Plan on about 8 h 39 min of driving for the 524-mile (844 km) trip from San Francisco to Huasca de Ocampo, before any stops.
| Distance by road | 524 mi (844 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 39 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-70D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-M40D → MEX-85 → MEX-105 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.0 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 San Francisco to Huasca de Ocampo is like
MEX-15D (320 mi) and MEX-M40D (79 mi) carry about 76% of the 524 miles. It runs through 5 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-200D, MEX-70D and MEX-15D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: San Francisco to Huasca de Ocampo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 1–11 | 10 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 11–26 | 15 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 26–78 | 52 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15D | 78–144 | 66 | Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 144–155 | 11 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 155–409 | 254 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 409–488 | 79 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 488–489 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 489–501 | 12 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 501–508 | 7 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 508–519 | 11 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 519–524 | 5 | Hidalgo |
- 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 441 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 471 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 485 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Huasca de Ocampo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 114), Parque Ecológico Cubitos (mile 505)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 16), Rayón National Park (mile 388), Parque Ecológico Cubitos (mile 505)
- Museums and history: Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 114), Museo Regional de Guadalajara (mile 159), Tula (mile 454)
- With kids: Bioparque de Convivencia en Pachuca, Hidalgo (mile 504)
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.
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.
Museo Regional de Guadalajara
Facing the Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres in downtown Guadalajara, the Museo Regional de Guadalajara fills a full city block bounded by Hidalgo, Pino Suárez, Liceo and Independencia streets.
Rayón National Park
On the outskirts of Tlalpujahua, Parque Nacional Rayón is the gateway to the area's well-known butterfly reserves, which spread out to the south and west of the park.
Tula
Once the Toltec capital, the Tula archaeological zone is best known for its Atlantes, basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall crowning the main pyramid. Visitors also see a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall, carved with snakes devouring skeletons.
Bioparque de Convivencia en Pachuca, Hidalgo
Pachuca's Bioparque de Convivencia is a rescue and recovery center for wild, exotic and endemic animals saved from abuse, abandonment or risk, housing a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation unit.
Parque Ecológico Cubitos
Between Pachuca de Soto and Mineral de la Reforma, Parque Ecológico Cubitos is a 90-hectare protected natural area whose public section has a botanical garden, an arboretum, a herpetarium, a farm, a maze, a zip line and a bike path.
Ex monastery of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pachuca de Soto, Hidalgo
The Templo y exconvento de San Francisco in Pachuca de Soto is mainly Baroque, with touches of Churrigueresque and Neoclassical style. Construction began in 1596 under Fray Francisco de Torantos, who chose the style of its facade and windows.
Arriving in Huasca de Ocampo
Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla
Basalt columns more than 40 meters tall line a ravine near Huasca de Ocampo, formed when lava cooled quickly on contact with water. Alexander von Humboldt described the Basaltic Prisms (Prismas Basálticos) after his visit in 1803.
More drives to Huasca de Ocampo
- Actopan to Huasca de Ocampo
- Otumba to Huasca de Ocampo
- Tepotzotlán to Huasca de Ocampo
- Mexico City to Huasca de Ocampo
- Jilotepec to Huasca de Ocampo
- Zimapán to Huasca de Ocampo
From San Francisco to other places in Mexico
- San Francisco to Boca de Pascuales
- San Francisco to Jalpa de Cánovas
- San Francisco to Maruata
- San Francisco to Nuevo Ideal
- San Francisco to Omitlán
- San Francisco to Mexcaltitán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from San Francisco to Huasca de Ocampo?
About 8 h 39 min of driving without stops, over 524 miles.
What is the driving distance from San Francisco to Huasca de Ocampo?
About 524 miles (844 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 Francisco to Huasca de Ocampo?
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 Francisco to Huasca de Ocampo?
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; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from San Francisco to Huasca de Ocampo?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-M40D, MEX-85 and MEX-105. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between San Francisco and Huasca de Ocampo?
Closest to the road: Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 114, 0.5 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 454, 1 mi from the route); Parque Ecológico Cubitos (park, mile 505, 0.7 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.