Plan on about 9 h 9 min of driving for the 523-mile (841 km) trip from San Blas to Oaxtepec, before any stops.
| Distance | 523 mi (841 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 9 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-76D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 → MEX-95D → MEX-160D |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-76D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.9 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.
How the San Blas to Oaxtepec drive plays out
MEX-15D (371 mi) and MEX-55D (34 mi) carry about 77% of the 523 miles. It runs through 5 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-76D, MEX-15D and MEX-M40D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: San Blas to Oaxtepec
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Nayarit |
| MEX-76D | 7–27 | 20 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15D | 27–144 | 117 | Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 144–155 | 11 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 155–409 | 254 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 409–412 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 412–446 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 446–451 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 451–457 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 457–458 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 458–466 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 466–469 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 469–473 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 473–478 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 478–492 | 14 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 492–500 | 8 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 500–505 | 5 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 505–521 | 16 | Morelos |
| local roads | 521–523 | 2 | Morelos |
- Mile 96 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 223 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 391 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 484 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between San Blas and Oaxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 114), Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara (mile 157), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 487)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Walt Disney (mile 161), Rayón National Park (mile 388), La Marquesa National Park (mile 467), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 487)
- Museums and history: Museo Regional de Nayarit (mile 33), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 114), Guadalajara Cathedral (mile 159)
Museo Regional de Nayarit
In the city of Tepic, the Museo Regional de Nayarit focuses on the different cultural traditions of pre-Hispanic Nayarit.
Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería
Agave landscapes and mining are the twin themes of the Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería, an interpretive museum in the municipality of Magdalena.
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.
Guadalajara Cathedral
In the Centro of Guadalajara, the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady is the seat of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara and a minor basilica.
Parque Walt Disney
Despite sharing a name with Walt Disney, this recreational space in Guadalajara's Colonia Olímpica has no direct theme tied to Disney's amusement parks.
Rayón National Park
Butterfly reserve country begins at Rayón National Park, on the edge of Tlalpujahua, and extends south and west from there across the region.
Ciénegas del Lerma
These marshes in the Toluca Valley are three lakes left from a wetland of about 27,000 hectares in the late 19th century. A Ramsar site since 2004, they hold dozens of endemic and threatened species and are a key stop for migratory species.
La Marquesa National Park
Set in high-altitude conifer forest along the Mexico City–Toluca highway, La Marquesa National Park offers roadside eateries, horse and ATV rentals, mountain biking and camping, and marks the site of the 1810 Battle of Monte de las Cruces.
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Seven lagoons, three of them permanent, sit among pine, oak and fir forest above 3,000 meters in this park, decreed in 1936 on the Morelos–State of Mexico line. Hiking, horseback riding, camping and rowboats are popular here.
Once you reach Oaxtepec
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In Oaxtepec, the Exconvento de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is among the first convents the Dominicans built in Mexico, and its walls preserve extensive fresco painting from the colonial era.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
More drives to Oaxtepec
- Malinalco to Oaxtepec
- Mexico City to Oaxtepec
- Metepec to Oaxtepec
- Toluca to Oaxtepec
- Otumba to Oaxtepec
- Taxco to Oaxtepec
From San Blas to other places in Mexico
- San Blas to Teúl de González Ortega
- San Blas to Temacapulín
- San Blas to Barra de Navidad
- San Blas to Comala
- San Blas to Jalpa de Cánovas
- San Blas to Boca de Pascuales
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from San Blas to Oaxtepec?
About 9 h 9 min of driving without stops, over 523 miles.
What is the driving distance from San Blas to Oaxtepec?
About 523 miles (841 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 San Blas to Oaxtepec?
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 San Blas to Oaxtepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from San Blas to Oaxtepec use?
In order: MEX-76D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95D and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between San Blas and Oaxtepec?
Closest to the road: Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 114, 0.5 mi from the route); Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara (statue, mile 157, 0.8 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (national park, mile 487, 0.4 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.