Ihuatzio to Nuevo Ideal is about 554 road miles (891 km): roughly 10 h 49 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 554 mi (891 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 49 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-43D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → MEX-40 → MEX-23 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Durango |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.1 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.
Driving Ihuatzio to Nuevo Ideal: the shape of the trip
MEX-45 (234 mi) and MEX-45D (162 mi) carry about 71% of the 554 miles. It runs through 6 states: Michoacán, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Durango. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-37D, MEX-15D and MEX-43D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Ihuatzio to Nuevo Ideal: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 3–8 | 5 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 8–45 | 37 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 45–46 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 46–49 | 3 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 49–51 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-43D | 51–102 | 51 | Michoacán, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 102–210 | 108 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 210–239 | 29 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 239–243 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 243–272 | 29 | Aguascalientes, Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 272–306 | 34 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 306–313 | 7 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 313–320 | 7 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 320–328 | 8 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 328–341 | 13 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 341–475 | 134 | Zacatecas, Durango |
| MEX-40 | 475–480 | 5 | Durango |
| connecting roads | 480–482 | 2 | Durango |
| MEX-45 | 482–509 | 27 | Durango |
| connecting roads | 509–510 | 1 | Durango |
| MEX-23 | 510–553 | 43 | Durango |
| local roads | 553–554 | 1 | Durango |
- Mile 65 of this route: Michoacán → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 166 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 213 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 267 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)
- Mile 419 of this route: Zacatecas → Durango (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Ihuatzio and Nuevo Ideal
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 226), José Guadalupe Posada Museum (mile 227)
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl (mile 230), Sierra de Órganos National Park (mile 411), Laguna de Santiaguillo (mile 542)
- Museums and history: Historic Centre of Morelia (mile 34), Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 226), José Guadalupe Posada Museum (mile 227), Historic centre of Zacatecas (mile 300), Cathedral Basilica of Durango (mile 482), Ganot-Peschard Museum of Archeology (mile 482)
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
Teatro Aguascalientes
Teatro Aguascalientes is the city's main opera house, a modern building by architect Abraham Zabludovsky with seating for about 1,650 people.
José Guadalupe Posada Museum
Aguascalientes is the birthplace of printmaker José Guadalupe Posada, and this museum shows the original signed printing plates he used to create his graphic images.
Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl
The Jardín Botánico Rey Nezahualcóyotl is a botanical garden that falls under the administration of the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes.
Historic centre of Zacatecas
Zacatecas' UNESCO-listed center packs in an 18th-century Baroque cathedral, colonial convents, the Calderón Theater and the old González Market, all set on the steep sides of a narrow valley.
Sierra de Órganos National Park
Volcanic activity and erosion shaped the 20- to 60-meter rock spires of Sierra de Órganos, a national park near Sombrerete created in 2000. Western movies have been filmed here, and visitors hike marked trails, mountain bike and camp.
Cathedral Basilica of Durango
Facing the Plaza de Armas in Durango's historic center, this basilica cathedral is the seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Durango.
Ganot-Peschard Museum of Archeology
In downtown Durango, this archaeology museum works to preserve the Indigenous history of northern Mexico.
Laguna de Santiaguillo
Laguna de Santiaguillo is an inland wetland in Durango state, designated Ramsar Site 2046 on February 2, 2012, and covering 24,016 hectares.
More drives to Nuevo Ideal
- El Salto, Durango to Nuevo Ideal
- Sombrerete to Nuevo Ideal
- Fresnillo to Nuevo Ideal
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Nuevo Ideal
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Nuevo Ideal
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Nuevo Ideal
From Ihuatzio to other places in Mexico
- Ihuatzio to Mineral de Pozos
- Ihuatzio to Omitlán
- Ihuatzio to Huasca de Ocampo
- Ihuatzio to Metztitlán
- Ihuatzio to Pinal de Amoles
- Ihuatzio to Ixcateopan
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ihuatzio to Nuevo Ideal?
About 10 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 554 miles.
How far is Nuevo Ideal from Ihuatzio by car?
About 554 miles (891 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 Ihuatzio to Nuevo Ideal?
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 Ihuatzio to Nuevo Ideal?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Durango Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Ihuatzio to Nuevo Ideal?
In order: MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D, MEX-45, MEX-40 and MEX-23. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Ihuatzio to Nuevo Ideal?
Closest to the road: Teatro Aguascalientes (opera house, mile 226, 0.1 mi from the route); José Guadalupe Posada Museum (museum, mile 227, 0.1 mi from the route); Sierra de Órganos National Park (national park, mile 411, 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 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.