The Wayro route from Montemorelos to Jalpa is 424 miles (683 km), about 8 h 41 min of driving without stops.
What the State Department tells travelers on this route:
- Nuevo León: “Those traveling between the U.S. border and Monterrey on highways 85/85D, 54, and 40/40D should exercise caution and avoid travel after dark.”
- Nuevo León: “Armed robberies and carjackings have occurred along these highways even during daylight hours.”
| Distance | 424 mi (683 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-85 → MEX-40 → MEX-40D → MEX-54 → MEX-45 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nuevo León, Coahuila, Zacatecas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.0 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.
On the road from Montemorelos to Jalpa
MEX-54 (300 mi) and MEX-40D (63 mi) carry about 86% of the 424 miles. It runs through 3 states: Nuevo León, Coahuila, Zacatecas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-40D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Montemorelos to Jalpa, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-85 | 4–42 | 38 | Nuevo León |
| local roads | 42–48 | 6 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40 | 48–54 | 6 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40D | 54–117 | 63 | Nuevo León, Coahuila |
| MEX-54 | 117–326 | 209 | Coahuila, Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 326–331 | 5 | Zacatecas |
| connecting roads | 331–332 | 1 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-54 | 332–423 | 91 | Zacatecas |
| local roads | 423–424 | 1 | Zacatecas |
- Mile 79 of this route: Nuevo León → Coahuila (state line)
- Mile 157 of this route: Coahuila → Zacatecas (state line)
Stops between Montemorelos and Jalpa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Monterrey Cathedral (mile 48), Museo Metropolitano de Monterrey (mile 48)
- Nature and outdoors: Cumbres de Monterrey National Park (mile 16), Cola de Caballo (mile 26)
- Museums and history: Monterrey Cathedral (mile 48), Museo Metropolitano de Monterrey (mile 48), Historic centre of Zacatecas (mile 331), Guadalupe regional museum (mile 331), La Quemada (mile 357)
Cumbres de Monterrey National Park
Spanning the northern Sierra Madre Oriental in Nuevo León and Coahuila near Monterrey, Cumbres de Monterrey National Park protects more than 1,770 square kilometers of rugged terrain with deep canyons, rivers, waterfalls and mountain peaks, including Cerro de la Silla.
Cola de Caballo
In the Sierra Madre Oriental outside Santiago, this 27-meter waterfall takes its name from the way its stream spills like a horse's tail. A walking path leads visitors to the falls.
Monterrey Cathedral
Built over more than a century and finished with a baroque facade in 1800, Monterrey's cathedral faces the downtown Plaza de Armas. Its bell tower went up in the 1890s, and a 1940s mural by Ángel Zárraga decorates the apse.
Museo Metropolitano de Monterrey
Also known as the Antiguo Palacio Municipal, Museo Metropolitano de Monterrey is a history museum with temporary exhibit rooms and more than 300 historical pieces in its care.
Cerro La Mota
Protected by Nuevo León state since 2000, Cerro La Mota, also known as Sierra Nacataz, covers about 9,400 hectares of mountains in García and Santa Catarina, ringed by other protected ranges.
Historic centre of Zacatecas
Zacatecas' UNESCO-listed center packs in an 18th-century Baroque cathedral, colonial convents, the Calderón Theater and the old González Market, all set on the steep sides of a narrow valley.
Guadalupe regional museum
In Guadalupe, Zacatecas, the Museo de Guadalupe fills a former college that sent missionaries to the north and holds an important collection of 17th- to 19th-century painting, including works by Cristóbal de Villalpando, Miguel Cabrera and Juan Correa.
La Quemada
About 56 km south of Zacatecas on Federal Highway 54 toward Guadalajara, La Quemada is an archaeological site in the Villanueva municipality.
When you get to Jalpa
Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes
The Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes is a community museum in the municipality of Jalpa, in the Mexican state of Zacatecas, named for teacher Arturo Reyes Viramontes.
More drives to Jalpa
From Montemorelos to other places in Mexico
- Montemorelos to Ciudad Tula
- Montemorelos to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Montemorelos to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Montemorelos to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Montemorelos to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Montemorelos to San Juan de los Lagos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Montemorelos to Jalpa?
About 8 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 424 miles.
How far is Jalpa from Montemorelos by car?
About 424 miles (683 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 Montemorelos to Jalpa?
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 Montemorelos to Jalpa?
The U.S. State Department rates Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Montemorelos to Jalpa?
In order: MEX-85, MEX-40, MEX-40D, MEX-54 and MEX-45. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Montemorelos and Jalpa?
Closest to the road: Monterrey Cathedral (cathedral, mile 48, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Metropolitano de Monterrey (museum, mile 48, 0.2 mi from the route); La Quemada (archaeological site, mile 357, 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.