The Wayro route from Madera to Viesca is 510 miles (821 km), about 10 h 26 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 510 mi (821 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 26 min |
| Main roads, in order | CHIH 11 → MEX-16 → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → CHIH 187 → MEX-49D → MEX-49 → MEX-40D → MEX-40 → COAH82 |
| Mexican states on the route | Chihuahua, Durango, Coahuila |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-45D, MEX-49D, MEX-40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
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 Madera to Viesca
MEX-49D (120 mi) and CHIH 11 (99 mi) carry about 43% of the 510 miles. It runs through 3 states: Chihuahua, Durango, Coahuila. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-45D, MEX-49D and MEX-40D. Of the 5 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Madera to Viesca, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHIH 11 | 0–99 | 99 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-16 | 99–168 | 69 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 168–177 | 9 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 177–227 | 50 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 227–262 | 35 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 262–263 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 187 | 263–267 | 4 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 267–311 | 44 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 311–313 | 2 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-49D | 313–433 | 120 | Chihuahua, Durango |
| MEX-49 | 433–450 | 17 | Durango |
| connecting roads | 450–451 | 1 | Durango |
| MEX-40D | 451–476 | 25 | Durango, Coahuila |
| connecting roads | 476–478 | 2 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40 | 478–495 | 17 | Coahuila |
| connecting roads | 495–496 | 1 | Coahuila |
| COAH82 | 496–509 | 13 | Coahuila |
| local roads | 509–510 | 1 | Coahuila |
- Mile 361 of this route: Chihuahua → Durango (state line)
- Mile 462 of this route: Durango → Coahuila (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Madera and Viesca
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de San Antonio de Padua (mile 108), Museo de Paleontología de Delicias (mile 224)
- Museums and history: Catedral de San Antonio de Padua (mile 108), Museo Casa Chihuahua (mile 173), Francisco Villa Museum (mile 173), Museo de Paleontología de Delicias (mile 224), Museo del Desierto Chihuahuense (mile 225)
Catedral de San Antonio de Padua
In the city of Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, the Catedral de San Antonio de Padua is the seat of the Diocese of Cuauhtémoc-Madera.
Museo Casa Chihuahua
This early 20th-century building in central Chihuahua, once the city's Federal Palace, served as a federal building until 2004 and now operates as a cultural heritage museum hosting traveling exhibits.
Francisco Villa Museum
Dedicated to the life and times of revolutionary Francisco "Pancho" Villa, this Chihuahua museum occupies the former estate of Villa and his widow, María Luz Corral de Villa.
Museo de Paleontología de Delicias
Founded with INAH support in 1982, the Museo de Paleontología de Delicias displays seven dinosaur skeletons, a mammoth, and a gray whale, plus fossil snails, fish, and plants.
Museo del Desierto Chihuahuense
Opened in 2010 in Delicias, the Museo del Desierto Chihuahuense (Mudech) has four permanent halls on the geology, plants, and animals of the Chihuahuan Desert, including Velafrons coahuilensis.
More drives to Viesca
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Viesca
- Aguascalientes to Viesca
- Jalpa to Viesca
- Ciudad Tula to Viesca
- San Juan de los Lagos to Viesca
- Nochistlán to Viesca
From Madera to other places in Mexico
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Madera to Viesca?
About 10 h 26 min of driving without stops, over 510 miles.
How far is Viesca from Madera by car?
About 510 miles (821 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 Madera to Viesca?
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 Madera to Viesca?
The U.S. State Department rates Chihuahua Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Durango Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Madera to Viesca?
In order: CHIH 11, MEX-16, MEX-45, MEX-45D, CHIH 187, MEX-49D, MEX-49, MEX-40D, MEX-40 and COAH82. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Madera and Viesca?
Closest to the road: Catedral de San Antonio de Padua (cathedral, mile 108, 0.2 mi from the route); Francisco Villa Museum (museum, mile 173, 2 mi from the route); Museo de Paleontología de Delicias (museum, mile 224, 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.