El Salto, Durango to Mazamitla Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from El Salto, Durango to Mazamitla is 423 miles (681 km), about 7 h 10 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Durango — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Sinaloa — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Nayarit — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Jalisco is the Mexican state that contains Mazamitla. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Agua Grande LagoonMuseo Regional de NayaritIxtlán del RioMuseo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la MineríaNational Museum of TequilaGuachimontonesAgave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of TequilaEl Salto, DurangoMazamitla
Route from El Salto, Durango to Mazamitla with the 7 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance423 mi (681 km)
Driving time, no stops7 h 10 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-40 → MEX-40D → MEX-15D → MEX-GUA 10D → MEX-15 → JAL 405
Mexican states on the routeDurango (Level 3), Sinaloa (Level 4), Nayarit (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-40D, MEX-15D, MEX-GUA 10D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 16.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below7

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 El Salto, Durango to Mazamitla is like

MEX-15D (250 mi) and MEX-40D (77 mi) carry about 77% of the 423 miles. MEX-40D, MEX-15D, MEX-GUA 10D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-40, MEX-15 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Durango, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco. Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from El Salto, Durango to Mazamitla, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Durango
MEX-401–65Durango
MEX-40D6–8377Durango, Sinaloa
MEX-15D83–333250Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco
MEX-GUA 10D333–36229Jalisco
MEX-15362–39735Jalisco
JAL 405397–42326Jalisco
  • Mile 40 of this route: Durango → Sinaloa (state line)
  • Mile 152 of this route: Sinaloa → Nayarit (state line)
  • Mile 295 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)

Stops between El Salto, Durango and Mazamitla

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 284), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 314)
  • Nature and outdoors: Agua Grande Lagoon (mile 126)
  • Museums and history: Museo Regional de Nayarit (mile 232), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 284), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 314), National Museum of Tequila (mile 322), Guachimontones (mile 339), Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila (mile 345)

Agua Grande Lagoon

Mile 126 · Lagoon · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Agua Grande is a large coastal lagoon in the Mexican state of Sinaloa that drains into the Pacific Ocean through the Teacapán Estuary.

Museo Regional de Nayarit

Mile 232 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

In the city of Tepic, the Museo Regional de Nayarit focuses on the different cultural traditions of pre-Hispanic Nayarit.

Ixtlán del Rio

Mile 284 · Archaeological site · 0.5 mi from the route

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.

Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería

Mile 314 · Museum · 0.6 mi from the route

The Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería, an interpretive museum of agave landscape and mining, is located in the municipality of Magdalena, Mexico.

National Museum of Tequila

Mile 322 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The National Museum of Tequila (MUNAT) in the town of Tequila tells the story of the spirit that put this corner of Jalisco on the map. The state government took it back in 2026 and announced a reopening with refreshed exhibits.

Guachimontones

Mile 339 · Archaeological site · 8 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila

Mile 345 · Historic site · 6 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

More drives to Mazamitla

From El Salto, Durango to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from El Salto, Durango to Mazamitla?

About 7 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 423 miles.

How far is Mazamitla from El Salto, Durango by car?

About 423 miles (681 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 Salto, Durango to Mazamitla?

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 Salto, Durango to Mazamitla?

The U.S. State Department rates Durango Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Sinaloa Level 4: Do Not Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from El Salto, Durango to Mazamitla use?

In order: MEX-40, MEX-40D, MEX-15D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15 and JAL 405. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between El Salto, Durango and Mazamitla?

Closest to the road: Museo Regional de Nayarit (museum, mile 232, 1 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 284, 0.5 mi from the route); Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 314, 0.6 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.