Plan on about 9 h 13 min of driving for the 480-mile (773 km) trip from Pinal de Amoles to Nuevo Nayarit, before any stops.
| Distance by road | 480 mi (773 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 13 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → QRO 100 → QRO 4 → MEX-57D → MEX-45D → MEX-90 → MEX-90D → MEX-110 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D |
| Mexican states on the route | Querétaro, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-57D, MEX-45D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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 Pinal de Amoles to Nuevo Nayarit is like
MEX-15D (142 mi) and MEX-45D (65 mi) carry about 43% of the 480 miles. It runs through 5 states: Querétaro, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D, MEX-45D and MEX-90D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Pinal de Amoles to Nuevo Nayarit, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-120 | 0–29 | 29 | Querétaro |
| QRO 100 | 29–57 | 28 | Querétaro |
| QRO 4 | 57–76 | 19 | Querétaro |
| connecting roads | 76–77 | 1 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 77–89 | 12 | Querétaro |
| MEX-45D | 89–154 | 65 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 154–155 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90 | 155–200 | 45 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90D | 200–213 | 13 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 213–235 | 22 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 235–311 | 76 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 311–319 | 8 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 319–385 | 66 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 385–419 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 419–437 | 18 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 437–471 | 34 | Nayarit |
| connecting roads | 471–475 | 4 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 475–480 | 5 | Nayarit |
- Mile 96 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 212 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 240 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 368 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
What to see on the way from Pinal de Amoles to Nuevo Nayarit
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara (mile 306), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 378)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 447)
- Museums and history: Museo Regional de Querétaro (mile 88), Irapuato Cathedral (mile 152), Plazuelas (mile 192), Guadalajara city museum (mile 304), Guachimontones (mile 333), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 378)
Museo Regional de Querétaro
The state's regional museum occupies the former Great Convent of San Francisco in central Santiago de Querétaro, a building dating from the 1540s and 1550s.
Claustro de San Felipe Neri - Palacio Conin
The Cloister of San Felipe Neri in central Querétaro was part of the Oratorian convent and stands beside the Templo de San Felipe Neri, now the city's cathedral.
Irapuato Cathedral
Irapuato's cathedral, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, dates from the 18th century and has a Baroque facade. It served as the seat of the local parish until 2004, when the new Diocese of Irapuato made it a cathedral.
Plazuelas
Near Pénjamo, Plazuelas flourished between AD 450 and 700. Trails lead to Casas Tapadas, a platform crowned by four pyramid bases, a ball court, and rocks carved with spirals and La Maqueta, a low-relief model of Casas Tapadas.
Guadalajara city museum
Guadalajara's city museum (Museo de la Ciudad), in the historic center, opened on February 14, 1992, and covers the city's history and many sides of its culture.
Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara
At a roundabout fountain in Guadalajara, a bronze statue of Minerva, Roman goddess of wisdom, stands on a large pedestal inscribed with the names of 18 notable citizens.
Guachimontones
Near the town of Teuchitlán, Guachimontones is known for its circular structures. INAH describes it as the first large population center in western Mexico, emerging around 1000 BC, with two ball courts and about 40 circular buildings across 20 hectares.
Ixtlán del Rio
Between roughly 300 BC and AD 600, people made their home at Los Toriles in Ixtlán del Río. Today visitors come for its circular temple, a rare design in Mesoamerica.
Rincón de Guayabitos
Visitors from Guadalajara and Tepic often head to this Nayarit beach town in the municipality of Compostela. Its shore runs about two kilometers, and the waves tend to be calm.
In Nuevo Nayarit itself
Costalegre
Costalegre is a string of beaches, capes and bays of many sizes along Jalisco's Pacific coast, between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo.
More drives to Nuevo Nayarit
- Paracho to Nuevo Nayarit
- Irapuato to Nuevo Nayarit
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Nuevo Nayarit
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Nuevo Nayarit
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Nuevo Nayarit
- Salamanca to Nuevo Nayarit
From Pinal de Amoles to other places in Mexico
- Pinal de Amoles to Omitlán
- Pinal de Amoles to Huasca de Ocampo
- Pinal de Amoles to Pacanda
- Pinal de Amoles to Temacapulín
- Pinal de Amoles to Boca de Pascuales
- Pinal de Amoles to La Manzanilla
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Pinal de Amoles to Nuevo Nayarit?
About 9 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 480 miles.
How far is Nuevo Nayarit from Pinal de Amoles by car?
About 480 miles (773 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 Pinal de Amoles to Nuevo Nayarit?
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 Pinal de Amoles to Nuevo Nayarit?
The U.S. State Department rates Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Pinal de Amoles to Nuevo Nayarit?
In order: MEX-120, QRO 100, QRO 4, MEX-57D, MEX-45D, MEX-90, MEX-90D, MEX-110, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D and MEX-200D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Pinal de Amoles to Nuevo Nayarit?
Closest to the road: Museo Regional de Querétaro (museum, mile 88, 1 mi from the route); Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara (statue, mile 306, 0.7 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 378, 0.5 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.