The Wayro route from Jalpa to Pinal de Amoles is 320 miles (515 km), about 6 h 32 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 320 mi (515 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 32 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-70 → MEX-71 → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-57D → QRO 4 → QRO 100 → MEX-120 |
| Mexican states on the route | Zacatecas (Level 4), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 Jalpa to Pinal de Amoles is like
MEX-45D (159 mi) and MEX-70 (51 mi) carry about 66% of the 320 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-57D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-70, MEX-71, MEX-45, MEX-120 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Jalpa to Pinal de Amoles, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-70 | 1–52 | 51 | Zacatecas, Aguascalientes |
| MEX-71 | 52–58 | 6 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 58–75 | 17 | Aguascalientes, Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 75–234 | 159 | Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 234–244 | 10 | Querétaro |
| QRO 4 | 244–264 | 20 | Querétaro |
| QRO 100 | 264–273 | 9 | Querétaro |
| local roads | 273–278 | 5 | Querétaro |
| QRO 100 | 278–291 | 13 | Querétaro |
| MEX-120 | 291–319 | 28 | Querétaro |
| local roads | 319–320 | 1 | Querétaro |
- Mile 17 of this route: Zacatecas → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 71 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 120 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 226 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
Stops between Jalpa and Pinal de Amoles
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Santa Cruz (mile 24)
- Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 237)
- Museums and history: La Santa Cruz (mile 24), Museo Regional de Aguascalientes (mile 58), Celaya Cathedral (mile 205), El Cerrito (mile 229), Teatro de la República (mile 233), Museo Regional de Querétaro (mile 233)
La Santa Cruz
In Calvillo's town center, La Santa Cruz is a cultural and monumental complex with Catholic and historical themes devoted to Calvillo's role in the Cristero War of 1926; it opened in 2021.
Museo Regional de Aguascalientes
An early 20th-century building by self-taught architect Refugio Reyes holds this INAH museum of Aguascalientes history, with fossils, archaeological finds, colonial paintings by Juan Correa and more than 300 devotional ex-voto paintings.
Celaya Cathedral
Celaya's main Catholic church, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, occupies the space of a former chapel that was annexed to the neighboring Temple of St. Francis.
El Cerrito
Just outside Querétaro city in Corregidora, El Cerrito is an INAH archaeological zone centered on a pyramid close to 100 feet high, later topped by a 19th-century fort, with a small site museum on the grounds.
Teatro de la República
Originally named Teatro Iturbide, the Teatro de la República stands in Querétaro's historic center. The neoclassical building has a three-level hall with about 500 seats.
Museo Regional de Querétaro
The state's regional museum occupies the former Great Convent of San Francisco in central Santiago de Querétaro, a building dating from the 1540s and 1550s.
El Cimatario National Park
El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.
More drives to Pinal de Amoles
- Celaya to Pinal de Amoles
- Irapuato to Pinal de Amoles
- Pénjamo to Pinal de Amoles
- Mexico City to Pinal de Amoles
- Zitácuaro to Pinal de Amoles
- Morelia to Pinal de Amoles
From Jalpa to other places in Mexico
- Jalpa to Real de Asientos
- Jalpa to Ajijic
- Jalpa to Pinos
- Jalpa to Mazamitla
- Jalpa to Mineral de Pozos
- Jalpa to Nombre de Dios
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Jalpa to Pinal de Amoles?
About 6 h 32 min of driving without stops, over 320 miles.
How far is Pinal de Amoles from Jalpa by car?
About 320 miles (515 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 Jalpa to Pinal de Amoles?
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 Jalpa to Pinal de Amoles?
The U.S. State Department rates Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Jalpa to Pinal de Amoles use?
In order: MEX-70, MEX-71, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-57D, QRO 4, QRO 100 and MEX-120. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Jalpa and Pinal de Amoles?
Closest to the road: La Santa Cruz (museum, mile 24, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Regional de Querétaro (museum, mile 233, 1 mi from the route); Teatro de la República (opera house, mile 233, 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.