By road, Montemorelos and Temacapulín are about 436 miles (702 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 46 min of driving.
| Distance by road | 436 mi (702 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 46 min |
| Main roads, in order | NL 32 → MEX-58 → MEX-57 → MEX-57D → MEX-70 → MEX-80 → MEX-80D |
| Mexican states on the route | Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-57D, MEX-80D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 Montemorelos to Temacapulín drive plays out
MEX-57 (165 mi) and MEX-80D (67 mi) carry about 53% of the 436 miles. It runs through 4 states: Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D and MEX-80D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Montemorelos to Temacapulín: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–55 | 55 | Nuevo León |
| NL 32 | 55–60 | 5 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-58 | 60–81 | 21 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-57 | 81–155 | 74 | Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 155–164 | 9 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 164–239 | 75 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 239–260 | 21 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 260–276 | 16 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 276–286 | 10 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 286–295 | 9 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70 | 295–313 | 18 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-80 | 313–316 | 3 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-80D | 316–357 | 41 | San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 357–390 | 33 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 390–416 | 26 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 416–419 | 3 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 419–436 | 17 | Jalisco |
- Mile 144 of this route: Nuevo León → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 322 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 333 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
Stops between Montemorelos and Temacapulín
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 367), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 367)
- Museums and history: Matehuala Cathedral (mile 159), Federico Silva Museum (mile 278), Museo Leonora Carrington (mile 278), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 367), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 367), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 396), Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 403)
Matehuala Cathedral
Matehuala's Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Matehuala; it is open for worship though still under construction.
Federico Silva Museum
Opened on September 18, 2003, in San Luis Potosí's historic center, the Federico Silva Museum is devoted entirely to sculpture.
Museo Leonora Carrington
Inside the Centro de las Artes, a former state penitentiary, this museum shows Leonora Carrington's sculptures, engravings, drawings, jewelry and personal objects, including monumental bronzes of her fantastical creatures.
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
Construction of the Teatro José Rosas Moreno in Lagos de Moreno began in 1867, and the theater opened on May 5, 1907. It is named for Jalisco writer José Rosas Moreno.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Pilgrims come from far and wide to San Juan de los Lagos to see the small image of the Virgin kept in this cathedral basilica, built between 1732 and 1769. Inside are Gothic-style ribbed vaults and a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
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.
More drives to Temacapulín
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Temacapulín
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Temacapulín
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Temacapulín
- Real de Asientos to Temacapulín
- Pinos to Temacapulín
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Temacapulín
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 is the drive from Montemorelos to Temacapulín?
About 9 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 436 miles.
How far is Temacapulín from Montemorelos by car?
About 436 miles (702 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 Temacapulín?
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 Temacapulín?
The U.S. State Department rates Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Montemorelos to Temacapulín?
In order: NL 32, MEX-58, MEX-57, MEX-57D, MEX-70, MEX-80 and MEX-80D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Montemorelos and Temacapulín?
Closest to the road: Federico Silva Museum (museum, mile 278, 1 mi from the route); Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (museum, mile 367, 0.4 mi from the route); Teatro José Rosas Moreno (opera house, mile 367, 0.3 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.