The Wayro route from El Rosario, Sinaloa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is 418 miles (672 km), about 7 h 5 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 418 mi (672 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 5 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-80D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 19 |
| Mexican states on the route | Sinaloa (Level 4), Nayarit (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.7 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.
What the drive from El Rosario, Sinaloa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is like
MEX-15D (257 mi) and MEX-80D (72 mi) carry about 79% of the 418 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from El Rosario, Sinaloa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Sinaloa |
| MEX-15D | 2–239 | 237 | Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 239–250 | 11 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 250–270 | 20 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 270–273 | 3 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 273–345 | 72 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 345–346 | 1 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 346–359 | 13 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 359–372 | 13 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 372–401 | 29 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 401–405 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 405–408 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| connecting roads | 408–409 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 19 | 409–417 | 8 | Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 417–418 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
- Mile 47 of this route: Sinaloa → Nayarit (state line)
- Mile 191 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 375 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
Stops between El Rosario, Sinaloa and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 180), Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 391)
- Nature and outdoors: Agua Grande Lagoon (mile 22), Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl (mile 392)
- Museums and history: Museo Amado Nervo (mile 128), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 180), Guachimontones (mile 224), Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes (mile 254), Teatro Degollado (mile 254), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 340), Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 391)
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.
Museo Amado Nervo
Poet Amado Nervo was born on August 27, 1870, in this mid-19th-century house in downtown Tepic, which opened as a museum dedicated to him on April 27, 1970.
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.
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.
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.
Teatro Degollado
On Guadalajara's central plaza, along Belén Street between Hidalgo and Morelos avenues, the neoclassical Teatro Degollado is known for its varied performances and artistic design.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
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.
Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes
Inside the Tres Centurias complex at Aguascalientes' old train station, Museo Espacio is a contemporary art museum, so a visit pairs current work with a look at the city's railroad buildings.
Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl
The Jardín Botánico Rey Nezahualcóyotl is a botanical garden that falls under the administration of the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes.
When you get to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
Santuario del Cristo Roto, San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
A 28-meter broken Christ, the Cristo Roto, stands on an island in the Presidente Calles dam at San José de Gracia, reachable only by boat. Sculptors Erasmo Aguilar and Miguel Romo Santino made it to recall what the town lost when the dam was built.
More drives to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Jerez, Zacatecas to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Amatitán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Ajijic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tequila to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Paracho to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
From El Rosario, Sinaloa to other places in Mexico
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Real de Asientos
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Pinos
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Temacapulín
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Amatitán
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Ajijic
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from El Rosario, Sinaloa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
About 7 h 5 min of driving without stops, over 418 miles.
How far is San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes from El Rosario, Sinaloa by car?
About 418 miles (672 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 El Rosario, Sinaloa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
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 El Rosario, Sinaloa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
The U.S. State Department rates Sinaloa Level 4: Do Not Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from El Rosario, Sinaloa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes use?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-80D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and AGS 19. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between El Rosario, Sinaloa and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
Closest to the road: Museo Amado Nervo (biographical museum, mile 128, 2 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 180, 0.5 mi from the route); Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (art museum, mile 391, 0.8 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.