By road, La Manzanilla and Real de Catorce are about 549 miles (883 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 41 min of driving.
| Total distance | 549 mi (883 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-110 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-80D → MEX-80 → MEX-70 → MEX-57D → MEX-49 → MEX-63 → SLP 43 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco, Colima, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.0 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 La Manzanilla to Real de Catorce is like
MEX-80D (114 mi) and MEX-54D (91 mi) carry about 37% of the 549 miles. It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Colima, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-200D, MEX-54D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
La Manzanilla to Real de Catorce: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-200 | 1–50 | 49 | Jalisco, Colima |
| MEX-200D | 50–76 | 26 | Colima |
| connecting roads | 76–79 | 3 | Colima |
| MEX-110 | 79–104 | 25 | Colima |
| MEX-54 | 104–111 | 7 | Colima |
| MEX-54D | 111–202 | 91 | Colima, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 202–219 | 17 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 219–223 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 223–239 | 16 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 239–242 | 3 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 242–314 | 72 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 314–347 | 33 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 347–389 | 42 | Jalisco, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-80 | 389–392 | 3 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70 | 392–409 | 17 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 409–424 | 15 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-49 | 424–434 | 10 | San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 434–435 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-63 | 435–508 | 73 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 43 | 508–542 | 34 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 542–549 | 7 | San Luis Potosí |
- Mile 24 of this route: Jalisco → Colima (state line)
- Mile 121 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 372 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 383 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
Places worth a stop between La Manzanilla and Real de Catorce
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 67), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 337)
- Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 124)
- Museums and history: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 67), Cathedral Basilica of Colima (mile 105), Museo Regional de la Cristiada (mile 106), Teatro Degollado (mile 223), Museo de Cera (mile 223), Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 302), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 337), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 418)
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.
Cathedral Basilica of Colima
Colima Cathedral, the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, stands at a corner of the Jardín Libertad in the city center. Pope John Paul II named it a minor basilica on October 12, 1998.
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.
Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park
This national park in western Mexico protects the upper slopes of two volcanic peaks, Volcán de Colima and Nevado de Colima, in the states of Jalisco and Colima.
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 de Cera
On the Plaza de la Liberación in downtown Guadalajara, the Museo de Cera has 12 rooms with more than 130 wax figures of athletes, singers, actors, politicians and religious figures. It opened in 1994.
Teocaltitan Archaeological Site
A people who dominated much of Los Altos between AD 400 and 900 built Teocaltitán, near Jalostotitlán. The site's pyramids, sunken patios and ball court cover about nine hectares.
Teatro José Rosas Moreno
Lagos de Moreno's Teatro José Rosas Moreno opened its doors on May 5, 1907, some forty years after construction began in 1867. It honors a writer from Jalisco.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
Look closely at the two towers of San Luis Potosí's cathedral: one is built of mortar, the other of quarried cantera stone. The Baroque church is the seat of the archdiocese.
In Real de Catorce itself
High in the mountains of northern San Luis Potosí Real de Catorce is a former silver-mining town whose most prosperous era began in 1778. It joined the Pueblos Mágicos program in 2001, and its identity grew out of both its mining past and the culture of the Huichol (Wixárika) people.
- Túnel de Ogarrio: The Túnel de Ogarrio, the town's famous tunnel, is one of the landmarks SECTUR highlights for visitors to Real de Catorce. source
- Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción: The Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción is the parish church at the center of town life, and the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4 is its biggest celebration. source
- Museo Parroquial Padre José Robledo: The Museo Parroquial Padre José Robledo preserves pieces of the town's religious history. source
More drives to Real de Catorce
- Comfort, TX to Real de Catorce
- San Antonio, TX to Real de Catorce
- Boerne, TX to Real de Catorce
- San Marcos, TX to Real de Catorce
- McAllen, TX to Real de Catorce
- Bandera, TX to Real de Catorce
From La Manzanilla to other places in Mexico
- La Manzanilla to Temacapulín
- La Manzanilla to Tócuaro
- La Manzanilla to Omitlán
- La Manzanilla to Huasca de Ocampo
- La Manzanilla to San Francisco
- La Manzanilla to Mexcaltitán
Coming to Real de Catorce from the United States? Border crossings, permits and routes from U.S. cities: Driving to Real de Catorce, Mexico from the U.S.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from La Manzanilla to Real de Catorce?
About 10 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 549 miles.
How far is Real de Catorce from La Manzanilla by car?
About 549 miles (883 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 La Manzanilla to Real de Catorce?
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 La Manzanilla to Real de Catorce?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from La Manzanilla to Real de Catorce?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-80, MEX-70, MEX-57D, MEX-49, MEX-63 and SLP 43. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between La Manzanilla and Real de Catorce?
Closest to the road: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 67, 0.4 mi from the route); Cathedral Basilica of Colima (cathedral, mile 105, 2 mi from the route); Teatro José Rosas Moreno (opera house, mile 337, 0.3 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.