The Wayro route from Pabellón de Hidalgo to Ihuatzio is 250 miles (402 km), about 4 h 19 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 250 mi (402 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 19 min |
| Main roads, in order | AGS 20 → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-43D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D |
| Mexican states on the route | Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
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.
What the drive from Pabellón de Hidalgo to Ihuatzio is like
MEX-45D (107 mi) and MEX-43D (51 mi) carry about 63% of the 250 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 4 states: Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán. Of the 4 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Pabellón de Hidalgo to Ihuatzio, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| AGS 20 | 0–3 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 3–8 | 5 | Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 8–12 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 12–42 | 30 | Aguascalientes, Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 42–149 | 107 | Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| MEX-43D | 149–200 | 51 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 200–201 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 201–204 | 3 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 204–205 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 205–242 | 37 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 242–247 | 5 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 247–250 | 3 | Michoacán |
- Mile 38 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 86 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 186 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Pabellón de Hidalgo and Ihuatzio
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 23), Museo Descubre (mile 25)
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl (mile 21)
- Museums and history: Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 23), Museo Descubre (mile 25)
Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl
The Jardín Botánico Rey Nezahualcóyotl is a botanical garden that falls under the administration of the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes.
Historic centre of Aguascalientes
The historic center of Aguascalientes is the city's zone of historic monuments, which INAH has declared part of the nation's heritage.
Museo Descubre
Museo Descubre is a hands-on, interactive museum in the city of Aguascalientes whose spiral-shaped interior leads inward along various paths of knowledge.
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
When you get to Ihuatzio
Lake Pátzcuaro
Boats leave the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro for its islands, including Janitzio, topped by a statue of José María Morelos. Purépecha fishers here are known for butterfly-shaped nets, and whitefish is the local specialty.
Tzintzuntzan
Once the political and economic capital of the Purépecha empire, governed by a hereditary line of uacúsecha, or 'eagle lords,' Tzintzuntzan preserves its yácatas, temple bases that combine rectangular and semicircular platforms around ritual plazas.
Ihuatzio
On the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro, Ihuatzio was one of three main Purépecha power centers. Visitors can see raised walkways and two semicircular pyramids called yácatas; excavations here also turned up Chac Mool and coyote sculptures carved from volcanic rock.
More drives to Ihuatzio
- Amatitán to Ihuatzio
- Tequila to Ihuatzio
- Calvillo to Ihuatzio
- Real de Asientos to Ihuatzio
- Zacatecas to Ihuatzio
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Ihuatzio
From Pabellón de Hidalgo to other places in Mexico
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Temacapulín
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to San Luis Soyatlán
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Tócuaro
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Zirahuén
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Mineral de Pozos
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Bernal
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Pabellón de Hidalgo to Ihuatzio?
About 4 h 19 min of driving without stops, over 250 miles.
How far is Ihuatzio from Pabellón de Hidalgo by car?
About 250 miles (402 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 Pabellón de Hidalgo to Ihuatzio?
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 Pabellón de Hidalgo to Ihuatzio?
The U.S. State Department rates Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Pabellón de Hidalgo to Ihuatzio use?
In order: AGS 20, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D and MEX-37D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Pabellón de Hidalgo and Ihuatzio?
Closest to the road: Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl (botanical garden, mile 21, 2 mi from the route); Historic centre of Aguascalientes (historic district, mile 23, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Descubre (museum, mile 25, 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 mile 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 (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city 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.