Plan on about 9 h 39 min of driving for the 551-mile (886 km) trip from Ixcateopan to San Francisco, before any stops.
| Total distance | 551 mi (886 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 39 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-92D → MEX-95 → MEX-55 → MEX-55D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guerrero, State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-92D, MEX-55D, MEX-15D, MEX-70D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.0 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.
On the road from Ixcateopan to San Francisco
MEX-15D (321 mi) and MEX-55D (53 mi) carry about 68% of the 551 miles. It runs through 5 states: Guerrero, State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-92D, MEX-55D and MEX-15D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Ixcateopan to San Francisco
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–22 | 22 | Guerrero |
| MEX-92D | 22–27 | 5 | Guerrero |
| MEX-95 | 27–34 | 7 | Guerrero |
| MEX-55 | 34–57 | 23 | Guerrero, State of Mexico |
| local roads | 57–62 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 62–86 | 24 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 86–88 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 88–98 | 10 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 98–109 | 11 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 109–138 | 29 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 138–142 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 142–398 | 256 | State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 398–407 | 9 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 407–472 | 65 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 472–506 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 506–524 | 18 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 524–540 | 16 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 540–550 | 10 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 550–551 | 1 | Nayarit |
- Mile 39 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 160 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 328 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 455 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Stops between Ixcateopan and San Francisco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 21), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 39), Parque de la Ciencia Fundadores (mile 100), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 139), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 436)
- Nature and outdoors: Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 39), Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 535)
- Museums and history: Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 21), Toluca Cathedral (mile 100), Parque de la Ciencia Fundadores (mile 100), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 139), Museo Regional de Guadalajara (mile 391), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 436)
Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco
Silver baron José de la Borda paid for Santa Prisca with the bonanza from his San Ignacio mine in Taxco, and the church was dedicated in 1759, the same year his nearby house on the plaza was finished.
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.
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.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.
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.
Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería
In the municipality of Magdalena, Mexico, an interpretive museum focuses on two subjects: the agave landscape and mining.
Rincón de Guayabitos
Visitors from Guadalajara and Tepic often head to this Nayarit beach town in the municipality of Compostela. Its shore runs about two kilometers, and the waves tend to be calm.
More drives to San Francisco
- La Manzanilla to San Francisco
- Barra de Navidad to San Francisco
- Tecomán to San Francisco
- San Juan de los Lagos to San Francisco
- Pénjamo to San Francisco
- León to San Francisco
From Ixcateopan to other places in Mexico
- Ixcateopan to Omitlán
- Ixcateopan to Huasca de Ocampo
- Ixcateopan to Tócuaro
- Ixcateopan to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Ixcateopan to Aquismón
- Ixcateopan to Chacala
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ixcateopan to San Francisco?
About 9 h 39 min of driving without stops, over 551 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ixcateopan to San Francisco?
About 551 miles (886 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 Ixcateopan to San Francisco?
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 Ixcateopan to San Francisco?
The U.S. State Department rates Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Ixcateopan to San Francisco use?
In order: MEX-92D, MEX-95, MEX-55, MEX-55D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ixcateopan and San Francisco?
Closest to the road: Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (church, mile 21, 0.3 mi from the route); Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (national park, mile 39, 0.1 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (cathedral, mile 139, 0.2 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.