Plan on about 8 h 14 min of driving for the 459-mile (738 km) trip from Lo de Marcos to Troncones, before any stops.
| Total distance | 459 mi (738 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 14 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-70D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-37 → MEX-14D → MEX-37D |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, Guerrero |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-14D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.3 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.
How the Lo de Marcos to Troncones drive plays out
MEX-15D (153 mi) and MEX-37D (116 mi) carry about 59% of the 459 miles. It runs through 4 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, Guerrero. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-200D, MEX-70D and MEX-15D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Lo de Marcos to Troncones
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 1–4 | 3 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 4–19 | 15 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 19–71 | 52 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15D | 71–137 | 66 | Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 137–149 | 12 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 149–236 | 87 | Jalisco, Michoacán |
| local roads | 236–250 | 14 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 250–260 | 10 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 260–289 | 29 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37 | 289–309 | 20 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 309–311 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-14D | 311–316 | 5 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 316–432 | 116 | Michoacán, Guerrero |
| MEX-200 | 432–456 | 24 | Guerrero |
| local roads | 456–459 | 3 | Guerrero |
- Mile 89 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 216 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 414 of this route: Michoacán → Guerrero (state line)
Places worth a stop between Lo de Marcos and Troncones
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 78), Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 251), Lago de Camécuaro National Park (mile 259), Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park (mile 306)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 9), Lago de Camécuaro National Park (mile 259), Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park (mile 306)
- Museums and history: Ixtlán del Rio (mile 78), Basílica de San Felipe Neri (mile 152), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 157), Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 251)
Rincón de Guayabitos
Gentle waves are the draw at Rincón de Guayabitos, where roughly two kilometers of shoreline make this Compostela, Nayarit, beach town a favorite escape for people from Tepic and Guadalajara.
Ixtlán del Rio
Between roughly 300 BC and AD 600, people made their home at Los Toriles in Ixtlán del Río. Today visitors come for its circular temple, a rare design in Mesoamerica.
Basílica de San Felipe Neri
Guadalajara's Basilica of San Felipe Neri is a Catholic church built in baroque style between 1752 and 1802 by master builder Pedro José Ciprés.
Convento de Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro
Better known as El Perpetuo Socorro, this Guadalajara church is home to a Passionist convent that has housed the order's postulants since 2020.
Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque
Tlaquepaque has two main ceramics museums, and this is one of them: the Museo Regional de la Cerámica, on Independencia Street in the center of town. The other is the Pantaleón Panduro Museum.
Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Rising over Zamora, Michoacán, the Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral whose towers reach 107.5 meters, making it the tallest church building in Mexico.
Lago de Camécuaro National Park
Fed by countless springs, clear Lake Camécuaro near Tangancícuaro, about 13 km from Zamora, is ringed by old ahuehuete (sabino) trees. The national park is a popular spot for swimming, rowboats and picnics in their shade.
Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park
In Michoacán, Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park follows the headwaters of the Cupatitzio River, which bubbles up from an underground spring and carves a small ravine as it starts to flow.
More drives to Troncones
- Tapalpa to Troncones
- Pedro Escobedo to Troncones
- Amatitán to Troncones
- Tequila to Troncones
- Malinalco to Troncones
- Ezequiel Montes to Troncones
From Lo de Marcos to other places in Mexico
- Lo de Marcos to Mismaloya
- Lo de Marcos to Boca de Pascuales
- Lo de Marcos to Nuevo Ideal
- Lo de Marcos to Omitlán
- Lo de Marcos to Huasca de Ocampo
- Lo de Marcos to Mexcaltitán
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Lo de Marcos to Troncones?
About 8 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 459 miles.
How far is Troncones from Lo de Marcos by car?
About 459 miles (738 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 Lo de Marcos to Troncones?
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 Lo de Marcos to Troncones?
The U.S. State Department rates Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Lo de Marcos to Troncones?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-37, MEX-14D and MEX-37D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Lo de Marcos and Troncones?
Closest to the road: Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 78, 0.6 mi from the route); Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe (cathedral, mile 251, 0.2 mi from the route); Lago de Camécuaro National Park (national park, mile 259, 0.5 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.