The Wayro route from Guadalajara to Oaxtepec is 365 miles (587 km), about 6 h 32 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 365 mi (587 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 32 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 → MEX-95D → MEX-160D |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.6 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 Oaxtepec is like
MEX-15D (244 mi) and MEX-55D (34 mi) carry about 76% of the 365 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-55, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Guadalajara to Oaxtepec, 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 | 293–299 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 299–300 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 300–308 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 308–311 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 311–315 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 315–319 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 319–334 | 15 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 334–341 | 7 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 341–347 | 6 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 347–363 | 16 | Morelos |
| local roads | 363–365 | 2 | Morelos |
- Mile 65 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 233 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 329 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Guadalajara and Oaxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 328)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 229), Cumbres del Ajusco National Park (mile 327), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 328), El Tepozteco National Park (mile 352)
- Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 211), Museo Taller Nishizawa (mile 292), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 341)
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.
Museo Taller Nishizawa
A late 18th-century house in Toluca, where painter Luis Nishizawa once taught painting workshops, now preserves and displays his work, a collection of nearly 800 pieces in a range of techniques.
Ciénegas del Lerma
These marshes in the Toluca Valley are three lakes left from a wetland of about 27,000 hectares in the late 19th century. A Ramsar site since 2004, they hold dozens of endemic and threatened species and are a key stop for migratory species.
Cumbres del Ajusco National Park
Pine and oak forests climb toward alpine meadows in Cumbres del Ajusco National Park, on Mexico City's southern edge. It draws hikers, climbers and cyclists, and it gets occasional snow, a rarity for the region.
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Seven lagoons, three of them permanent, sit among pine, oak and fir forest above 3,000 meters in this park, decreed in 1936 on the Morelos–State of Mexico line. Hiking, horseback riding, camping and rowboats are popular here.
Cuernavaca Cathedral
Franciscans built this 16th-century convent church, now Cuernavaca's cathedral and part of the UNESCO-listed monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl; visitors can see its murals, side chapels and a sacred art museum.
El Tepozteco National Park
Eroded volcanic hills of the Sierra de Tepoztlán fill this national park, about half of which lies in Mexico City's Milpa Alta borough. A short, steep climb leads to the Tepozteco archaeological zone; wear good shoes, since the rocks get slippery.
When you get to Oaxtepec
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In Oaxtepec, the Exconvento de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is among the first convents the Dominicans built in Mexico, and its walls preserve extensive fresco painting from the colonial era.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
More drives to Oaxtepec
- Malinalco to Oaxtepec
- Mexico City to Oaxtepec
- Metepec to Oaxtepec
- Toluca to Oaxtepec
- Otumba to Oaxtepec
- Taxco to Oaxtepec
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 Oaxtepec?
About 6 h 32 min of driving without stops, over 365 miles.
How far is Oaxtepec from Guadalajara by car?
About 365 miles (587 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 Oaxtepec?
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 Oaxtepec?
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; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Guadalajara to Oaxtepec use?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95D and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Guadalajara and Oaxtepec?
Closest to the road: Museo Taller Nishizawa (art museum, mile 292, 1 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 328, 0.3 mi from the route); El Tepozteco National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 352, 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.