Plan on about 10 h 10 min of driving for the 516-mile (830 km) trip from Mascota to Ixcateopan, before any stops.
| Total distance | 516 mi (830 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 10 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-70 → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → MEX-95 → MEX-92D |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Guerrero |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-92D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.6 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.
How the Mascota to Ixcateopan drive plays out
MEX-15D (253 mi) and MEX-70 (107 mi) carry about 70% of the 516 miles. It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Guerrero. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-15D, MEX-M40D and MEX-55D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Mascota to Ixcateopan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-70 | 0–107 | 107 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 107–121 | 14 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 121–374 | 253 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 374–377 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 377–411 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 411–416 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 416–429 | 13 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 429–430 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 430–454 | 24 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 454–458 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 458–466 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 466–482 | 16 | State of Mexico, Guerrero |
| MEX-95 | 482–486 | 4 | Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 486–488 | 2 | Guerrero |
| MEX-92D | 488–493 | 5 | Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 493–494 | 1 | Guerrero |
| local roads | 494–516 | 22 | Guerrero |
- Mile 188 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 356 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 467 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 470 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 478 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
Stops between Mascota and Ixcateopan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila (mile 93), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 376), Toluca Cathedral (mile 416), José María Morelos y Pavón University History Museum (mile 416), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 478), Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 495), William Spratling Museum (mile 495)
- Nature and outdoors: Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 478)
- Museums and history: Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila (mile 93), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 335), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 376), Toluca Cathedral (mile 416), José María Morelos y Pavón University History Museum (mile 416), Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 495), William Spratling Museum (mile 495)
- With kids: Acuario Michin Guadalajara (mile 124)
Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila
Around the town of Tequila, the Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of blue agave fields shaped by the plant's use for tequila since the 16th century.
Acuario Michin Guadalajara
Acuario Michin Guadalajara is an aquarium in the city of Guadalajara, in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
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.
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.
José María Morelos y Pavón University History Museum
The Museo de Historia Universitaria José María Morelos y Pavón is a history museum located in the city of Toluca de Lerdo.
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.
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.
William Spratling Museum
Taxco's archaeological museum grew from the collection of William Spratling, the American who revived the town's silver craft in the 1930s. It shows pre-Hispanic pieces, including Olmec and Mezcala-style works, plus a gallery on silversmithing.
In Ixcateopan itself
Ixcateopan
Some 36 kilometers from Taxco in the rugged mountains of northern Guerrero, the ruins at Ixcateopan de Cuauhtémoc belong to a city that served as an important regional ceremonial center.
More drives to Ixcateopan
- Tlaltizapán to Ixcateopan
- Tepoztlán to Ixcateopan
- Metepec to Ixcateopan
- Oaxtepec to Ixcateopan
- Tlayacapan to Ixcateopan
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Ixcateopan
From Mascota to other places in Mexico
- Mascota to Temacapulín
- Mascota to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Mascota to Boca de Pascuales
- Mascota to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Mascota to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Mascota to Tócuaro
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Mascota to Ixcateopan?
About 10 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 516 miles.
How far is Ixcateopan from Mascota by car?
About 516 miles (830 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 Mascota to Ixcateopan?
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 Mascota to Ixcateopan?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Mascota to Ixcateopan use?
In order: MEX-70, MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, MEX-95 and MEX-92D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Mascota to Ixcateopan?
Closest to the road: Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila (historic site, mile 93, 0.4 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (cathedral, mile 376, 0.4 mi from the route); Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (national park, mile 478, 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.