The Wayro route from Colima to El Salto, Durango is 460 miles (740 km), about 7 h 12 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 460 mi (740 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 12 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-GUA 10D → MEX-15D → MEX-40D → MEX-40 |
| Mexican states on the route | Colima (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3), Nayarit (Level 2), Sinaloa (Level 4), Durango (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D, MEX-40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.4 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.
What the drive from Colima to El Salto, Durango is like
MEX-15D (250 mi) and MEX-54D (90 mi) carry about 74% of the 460 miles. MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D, MEX-40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-54, MEX-40 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit, Sinaloa, Durango. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Colima to El Salto, Durango, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-54 | 0–6 | 6 | Colima |
| MEX-54D | 6–96 | 90 | Colima, Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 96–98 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-GUA 10D | 98–128 | 30 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 128–378 | 250 | Jalisco, Nayarit, Sinaloa |
| MEX-40D | 378–454 | 76 | Sinaloa, Durango |
| MEX-40 | 454–460 | 6 | Durango |
- Mile 15 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 167 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
- Mile 309 of this route: Nayarit → Sinaloa (state line)
- Mile 421 of this route: Sinaloa → Durango (state line)
Stops between Colima and El Salto, Durango
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 177)
- Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 19), Agua Grande Lagoon (mile 334)
- Museums and history: Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 42), Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (mile 42), Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila (mile 116), Guachimontones (mile 122), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 177), Tepic Cathedral (mile 228), Casa Museo Juan Escutia (mile 228)
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.
Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán
Founded in the 1950s with writer Juan José Arreola among its promoters, this INAH museum in Ciudad Guzmán shows stone and ceramic pieces from western Mexico, colonial-era religious art and sketches by muralist José Clemente Orozco.
Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila
Around the town of Tequila, the Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of blue agave fields shaped by the plant's use for tequila since the 16th century.
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
Known locally as Los Toriles, the Ixtlán del Río site is famous for a temple with a fully circular floor plan, rare in Mesoamerica. People lived here from about 300 BC to AD 600, and an introductory gallery explains the finds.
Tepic Cathedral
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral, also known as Tepic Cathedral, stands on the main square in the center of Tepic and is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tepic.
Casa Museo Juan Escutia
In central Tepic, Casa Museo Juan Escutia honors Juan Escutia, one of the fighters who died defending Chapultepec Castle during the U.S. invasion of Mexico.
Agua Grande Lagoon
Agua Grande is a large coastal lagoon in the Mexican state of Sinaloa that drains into the Pacific Ocean through the Teacapán Estuary.
More drives to El Salto, Durango
- San Juan de los Lagos to El Salto, Durango
- Tepatitlán to El Salto, Durango
- Guadalajara to El Salto, Durango
- Tequila to El Salto, Durango
- Zamora to El Salto, Durango
- Paracho to El Salto, Durango
From Colima to other places in Mexico
- Colima to Sayula
- Colima to Tequila
- Colima to Tepatitlán
- Colima to Paracho
- Colima to Temacapulín
- Colima to San Juan de los Lagos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Colima to El Salto, Durango?
About 7 h 12 min of driving without stops, over 460 miles.
How far is El Salto, Durango from Colima by car?
About 460 miles (740 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 Colima to El Salto, Durango?
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 Colima to El Salto, Durango?
The U.S. State Department rates Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Sinaloa Level 4: Do Not Travel; Durango Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Colima to El Salto, Durango use?
In order: MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D, MEX-40D and MEX-40. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Colima and El Salto, Durango?
Closest to the road: Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 177, 0.5 mi from the route); Casa Museo Juan Escutia (museum, mile 228, 1 mi from the route); Tepic Cathedral (cathedral, mile 228, 1 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.