The Wayro route from Guanajuato to Barra de Navidad is 380 miles (612 km), about 6 h 40 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 380 mi (612 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 40 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-110D → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-80 → MEX-80D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-54D → MEX-54 → MEX-110 → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Colima (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-110D, MEX-45D, MEX-80D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D, MEX-200D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.2 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.
What the drive from Guanajuato to Barra de Navidad is like
MEX-54D (89 mi) and MEX-80D (85 mi) carry about 46% of the 380 miles. MEX-110D, MEX-45D, MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D, MEX-200D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-80, MEX-15, MEX-54, MEX-110, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Guanajuato, Jalisco, Colima. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Guanajuato to Barra de Navidad, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-110D | 4–12 | 8 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45 | 12–25 | 13 | Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 25–26 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 26–63 | 37 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 63–78 | 15 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 78–163 | 85 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 163–169 | 6 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 169–173 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 173–191 | 18 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54D | 191–280 | 89 | Jalisco, Colima |
| MEX-54 | 280–287 | 7 | Colima |
| MEX-110 | 287–311 | 24 | Colima |
| connecting roads | 311–314 | 3 | Colima |
| MEX-200D | 314–351 | 37 | Colima |
| MEX-200 | 351–379 | 28 | Colima, Jalisco |
| local roads | 379–380 | 1 | Jalisco |
- Mile 46 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 270 of this route: Jalisco → Colima (state line)
- Mile 367 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
Stops between Guanajuato and Barra de Navidad
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 323)
- Museums and history: Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 83), Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 90), Teatro Degollado (mile 168), Museo Regional de Guadalajara (mile 169), El Ixtépete (mile 174), Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 245), Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (mile 245), Museo Regional de la Cristiada (mile 285), Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 323)
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Pilgrims come from far and wide to San Juan de los Lagos to see the small image of the Virgin kept in this cathedral basilica, built between 1732 and 1769. Inside are Gothic-style ribbed vaults and a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
Teocaltitan Archaeological Site
Near Jalostotitlán in the Los Altos region, the Teocaltitán site holds pyramids, sunken patios and a ball court spread across about nine hectares, built by a people who dominated much of the area from AD 400 to 900.
Teatro Degollado
On Guadalajara's central plaza, along Belén Street between Hidalgo and Morelos avenues, the neoclassical Teatro Degollado is known for its varied performances and artistic design.
Museo Regional de Guadalajara
Facing the Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres in downtown Guadalajara, the Museo Regional de Guadalajara fills a full city block bounded by Hidalgo, Pino Suárez, Liceo and Independencia streets.
El Ixtépete
Zapopan's El Ixtépete preserves a pyramid built around AD 650-750, during the Grillo tradition, with at least seven superimposed construction phases; the site lies within the Guadalajara metro area near the Periférico and Avenida Mariano Otero.
Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral
Ciudad Guzmán's St. Joseph Cathedral (Catedral de San José) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ciudad Guzmán and the seat of its bishop.
Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán
Founded in the 1950s with writer Juan José Arreola among its promoters, this INAH museum in Ciudad Guzmán shows stone and ceramic pieces from western Mexico, colonial-era religious art and sketches by muralist José Clemente Orozco.
Museo Regional de la Cristiada
The Museo Regional de la Cristiada is a small museum in the city of Colima, in the Mexican state of the same name. It opened its doors in 2004.
Museo Comunitario de la Sal
Set in an old warehouse in Cuyutlán, the community Salt Museum (Museo Comunitario de la Sal) explains how local salt has been harvested, from the old tapeixtle technique to modern methods, with historic photos of the salt works.
More drives to Barra de Navidad
- Cotija to Barra de Navidad
- Tepatitlán to Barra de Navidad
- San Juan de los Lagos to Barra de Navidad
- Nochistlán to Barra de Navidad
- Jalpa to Barra de Navidad
- Pátzcuaro to Barra de Navidad
From Guanajuato to other places in Mexico
- Guanajuato to Amatitán
- Guanajuato to Tequila
- Guanajuato to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Guanajuato to Sombrerete
- Guanajuato to El Rosario, Sinaloa
- Guanajuato to San Ignacio, Sinaloa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Guanajuato to Barra de Navidad?
About 6 h 40 min of driving without stops, over 380 miles.
How far is Barra de Navidad from Guanajuato by car?
About 380 miles (612 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 Guanajuato to Barra de Navidad?
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 Guanajuato to Barra de Navidad?
The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Guanajuato to Barra de Navidad use?
In order: MEX-110D, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-80, MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-54D, MEX-54, MEX-110, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Guanajuato and Barra de Navidad?
Closest to the road: Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (minor basilica, mile 83, 2 mi from the route); El Ixtépete (archaeological site, mile 174, 1 mi from the route); Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 323, 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.