By road, Pinos and San Francisco are about 353 miles (568 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 21 min of driving.
| Distance | 353 mi (568 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 21 min |
| Main roads, in order | ZAC 144 → MEX-51 → MEX-80D → MEX-80 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Zacatecas, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-80D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D, MEX-70D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Pinos to San Francisco is like
MEX-80D (114 mi) and MEX-15D (79 mi) carry about 55% of the 353 miles. It runs through 4 states: Zacatecas, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-80D, MEX-90D and MEX-15D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Pinos and San Francisco
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Zacatecas |
| ZAC 144 | 1–29 | 28 | Zacatecas |
| connecting roads | 29–32 | 3 | Jalisco |
| MEX-51 | 32–41 | 9 | Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| MEX-80D | 41–70 | 29 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 70–103 | 33 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 103–188 | 85 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 188–201 | 13 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 201–209 | 8 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 209–275 | 66 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 275–309 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 309–327 | 18 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 327–342 | 15 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 342–352 | 10 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 352–353 | 1 | Nayarit |
- Mile 29 of this route: Zacatecas → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 37 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 45 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 258 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Pinos and San Francisco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 79), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 80), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 199), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 268)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 199), Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 337)
- Museums and history: Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 79), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 80), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 108), Museo de las Artes Populares de Jalisco (mile 194), Guachimontones (mile 224), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 268)
Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera
The Museo Casa Agustín Rivera Altos de Jalisco is a museum you'll find in the town of Lagos de Moreno, in the state of Jalisco.
Teatro José Rosas Moreno
Lagos de Moreno's Teatro José Rosas Moreno opened its doors on May 5, 1907, some forty years after construction began in 1867. It honors a writer from Jalisco.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Raised between 1732 and 1769, the cathedral basilica of San Juan de los Lagos draws pilgrims from far away who come to visit the small image of the Virgin kept inside.
Museo de las Artes Populares de Jalisco
Opened on May 31, 2000, in Guadalajara's historic center, this museum researches, safeguards and promotes the crafts and folk art of Jalisco.
Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara
Zapopan's Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara is a public park in Jalisco with a busy event calendar that includes open-air film screenings, live concerts and food festivals.
Guachimontones
About 40 circular buildings and two ball courts spread over 20 hectares at Guachimontones, outside Teuchitlán. INAH calls it western Mexico's first large population center, dating back to around 1000 BC.
Ixtlán del Rio
Known locally as Los Toriles, the Ixtlán del Río site is famous for a temple with a fully circular floor plan, rare in Mesoamerica. People lived here from about 300 BC to AD 600, and an introductory gallery explains the finds.
Rincón de Guayabitos
Gentle waves are the draw at Rincón de Guayabitos, where roughly two kilometers of shoreline make this Compostela, Nayarit, beach town a favorite escape for people from Tepic and Guadalajara.
More drives to San Francisco
- La Manzanilla to San Francisco
- Barra de Navidad to San Francisco
- Tecomán to San Francisco
- San Juan de los Lagos to San Francisco
- Pénjamo to San Francisco
- León to San Francisco
From Pinos to other places in Mexico
- Pinos to Temacapulín
- Pinos to San Luis Soyatlán
- Pinos to Tócuaro
- Pinos to Bernal
- Pinos to Omitlán
- Pinos to Huasca de Ocampo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Pinos to San Francisco?
About 6 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 353 miles.
What is the driving distance from Pinos to San Francisco?
About 353 miles (568 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 Pinos to San Francisco?
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 Pinos to San Francisco?
The U.S. State Department rates Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Pinos to San Francisco use?
In order: ZAC 144, MEX-51, MEX-80D, MEX-80, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Pinos to San Francisco?
Closest to the road: Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (museum, mile 79, 0.4 mi from the route); Teatro José Rosas Moreno (opera house, mile 80, 0.3 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 268, 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.