Guadalajara to Ezequiel Montes Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Guadalajara to Ezequiel Montes is 255 miles (410 km), about 4 h 46 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Querétaro — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Querétaro is the Mexican state that contains Ezequiel Montes. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
PlazuelasTequila CorralejoCelaya CathedralCollege of Santa Cruz de QuerétaroEl Cimatario National ParkGuadalajaraEzequiel Montes
Route from Guadalajara to Ezequiel Montes with the 5 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance255 mi (410 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 46 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-15D → MEX-110 → MEX-90 → MEX-45D → MEX-57D → QRO 4 → QRO 5
Mexican states on the routeJalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-15D, MEX-45D, MEX-57D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 10.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below5

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 Guadalajara to Ezequiel Montes is like

MEX-45D (67 mi) and MEX-15D (63 mi) carry about 51% of the 255 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-45D, MEX-57D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-110, MEX-90 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, Guanajuato, Querétaro. None of the 5 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.

The route from Guadalajara to Ezequiel Montes, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–66Jalisco
MEX-15D6–6963Jalisco, Michoacán
connecting roads69–701Michoacán
MEX-11070–10535Michoacán, Guanajuato
MEX-90105–15045Guanajuato
connecting roads150–1511Guanajuato
MEX-45D151–21867Guanajuato, Querétaro
MEX-57D218–22911Querétaro
QRO 4229–24819Querétaro
QRO 5248–2557Querétaro
  • Mile 65 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 96 of this route: Michoacán → Guanajuato (state line)
  • Mile 209 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)

Stops between Guadalajara and Ezequiel Montes

  • Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 221)
  • Museums and history: Plazuelas (mile 113), Celaya Cathedral (mile 189)

Plazuelas

Mile 113 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route

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.

Tequila Corralejo

Mile 128 · Distillery · 1 mi from the route

Tequila Corralejo is distilled in Pénjamo, Guanajuato, at the historic Hacienda de Corralejo, where the brand, established in 1996, offers guided tours and hosts social events.

Celaya Cathedral

Mile 189 · Church building · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

College of Santa Cruz de Querétaro

Mile 217 · Catholic seminary · 1 mi from the route

Querétaro's College of Santa Cruz was a Franciscan missionary college in New Spain, the second Catholic college in the Americas set up to train missionaries.

El Cimatario National Park

Mile 221 · National Park of Mexico · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.

More drives to Ezequiel Montes

From Guadalajara to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Guadalajara to Ezequiel Montes?

About 4 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 255 miles.

How far is Ezequiel Montes from Guadalajara by car?

About 255 miles (410 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 Guadalajara to Ezequiel Montes?

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 Guadalajara to Ezequiel Montes?

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

What roads does the drive from Guadalajara to Ezequiel Montes use?

In order: MEX-15D, MEX-110, MEX-90, MEX-45D, MEX-57D, QRO 4 and QRO 5. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Guadalajara and Ezequiel Montes?

Closest to the road: Plazuelas (archaeological site, mile 113, 2 mi from the route); Tequila Corralejo (distillery, mile 128, 1 mi from the route); College of Santa Cruz de Querétaro (catholic seminary, mile 217, 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 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.