The Wayro route from Ezequiel Montes to Chacala is 406 miles (653 km), about 7 h 21 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 406 mi (653 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 21 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 → MEX-200 |
| 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 16.2 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.
How the Ezequiel Montes to Chacala drive plays out
MEX-15D (140 mi) and MEX-45D (65 mi) carry about 50% of the 406 miles. It runs through 5 states: Querétaro, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D, MEX-45D and MEX-90D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Ezequiel Montes to Chacala: the road sequence
| 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 | 386–391 | 5 | Nayarit |
| connecting roads | 391–392 | 1 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 392–401 | 9 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 401–406 | 5 | 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)
What to see on the way from Ezequiel Montes to Chacala
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de la Ciudad de Querétaro (mile 37), Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara (mile 255), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 327)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 392)
- Museums and history: Museo de la Ciudad de Querétaro (mile 37), Celaya Cathedral (mile 65), Irapuato Cathedral (mile 101), Plazuelas (mile 141), Guachimontones (mile 283), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 327)
Templo y exconvento de San Francisco de Asís de Querétaro
Querétaro's San Francisco church once served as the city's cathedral. The convent was begun in 1589 and the church finished in 1640, and it keeps a Baroque lectern and upper-choir stalls by Francisco Eduardo Tresguerras.
Museo de la Ciudad de Querétaro
Inside the 18th-century Baroque former Capuchin convent in Querétaro's historic center, the Museo de la Ciudad hosts contemporary visual art along with music, film and theater.
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.
Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara
At a roundabout fountain in Guadalajara, a bronze statue of Minerva, Roman goddess of wisdom, stands on a large pedestal inscribed with the names of 18 notable citizens.
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.
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.
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 Chacala
- Tequila to Chacala
- Amatitán to Chacala
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Chacala
- Tepatitlán to Chacala
- Mazatlán to Chacala
- Nochistlán to Chacala
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
- Ezequiel Montes to Atlatlahucan Road Trip: Stops & Drive Time
- Ezequiel Montes to Tamuín Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops
- Ezequiel Montes to Omitlán Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops
- Ezequiel Montes to Angangueo Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety
- Ezequiel Montes to Barra de Navidad Road Trip: Stops & Tolls
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ezequiel Montes to Chacala?
About 7 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 406 miles.
How far is Chacala from Ezequiel Montes by car?
About 406 miles (653 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 Chacala?
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 Chacala?
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 Chacala use?
In order: QRO 5, QRO 4, MEX-57D, MEX-45D, MEX-90, MEX-90D, MEX-110, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Ezequiel Montes to Chacala?
Closest to the road: Museo de la Ciudad de Querétaro (museum, mile 37, 1 mi from the route); Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara (statue, mile 255, 0.8 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 327, 0.5 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.