San Francisco to Real de Catorce is about 485 road miles (780 km): roughly 9 h 19 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance | 485 mi (780 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 19 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-70D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-80D → MEX-80 → MEX-70 → MEX-57D → MEX-49 → MEX-63 → SLP 43 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.4 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.
On the road from San Francisco to Real de Catorce
MEX-80D (114 mi) and MEX-15D (86 mi) carry about 41% of the 485 miles. It runs through 4 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-200D, MEX-70D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
San Francisco to Real de Catorce: the road sequence
| 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 | 155–175 | 20 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 175–178 | 3 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 178–250 | 72 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 250–283 | 33 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 283–325 | 42 | Jalisco, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-80 | 325–328 | 3 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70 | 328–345 | 17 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 345–360 | 15 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-49 | 360–370 | 10 | San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 370–371 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-63 | 371–444 | 73 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 43 | 444–478 | 34 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 478–485 | 7 | San Luis Potosí |
- Mile 96 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 308 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 318 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Real de Catorce
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 85), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 273), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 274)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 16)
- Museums and history: Ixtlán del Rio (mile 85), Basílica de San Felipe Neri (mile 159), Panteón de Belén (mile 159), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 163), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 245), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 273), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 274), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 353)
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.
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.
Basílica de San Felipe Neri
Guadalajara's Basilica of San Felipe Neri is a Catholic church built in baroque style between 1752 and 1802 by master builder Pedro José Ciprés.
Panteón de Belén
A historic cemetery in Guadalajara, Panteón de Belén is known for its legends and offers night tours.
Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque
Ceramics lovers in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, can find the Museo Regional de la Cerámica on Independencia Street. Along with the Pantaleón Panduro Museum, it is one of the city's two principal pottery museums.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Pilgrims come from far and wide to San Juan de los Lagos to see the small image of the Virgin kept in this cathedral basilica, built between 1732 and 1769. Inside are Gothic-style ribbed vaults and a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
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.
Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera
The Museo Casa Agustín Rivera Altos de Jalisco is a museum in the town of Lagos de Moreno, in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
San Luis Potosí's cathedral anchors the city's historic center, which UNESCO lists as a component of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro World Heritage Site.
In Real de Catorce itself
High in the mountains of northern San Luis Potosí Real de Catorce is a former silver-mining town whose most prosperous era began in 1778. It joined the Pueblos Mágicos program in 2001, and its identity grew out of both its mining past and the culture of the Huichol (Wixárika) people.
- Túnel de Ogarrio: The Túnel de Ogarrio, the town's famous tunnel, is one of the landmarks SECTUR highlights for visitors to Real de Catorce. source
- Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción: The Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción is the parish church at the center of town life, and the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4 is its biggest celebration. source
- Museo Parroquial Padre José Robledo: The Museo Parroquial Padre José Robledo preserves pieces of the town's religious history. source
More drives to Real de Catorce
- Comfort, TX to Real de Catorce
- San Antonio, TX to Real de Catorce
- Boerne, TX to Real de Catorce
- San Marcos, TX to Real de Catorce
- McAllen, TX to Real de Catorce
- Bandera, TX to Real de Catorce
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 Huasca de Ocampo
Coming to Real de Catorce from the United States? Border crossings, permits and routes from U.S. cities: Driving to Real de Catorce, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Real de Catorce?
About 9 h 19 min of driving without stops, over 485 miles.
How far is Real de Catorce from San Francisco by car?
About 485 miles (780 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 Real de Catorce?
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 Real de Catorce?
The U.S. State Department rates Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from San Francisco to Real de Catorce use?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-80D, MEX-80, MEX-70, MEX-57D, MEX-49, MEX-63 and SLP 43. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from San Francisco to Real de Catorce?
Closest to the road: Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 85, 0.5 mi from the route); Teatro José Rosas Moreno (opera house, mile 273, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (museum, mile 274, 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.