Colima to Lagos de Moreno Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Colima to Lagos de Moreno is 232 miles (374 km), about 3 h 52 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Colima — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Jalisco is the Mexican state that contains Lagos de Moreno. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Volcán Nevado de Colima National ParkCiudad Guzmán CathedralMuseo Arqueológico de Ciudad GuzmánEl IxtépeteMuseo Regional de GuadalajaraMuseo Regional de la CerámicaTeocaltitan Archaeological SiteCathedral Basilica of San Juan de los LagosColimaLagos de Moreno
Route from Colima to Lagos de Moreno with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance232 mi (374 km)
Driving time, no stops3 h 52 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-80D → MEX-80
Mexican states on the routeColima (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 9.3 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 Colima to Lagos de Moreno is like

MEX-54D (90 mi) and MEX-80D (72 mi) carry about 70% of the 232 miles. MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-54, MEX-15, MEX-80 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 2 states: Colima, Jalisco. None of the 8 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.

The route from Colima to Lagos de Moreno, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
MEX-540–66Colima
MEX-54D6–9690Colima, Jalisco
MEX-1596–11317Jalisco
local roads113–1185Jalisco
MEX-15D118–13416Jalisco
connecting roads134–1373Jalisco
MEX-80D137–20972Jalisco
MEX-80209–23223Jalisco
  • Mile 15 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)

Stops between Colima and Lagos de Moreno

  • Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 19)
  • Museums and history: Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 42), Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (mile 42), El Ixtépete (mile 114), Museo Regional de Guadalajara (mile 119), Museo Regional de la Cerámica (mile 122), Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 196), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 204)

Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park

Mile 19 · National Park of Mexico · 4 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 42 · Cathedral · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 42 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

El Ixtépete

Mile 114 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

Zapopan's El Ixtépete preserves a pyramid built around AD 650-750, during the Grillo tradition, with at least seven superimposed construction phases; the site lies within the Guadalajara metro area near the Periférico and Avenida Mariano Otero.

Museo Regional de Guadalajara

Mile 119 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Facing the Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres in downtown Guadalajara, the Museo Regional de Guadalajara fills a full city block bounded by Hidalgo, Pino Suárez, Liceo and Independencia streets.

Museo Regional de la Cerámica

Mile 122 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

On Calle Independencia in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, the Museo Regional de la Cerámica is one of the town's two main ceramics museums.

Teocaltitan Archaeological Site

Mile 196 · 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 204 · 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.

When you get to Lagos de Moreno

Teatro José Rosas Moreno

Opera house · in Lagos de Moreno

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

Museum · in Lagos de Moreno

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 Lagos de Moreno

From Colima to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Colima to Lagos de Moreno?

About 3 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 232 miles.

How far is Lagos de Moreno from Colima by car?

About 232 miles (374 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 Lagos de Moreno?

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 Lagos de Moreno?

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

What roads does the drive from Colima to Lagos de Moreno use?

In order: MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-80D and MEX-80. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Colima and Lagos de Moreno?

Closest to the road: El Ixtépete (archaeological site, mile 114, 1 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Cerámica (museum, mile 122, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (minor basilica, mile 204, 2 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.