By road, Colima and Real de Catorce are about 444 miles (714 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 37 min of driving.
| Distance | 444 mi (714 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 37 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-80D → MEX-80 → MEX-70 → MEX-57D → MEX-49 → MEX-63 → SLP 43 |
| Mexican states on the route | Colima, Jalisco, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.7 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.
Driving Colima to Real de Catorce: the shape of the trip
MEX-80D (113 mi) and MEX-54D (90 mi) carry about 46% of the 444 miles. It runs through 4 states: Colima, Jalisco, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-54D, MEX-15D and MEX-80D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Colima to Real de Catorce
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-54 | 0–6 | 6 | Colima |
| MEX-54D | 6–96 | 90 | Colima, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 96–113 | 17 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 113–118 | 5 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 118–134 | 16 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 134–137 | 3 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 137–209 | 72 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 209–242 | 33 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 242–283 | 41 | Jalisco, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-80 | 283–286 | 3 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70 | 286–304 | 18 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 304–319 | 15 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-49 | 319–329 | 10 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-63 | 329–403 | 74 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 43 | 403–436 | 33 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 436–444 | 8 | San Luis Potosí |
- Mile 15 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 267 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 277 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Colima and Real de Catorce
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 232), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 232)
- 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), Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes (mile 118), Guadalajara Cathedral (mile 119), Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 196), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 232), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 232), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 312)
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.
Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes
The University of Guadalajara's Museo de las Artes, known as MUSA, opened on October 10, 1994, and was expanded in 2013.
Guadalajara Cathedral
In the Centro of Guadalajara, the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady is the seat of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara and a minor basilica.
Teocaltitan Archaeological Site
A people who dominated much of Los Altos between AD 400 and 900 built Teocaltitán, near Jalostotitlán. The site's pyramids, sunken patios and ball court cover about nine hectares.
Teatro José Rosas Moreno
Named after Jalisco writer José Rosas Moreno, this theater in Lagos de Moreno took decades to finish: work started in 1867, and it opened on May 5, 1907.
Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera
The Museo Casa Agustín Rivera Altos de Jalisco is a museum in the town of Lagos de Moreno, in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
Look closely at the two towers of San Luis Potosí's cathedral: one is built of mortar, the other of quarried cantera stone. The Baroque church is the seat of the archdiocese.
Once you reach Real de Catorce
High in the mountains of northern San Luis Potosí Real de Catorce is a former silver-mining town whose most prosperous era began in 1778. It joined the Pueblos Mágicos program in 2001, and its identity grew out of both its mining past and the culture of the Huichol (Wixárika) people.
- Túnel de Ogarrio: The Túnel de Ogarrio, the town's famous tunnel, is one of the landmarks SECTUR highlights for visitors to Real de Catorce. source
- Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción: The Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción is the parish church at the center of town life, and the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4 is its biggest celebration. source
- Museo Parroquial Padre José Robledo: The Museo Parroquial Padre José Robledo preserves pieces of the town's religious history. source
More drives to Real de Catorce
- Comfort, TX to Real de Catorce
- San Antonio, TX to Real de Catorce
- Boerne, TX to Real de Catorce
- San Marcos, TX to Real de Catorce
- McAllen, TX to Real de Catorce
- Bandera, TX to Real de Catorce
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
Coming to Real de Catorce from the United States? Border crossings, permits and routes from U.S. cities: Driving to Real de Catorce, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Colima to Real de Catorce?
About 8 h 37 min of driving without stops, over 444 miles.
How far is Real de Catorce from Colima by car?
About 444 miles (714 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 Real de Catorce?
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 Real de Catorce?
The U.S. State Department rates Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Colima to Real de Catorce?
In order: MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-80, MEX-70, MEX-57D, MEX-49, MEX-63 and SLP 43. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Colima to Real de Catorce?
Closest to the road: Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes (museum, mile 118, 2 mi from the route); Teatro José Rosas Moreno (opera house, mile 232, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (museum, mile 232, 0.4 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.