The Wayro route from Pabellón de Hidalgo to Zirahuén is 260 miles (418 km), about 4 h 23 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 260 mi (418 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 23 min |
| Main roads, in order | AGS 20 → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-43D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D → MEX-14D |
| 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, MEX-14D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
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 Zirahuén is like
MEX-45D (107 mi) and MEX-43D (51 mi) carry about 61% of the 260 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 4 states: Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán. Of the 5 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Pabellón de Hidalgo to Zirahuén, 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 | 205–244 | 39 | Michoacán |
| MEX-14D | 244–255 | 11 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 255–260 | 5 | 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 Zirahuén
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Nacional de la Muerte (mile 22)
- Nature and outdoors: La Pona (mile 22)
- Museums and history: Museo Nacional de la Muerte (mile 22), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 247), Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 247)
La Pona
Inside the city of Aguascalientes, La Pona protects a native mesquite woodland as an ecological conservation zone, with a quiet forest area for walks and a separate section with sports and recreation spaces.
Museo Nacional de la Muerte
Run by the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes, the Museo Nacional de la Muerte displays objects about death in Mexican culture, drawn from a collection donated by printmaker Octavio Bajonero Gil.
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.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.
Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares
Housed in an 18th-century building adapted from the Colegio de San Nicolás, which Vasco de Quiroga founded in the 16th century, this INAH museum in Pátzcuaro shows Purépecha pottery, textiles, woodwork and lacquerware.
When you get to Zirahuén
Lake Zirahuén
Small and deep, Lake Zirahuén is a mountain lake in the Santa Clara del Cobre municipality of Michoacán, with a sandy bottom partly covered in mud and no outlet to the sea.
More drives to Zirahuén
- Amatitán to Zirahuén
- Tequila to Zirahuén
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Zirahuén
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Zirahuén
- Calvillo to Zirahuén
- Real de Asientos to Zirahuén
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 Ihuatzio
- 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 Zirahuén?
About 4 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 260 miles.
How far is Zirahuén from Pabellón de Hidalgo by car?
About 260 miles (418 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 Zirahuén?
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 Zirahuén?
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 Zirahuén use?
In order: AGS 20, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D and MEX-14D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Pabellón de Hidalgo and Zirahuén?
Closest to the road: Museo Nacional de la Muerte (art museum, mile 22, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (museum, mile 247, 1 mi from the route); Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (minor basilica, mile 247, 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 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.