Plan on about 8 h 50 min of driving for the 444-mile (714 km) trip from Parras de la Fuente to Mineral de Pozos, before any 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 | 444 mi (714 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | COAH 102 → MEX-40 → MEX-40D → MEX-57 → MEX-57D → MEX-110 → GTO 100 |
| Mexican states on the route | Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-40D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.7 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 Parras de la Fuente to Mineral de Pozos is like
MEX-57 (266 mi) and MEX-57D (73 mi) carry about 76% of the 444 miles. It runs through 4 states: Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-40D and MEX-57D. Of the 5 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Parras de la Fuente to Mineral de Pozos
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Coahuila |
| COAH 102 | 1–16 | 15 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40 | 16–24 | 8 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40D | 24–71 | 47 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40 | 71–93 | 22 | Coahuila |
| MEX-57 | 93–104 | 11 | Coahuila |
| MEX-57D | 104–125 | 21 | Coahuila |
| MEX-57 | 125–244 | 119 | Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 244–254 | 10 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 254–329 | 75 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 329–371 | 42 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 371–432 | 61 | San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato |
| MEX-110 | 432–438 | 6 | Guanajuato |
| GTO 100 | 438–444 | 6 | Guanajuato |
- Mile 125 of this route: Coahuila → Nuevo León (state line)
- Mile 232 of this route: Nuevo León → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 408 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Guanajuato (state line)
Places worth a stop between Parras de la Fuente and Mineral de Pozos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Desert Museum (mile 93)
- Nature and outdoors: Desert Museum (mile 93), El Gogorrón National Park (mile 382)
- Museums and history: Saltillo Cathedral (mile 91), Desert Museum (mile 93), Matehuala Cathedral (mile 248), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 362)
Saltillo Cathedral
Built between 1745 and 1800 in downtown Saltillo, the Cathedral of Santiago Apóstol has a carved stone facade with Solomonic, estípite, and Churrigueresque columns. Inside, look for an ornate altarpiece with a silver frontal and a pulpit carved with plant motifs.
Desert Museum
Opened in 1999, Saltillo's Museo del Desierto explores the deserts of Mexico across four pavilions, with skeletons of Tyrannosaurus rex and Quetzalcoatlus, a live prairie dog colony, a plant nursery, and a courtyard where simulated rain falls.
Matehuala Cathedral
Still open for worship, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral serves as the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Matehuala, a city in the state of San Luis Potosí.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
A parish church from 1609 once stood where San Luis Potosí's cathedral rose between 1701 and 1728. Today the Baroque building serves as the seat of the archdiocese.
El Gogorrón National Park
Hot-spring balnearios lie within the bounds of Gogorrón National Park, which covers parts of Villa de Reyes and Santa María del Río in San Luis Potosí. Its higher ground carries pine-oak forest.
More drives to Mineral de Pozos
- Celaya to Mineral de Pozos
- Salvatierra to Mineral de Pozos
- León to Mineral de Pozos
- Salamanca to Mineral de Pozos
- Irapuato to Mineral de Pozos
- Moroleón to Mineral de Pozos
From Parras de la Fuente to other places in Mexico
- Parras de la Fuente to Ciudad Tula
- Parras de la Fuente to Temacapulín
- Parras de la Fuente to Pinal de Amoles
- Parras de la Fuente to Tamuín
- Parras de la Fuente to Pedro Escobedo
- Parras de la Fuente to Ajijic
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Parras de la Fuente to Mineral de Pozos?
About 8 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 444 miles.
How far is Mineral de Pozos from Parras de la Fuente by car?
About 444 miles (714 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 Parras de la Fuente to Mineral de Pozos?
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 Parras de la Fuente to Mineral de Pozos?
The U.S. State Department rates Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Parras de la Fuente to Mineral de Pozos?
In order: COAH 102, MEX-40, MEX-40D, MEX-57, MEX-57D, MEX-110 and GTO 100. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Parras de la Fuente and Mineral de Pozos?
Closest to the road: Saltillo Cathedral (cathedral, mile 91, 2 mi from the route); Desert Museum (museum, mile 93, 0.9 mi from the route); Matehuala Cathedral (cathedral, mile 248, 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 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.