaters of the Cupatitzio River, which bubbles up from an underground spring and carves a small ravine as it starts to flow.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.
Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares
Housed in an 18th-century building adapted from the Colegio de San Nicolás, which Vasco de Quiroga founded in the 16th century, this INAH museum in Pátzcuaro shows Purépecha pottery, textiles, woodwork and lacquerware.
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
Celaya Cathedral
Celaya's main Catholic church, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, occupies the space of a former chapel that was annexed to the neighboring Temple of St. Francis.
El Cerrito
Just outside Querétaro city in Corregidora, El Cerrito is an INAH archaeological zone centered on a pyramid close to 100 feet high, later topped by a 19th-century fort, with a small site museum on the grounds.
Queretaro Art Museum
Set in the cloister of the former San Agustín convent, the Museo de Arte de Querétaro opened in 1988 and shows paintings and sculpture across fifteen galleries.
Claustro de San Felipe Neri - Palacio Conin
The Cloister of San Felipe Neri in central Querétaro was part of the Oratorian convent and stands beside the Templo de San Felipe Neri, now the city's cathedral.
Former hacienda of Chichimequillas
Discalced Carmelite friars founded this hacienda around 1690 to shelter travelers on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and to farm. Its two-story stone and lime main house, finished in 1813, wraps around a central courtyard beside a chapel.
More drives to Mineral de Pozos
- Celaya to Mineral de Pozos
- Salvatierra to Mineral de Pozos
- León to Mineral de Pozos
- Salamanca to Mineral de Pozos
- Irapuato to Mineral de Pozos
- Moroleón to Mineral de Pozos
From Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to other places in Mexico
- Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Pénjamo
- Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Tepatitlán
- Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Tapalpa
- Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Amatitán
- Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Cadereyta
- Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Malinalco
Continue Your Adventure
- Mineral de Pozos to Temacapulín Road Trip: Stops & Tolls
- Mineral de Pozos to San Francisco Road Trip: Stops & Tolls
- Mineral de Pozos to Huasca de Ocampo Road Trip: Stops & Tolls
- Mineral de Pozos to Maruata Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops
- Mineral de Pozos to Ixcateopan Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Mineral de Pozos?
About 6 h 2 min of driving without stops, over 359 miles.
How far is Mineral de Pozos from Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas by car?
About 359 miles (577 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 Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Mineral de Pozos?
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 Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Mineral de Pozos?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Mineral de Pozos?
In order: MEX-37D, MEX-14D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D, MEX-57 and GTO 100. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Mineral de Pozos?
Closest to the road: Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (museum, mile 160, 1 mi from the route); Queretaro Art Museum (art museum, mile 307, 1 mi from the route); Claustro de San Felipe Neri - Palacio Conin (convent, mile 308, 0.9 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.