By road, Matehuala and Barra de Navidad are about 534 miles (859 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 56 min of driving.
| Distance | 534 mi (859 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-57 → MEX-57D → MEX-70 → MEX-80 → MEX-80D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-54D → MEX-54 → MEX-110 → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Colima |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-57D, MEX-80D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.4 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.
Driving Matehuala to Barra de Navidad: the shape of the trip
MEX-80D (127 mi) and MEX-57 (94 mi) carry about 41% of the 534 miles. It runs through 4 states: San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Colima. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D, MEX-80D and MEX-90D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Matehuala to Barra de Navidad
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 2–80 | 78 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 80–101 | 21 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 101–117 | 16 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 117–127 | 10 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 127–136 | 9 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70 | 136–153 | 17 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-80 | 153–157 | 4 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-80D | 157–198 | 41 | San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 198–231 | 33 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 231–317 | 86 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 317–322 | 5 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 322–326 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 326–344 | 18 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54D | 344–432 | 88 | Jalisco, Colima |
| MEX-54 | 432–440 | 8 | Colima |
| MEX-110 | 440–465 | 25 | Colima |
| connecting roads | 465–467 | 2 | Colima |
| MEX-200D | 467–505 | 38 | Colima |
| MEX-200 | 505–532 | 27 | Colima, Jalisco |
| local roads | 532–534 | 2 | Jalisco |
- Mile 163 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 174 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 424 of this route: Jalisco → Colima (state line)
- Mile 520 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
Places worth a stop between Matehuala and Barra de Navidad
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 207), Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 477)
- Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 419)
- Museums and history: Museo del Ferrocarril Jesús García Corona (mile 119), Museo Laberinto de las Ciencias y las Artes (mile 121), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 207), Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 244), Guadalajara city museum (mile 322), Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 398), Cathedral Basilica of Colima (mile 439), Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 477)
Museo del Ferrocarril Jesús García Corona
Opened on August 12, 2009, in San Luis Potosí's Barrio del Montecillo, this railroad museum focuses on the steam locomotive, its parts and history, and its role in 20th-century Mexico.
Museo Laberinto de las Ciencias y las Artes
Built in Parque Tangamanga I and opened on September 4, 2008, the Museo Laberinto de las Ciencias y las Artes is an interactive museum in San Luis Potosí.
Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera
The Museo Casa Agustín Rivera Altos de Jalisco is a museum in the town of Lagos de Moreno, in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
Teocaltitan Archaeological Site
Near Jalostotitlán in the Los Altos region, the Teocaltitán site holds pyramids, sunken patios and a ball court spread across about nine hectares, built by a people who dominated much of the area from AD 400 to 900.
Guadalajara city museum
Guadalajara's city museum (Museo de la Ciudad), in the historic center, opened on February 14, 1992, and covers the city's history and many sides of its culture.
Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral
Ciudad Guzmán's St. Joseph Cathedral (Catedral de San José) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ciudad Guzmán and the seat of its bishop.
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.
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 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.
More drives to Barra de Navidad
- Cotija to Barra de Navidad
- Tepatitlán to Barra de Navidad
- San Juan de los Lagos to Barra de Navidad
- Nochistlán to Barra de Navidad
- Jalpa to Barra de Navidad
- Pátzcuaro to Barra de Navidad
From Matehuala to other places in Mexico
- Matehuala to San Juan de los Lagos
- Matehuala to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Matehuala to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Matehuala to Calvillo
- Matehuala to Temacapulín
- Matehuala to Jalpa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Matehuala to Barra de Navidad?
About 9 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 534 miles.
What is the driving distance from Matehuala to Barra de Navidad?
About 534 miles (859 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 Matehuala to Barra de Navidad?
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 Matehuala to Barra de Navidad?
The U.S. State Department rates San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Matehuala to Barra de Navidad use?
In order: MEX-57, MEX-57D, MEX-70, MEX-80, MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-54D, MEX-54, MEX-110, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Matehuala and Barra de Navidad?
Closest to the road: Museo del Ferrocarril Jesús García Corona (museum, mile 119, 1 mi from the route); Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (museum, mile 207, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 477, 0.4 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.