Plan on about 7 h 30 min of driving for the 423-mile (681 km) trip from Ezequiel Montes to Bucerías, before any stops.
| Total distance | 423 mi (681 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 30 min |
| Main roads, in order | QRO 5 → QRO 4 → MEX-57D → MEX-45D → MEX-90 → MEX-90D → MEX-110 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D |
| Mexican states on the route | Querétaro, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-57D, MEX-45D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.9 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 Ezequiel Montes to Bucerías is like
MEX-15D (140 mi) and MEX-45D (65 mi) carry about 48% of the 423 miles. It runs through 5 states: Querétaro, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D, MEX-45D and MEX-90D. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Road-by-road breakdown: Ezequiel Montes to Bucerías
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| QRO 5 | 0–7 | 7 | Querétaro |
| QRO 4 | 7–25 | 18 | Querétaro |
| connecting roads | 25–26 | 1 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 26–38 | 12 | Querétaro |
| MEX-45D | 38–103 | 65 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 103–104 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90 | 104–149 | 45 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90D | 149–162 | 13 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 162–185 | 23 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 185–260 | 75 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 260–269 | 9 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 269–334 | 65 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 334–368 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 368–386 | 18 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 386–420 | 34 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 420–423 | 3 | Nayarit |
- Mile 45 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 161 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 190 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 318 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Stops between Ezequiel Montes and Bucerías
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 396)
- Museums and history: Museo Regional de Querétaro (mile 37), Celaya Cathedral (mile 65), Irapuato Cathedral (mile 101), Plazuelas (mile 141), Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (mile 252), Casa Museo López Portillo (mile 253), Guachimontones (mile 283)
Aqueduct of Querétaro
Finished in 1738, Querétaro's aqueduct carries 74 stone arches up to 23 meters high across a valley for about 1,280 meters. It once brought spring water to the city by gravity and still stands as a symbol of colonial Mexico.
Museo Regional de Querétaro
The state's regional museum occupies the former Great Convent of San Francisco in central Santiago de Querétaro, a building dating from the 1540s and 1550s.
Celaya Cathedral
Celaya's main Catholic church, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, occupies the space of a former chapel that was annexed to the neighboring Temple of St. Francis.
Irapuato Cathedral
Irapuato's cathedral, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, dates from the 18th century and has a Baroque facade. It served as the seat of the local parish until 2004, when the new Diocese of Irapuato made it a cathedral.
Plazuelas
Near Pénjamo, Plazuelas flourished between AD 450 and 700. Trails lead to Casas Tapadas, a platform crowned by four pyramid bases, a ball court, and rocks carved with spirals and La Maqueta, a low-relief model of Casas Tapadas.
Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara
Inside Guadalajara's Parque Agua Azul, the Museum of Paleontology opened in 2000 as one of only a few Mexican museums devoted to fossils, with exhibits developed with Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).
Casa Museo López Portillo
Opened on May 10, 1982, this house museum in Guadalajara's historic center showcases decorative arts and promotes work by young artists from the metro area.
Guachimontones
About 40 circular buildings and two ball courts spread over 20 hectares at Guachimontones, outside Teuchitlán. INAH calls it western Mexico's first large population center, dating back to around 1000 BC.
Rincón de Guayabitos
Gentle waves are the draw at Rincón de Guayabitos, where roughly two kilometers of shoreline make this Compostela, Nayarit, beach town a favorite escape for people from Tepic and Guadalajara.
More drives to Bucerías
- Aguascalientes to Bucerías
- Paracho to Bucerías
- Irapuato to Bucerías
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Bucerías
- Salamanca to Bucerías
- Calvillo to Bucerías
From Ezequiel Montes to other places in Mexico
- Ezequiel Montes to Tzintzuntzan
- Ezequiel Montes to Tócuaro
- Ezequiel Montes to Pacanda
- Ezequiel Montes to Santa Clara del Cobre
- Ezequiel Montes to Zirahuén
- Ezequiel Montes to Pinos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ezequiel Montes to Bucerías?
About 7 h 30 min of driving without stops, over 423 miles.
How far is Bucerías from Ezequiel Montes 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 Ezequiel Montes to Bucerías?
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 Ezequiel Montes to Bucerías?
The U.S. State Department rates Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Ezequiel Montes to Bucerías use?
In order: QRO 5, QRO 4, MEX-57D, MEX-45D, MEX-90, MEX-90D, MEX-110, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D and MEX-200D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Ezequiel Montes to Bucerías?
Closest to the road: Aqueduct of Querétaro (aqueduct, mile 36, 1 mi from the route); Museo Regional de Querétaro (museum, mile 37, 1 mi from the route); Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (museum, mile 252, 1 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.