The Wayro route from Guadalajara to Ixcateopan is 392 miles (631 km), about 6 h 59 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 392 mi (631 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 59 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → MEX-95 → MEX-92D |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Guerrero (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-92D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Guadalajara to Ixcateopan is like
MEX-15D (244 mi) and MEX-55D (59 mi) carry about 77% of the 392 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-92D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-55, MEX-95 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Guerrero. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Guadalajara to Ixcateopan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 6–250 | 244 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 250–254 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 254–288 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 288–293 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 293–306 | 13 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 306–331 | 25 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 331–335 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 335–342 | 7 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 342–359 | 17 | State of Mexico, Guerrero |
| MEX-95 | 359–362 | 3 | Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 362–365 | 3 | Guerrero |
| MEX-92D | 365–370 | 5 | Guerrero |
| local roads | 370–392 | 22 | Guerrero |
- Mile 65 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 233 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 344 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 347 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 358 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
Stops between Guadalajara and Ixcateopan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Toluca Cathedral (mile 292), Parque de la Ciencia Fundadores (mile 292), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 354), William Spratling Museum (mile 371)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 229), Nevado de Toluca National Park (mile 311), Desierto del Carmen National Park (mile 327), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 354)
- Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 211), Toluca Cathedral (mile 292), Parque de la Ciencia Fundadores (mile 292), William Spratling Museum (mile 371)
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
Rayón National Park
Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.
Toluca Cathedral
Begun in 1867 and finished only in 1978, Toluca's Cathedral of Saint Joseph has a neoclassical facade and a bronze statue of the saint on its dome. It also preserves the 18th-century baroque front of the former San Elzeario church.
Parque de la Ciencia Fundadores
Opened in 2021 in downtown Toluca on the site of the former Plaza Ángel María Garibay, this science park adds green space, children's play areas and a planetarium with a 360-degree screen.
Nevado de Toluca National Park
The Nevado de Toluca volcano was declared a flora and fauna protection area in 2013, a protected zone spanning ten municipalities of the State of Mexico, including Toluca, Zinacantepec and Temascaltepec.
Desierto del Carmen National Park
Declared a national park on October 10, 1942, Desierto del Carmen is a protected area in the municipality of Tenancingo, in the State of Mexico.
Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park
Protected as a national park since 1936, this area near Taxco centers on the Cacahuamilpa caverns, where a guided route of about 4 km passes chambers up to 80 meters high, decorated with flowstone and floor-to-ceiling columns.
William Spratling Museum
Taxco's archaeological museum grew from the collection of William Spratling, the American who revived the town's silver craft in the 1930s. It shows pre-Hispanic pieces, including Olmec and Mezcala-style works, plus a gallery on silversmithing.
When you get to Ixcateopan
Ixcateopan
Some 36 kilometers from Taxco in the rugged mountains of northern Guerrero, the ruins at Ixcateopan de Cuauhtémoc belong to a city that served as an important regional ceremonial center.
More drives to Ixcateopan
- Tlaltizapán to Ixcateopan
- Tepoztlán to Ixcateopan
- Metepec to Ixcateopan
- Oaxtepec to Ixcateopan
- Tlayacapan to Ixcateopan
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Ixcateopan
From Guadalajara to other places in Mexico
- Guadalajara to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Guadalajara to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Guadalajara to Calvillo
- Guadalajara to Real de Asientos
- Guadalajara to Guadalupe, Zacatecas
- Guadalajara to Zacatecas
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Guadalajara to Ixcateopan?
About 6 h 59 min of driving without stops, over 392 miles.
How far is Ixcateopan from Guadalajara by car?
About 392 miles (631 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 Ixcateopan?
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 Ixcateopan?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Guadalajara to Ixcateopan use?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, MEX-95 and MEX-92D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Guadalajara and Ixcateopan?
Closest to the road: Parque de la Ciencia Fundadores (museum, mile 292, 0.9 mi from the route); Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 354, 0.1 mi from the route); William Spratling Museum (museum, mile 371, 0.4 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.