The Wayro route from San Ignacio, Sinaloa to Zirahuén is 516 miles (830 km), about 10 h 5 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 516 mi (830 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 5 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-37 |
| Mexican states on the route | Sinaloa (Level 4), Nayarit (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.6 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 Ignacio, Sinaloa to Zirahuén is like
MEX-15D (378 mi) and MEX-15 (48 mi) carry about 83% of the 516 miles. MEX-15D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-15, MEX-37 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from San Ignacio, Sinaloa to Zirahuén, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–21 | 21 | Sinaloa |
| MEX-15 | 21–58 | 37 | Sinaloa |
| connecting roads | 58–59 | 1 | Sinaloa |
| MEX-15D | 59–337 | 278 | Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 337–348 | 11 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 348–448 | 100 | Jalisco, Michoacán |
| MEX-37 | 448–490 | 42 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 490–516 | 26 | Michoacán |
- Mile 145 of this route: Sinaloa → Nayarit (state line)
- Mile 288 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 416 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between San Ignacio, Sinaloa and Zirahuén
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 278)
- Nature and outdoors: Agua Grande Lagoon (mile 120), Lago de Camécuaro National Park (mile 460)
- Museums and history: Museo Regional de Nayarit (mile 227), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 278), Guachimontones (mile 322), Basílica de San Felipe Neri (mile 352), Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes (mile 352), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 356)
Agua Grande Lagoon
Agua Grande is a large coastal lagoon in the Mexican state of Sinaloa that drains into the Pacific Ocean through the Teacapán Estuary.
Museo Regional de Nayarit
In the city of Tepic, the Museo Regional de Nayarit focuses on the different cultural traditions of pre-Hispanic Nayarit.
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.
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.
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.
Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes
The University of Guadalajara's Museo de las Artes, known as MUSA, opened on October 10, 1994, and was expanded in 2013.
Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque
On Independencia Street in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, the Museo Regional de la Cerámica is one of the city's two main ceramics museums, alongside the Pantaleón Panduro Museum.
Lago de Camécuaro National Park
Fed by countless springs, clear Lake Camécuaro near Tangancícuaro, about 13 km from Zamora, is ringed by old ahuehuete (sabino) trees. The national park is a popular spot for swimming, rowboats and picnics in their shade.
When you get to Zirahuén
Lake Zirahuén
Small and deep, Lake Zirahuén is a mountain lake in the Santa Clara del Cobre municipality of Michoacán, with a sandy bottom partly covered in mud and no outlet to the sea.
More drives to Zirahuén
- Amatitán to Zirahuén
- Tequila to Zirahuén
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Zirahuén
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Zirahuén
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Zirahuén
- Calvillo to Zirahuén
From San Ignacio, Sinaloa to other places in Mexico
- San Ignacio, Sinaloa to Temacapulín
- San Ignacio, Sinaloa to San Luis Soyatlán
- San Ignacio, Sinaloa to Tócuaro
- San Ignacio, Sinaloa to Pacanda
- San Ignacio, Sinaloa to Jalpa de Cánovas
- San Ignacio, Sinaloa to Boca de Pascuales
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from San Ignacio, Sinaloa to Zirahuén?
About 10 h 5 min of driving without stops, over 516 miles.
How far is Zirahuén from San Ignacio, Sinaloa by car?
About 516 miles (830 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 Ignacio, Sinaloa to Zirahuén?
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 Ignacio, Sinaloa to Zirahuén?
The U.S. State Department rates Sinaloa Level 4: Do Not Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from San Ignacio, Sinaloa to Zirahuén use?
In order: MEX-15, MEX-15D and MEX-37. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between San Ignacio, Sinaloa and Zirahuén?
Closest to the road: Museo Regional de Nayarit (museum, mile 227, 1 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 278, 0.6 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 356, 1 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 mile 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 (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city 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.