By road, Matehuala and Lo de Marcos are about 475 miles (764 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 41 min of driving.
| Distance | 475 mi (764 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-57 → MEX-57D → MEX-70 → MEX-80 → MEX-80D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-57D, MEX-80D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.0 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.
Driving Matehuala to Lo de Marcos: the shape of the trip
MEX-80D (127 mi) and MEX-57 (94 mi) carry about 47% of the 475 miles. It runs through 4 states: San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D, MEX-80D and MEX-90D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Matehuala to Lo de Marcos
| 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 | 317–329 | 12 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 329–338 | 9 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 338–403 | 65 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 403–437 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 437–455 | 18 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 455–470 | 15 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 470–474 | 4 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 474–475 | 1 | Nayarit |
- Mile 163 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 174 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 386 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Stops between Matehuala and Lo de Marcos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 208), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 208), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 396)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 465)
- Museums and history: Casa Museo Manuel José Othón (mile 119), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 208), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 208), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 237), Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (mile 321), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 396)
Cineteca Alameda
San Luis Potosí's Cineteca Alameda screens Mexican and international films in the 1940s Teatro Alameda building facing the Alameda Juan Sarabia, and also hosts concerts.
Casa Museo Manuel José Othón
Near Plaza del Carmen in San Luis Potosí, poet Manuel José Othón's birthplace opened as a museum on November 28, 1966, covering his life and work.
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.
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.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Gothic-style ribbed vaults rise over the interior of San Juan de los Lagos' cathedral basilica, built from 1732 to 1769, where you'll also find a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara
Fossils are the focus at Guadalajara's Museum of Paleontology, which opened in 2000 inside Parque Agua Azul with exhibits developed alongside INAH, Mexico's national anthropology and history institute.
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.
Ixtlán del Rio
A temple built on a completely round floor plan, unusual anywhere in Mesoamerica, is the highlight at the Ixtlán del Río archaeological site, which locals call Los Toriles. An introductory gallery explains the finds.
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.
More drives to Lo de Marcos
- San Juan de los Lagos to Lo de Marcos
- León to Lo de Marcos
- Aguascalientes to Lo de Marcos
- Paracho to Lo de Marcos
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Lo de Marcos
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Lo de Marcos
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 does it take to drive from Matehuala to Lo de Marcos?
About 8 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 475 miles.
What is the driving distance from Matehuala to Lo de Marcos?
About 475 miles (764 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 Lo de Marcos?
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 Lo de Marcos?
The U.S. State Department rates San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Matehuala to Lo de Marcos?
In order: MEX-57, MEX-57D, MEX-70, MEX-80, MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D, 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 Lo de Marcos?
Closest to the road: Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (museum, mile 208, 0.4 mi from the route); Teatro José Rosas Moreno (opera house, mile 208, 0.3 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 396, 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.