Colima to Nochistlán Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Colima to Nochistlán is 208 miles (335 km), about 4 h 21 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Colima — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Zacatecas — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Zacatecas is the Mexican state that contains Nochistlán. 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 IxtépeteParque Metropolitano de GuadalajaraMuseo de Arte de ZapopanGuadalajara ZooMirador Independencia ParkColimaNochistlán
Route from Colima to Nochistlán with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance208 mi (335 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 21 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-15 → JAL 201 → JAL 205
Mexican states on the routeColima (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3), Zacatecas (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-54D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 8.3 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 Nochistlán is like

MEX-54D (90 mi) and JAL 201 (36 mi) carry about 61% of the 208 miles. MEX-54D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-54, MEX-15 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Colima, Jalisco, Zacatecas. None of the 8 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.

The route from Colima to Nochistlán, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
MEX-540–66Colima
MEX-54D6–9690Colima, Jalisco
MEX-1596–11822Jalisco
connecting roads118–1246Jalisco
MEX-54124–14925Jalisco
JAL 201149–18536Jalisco
connecting roads185–1883Jalisco
JAL 205188–20416Jalisco, Zacatecas
local roads204–2084Zacatecas
  • Mile 15 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 199 of this route: Jalisco → Zacatecas (state line)

Stops between Colima and Nochistlán

  • Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 19), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 116), Mirador Independencia Park (mile 124)
  • Museums and history: Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 42), Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (mile 42), El Ixtépete (mile 114), Museo de Arte de Zapopan (mile 121)
  • With kids: Guadalajara Zoo (mile 124)

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.

Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara

Mile 116 · Park · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara is a public park in Zapopan, Jalisco, that hosts many events, including concerts, outdoor movie screenings and food festivals.

Museo de Arte de Zapopan

Mile 121 · Art museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Run by the city of Zapopan, the Museo de Arte de Zapopan is a contemporary art museum in the town's historic center, open since 2002.

Guadalajara Zoo

Mile 124 · Zoo · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Zoológico Guadalajara is the main zoo of Guadalajara, Jalisco, and holds a large population of animal species.

Mirador Independencia Park

Mile 124 · Scenic viewpoint · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Built at the end of 1970 on the edge of the Huentitán canyon, on Guadalajara's east side, Parque Mirador Independencia is a park with a panoramic lookout over the Barranca de Oblatos.

More drives to Nochistlán

From Colima to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Colima to Nochistlán?

About 4 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 208 miles.

How far is Nochistlán from Colima by car?

About 208 miles (335 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 Nochistlán?

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 Nochistlán?

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

What roads does the drive from Colima to Nochistlán use?

In order: MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-15, JAL 201 and JAL 205. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Colima and Nochistlán?

Closest to the road: Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (museum, mile 42, 2 mi from the route); El Ixtépete (archaeological site, mile 114, 1 mi from the route); Museo de Arte de Zapopan (art museum, mile 121, 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.