The Wayro route from San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Zirahuén is 264 miles (425 km), about 4 h 32 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 264 mi (425 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 32 min |
| Main roads, in order | AGS 19 → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-43D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D → MEX-14D |
| Mexican states on the route | Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
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 José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Zirahuén is like
MEX-45D (107 mi) and MEX-43D (52 mi) carry about 60% of the 264 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 4 states: Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Zirahuén, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 19 | 1–9 | 8 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 9–12 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 12–17 | 5 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 17–46 | 29 | Aguascalientes, Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 46–153 | 107 | Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| MEX-43D | 153–205 | 52 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 205–206 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 206–209 | 3 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 209–248 | 39 | Michoacán |
| MEX-14D | 248–260 | 12 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 260–264 | 4 | Michoacán |
- Mile 43 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 91 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 191 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes and Zirahuén
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Centro de Artes Visuales (mile 27), Parque Rodolfo Landeros (mile 30)
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl (mile 25), Parque Rodolfo Landeros (mile 30)
- Museums and history: Centro de Artes Visuales (mile 27), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 252), Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 252)
Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl
The Jardín Botánico Rey Nezahualcóyotl is a botanical garden that falls under the administration of the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes.
Centro de Artes Visuales
Run by the Instituto Cultural de Aguascalientes, the Centro de Artes Visuales is an arts education center in the city of Aguascalientes with its own exhibition space for visual art.
Parque Rodolfo Landeros
Also called Parque Héroes, this environmental and recreation park on Avenida José María Chávez in Aguascalientes has an artificial lake, bike rentals and several other attractions.
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.
Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares
Housed in an 18th-century building adapted from the Colegio de San Nicolás, which Vasco de Quiroga founded in the 16th century, this INAH museum in Pátzcuaro shows Purépecha pottery, textiles, woodwork and lacquerware.
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
- Calvillo to Zirahuén
- Real de Asientos to Zirahuén
From San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to other places in Mexico
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Temacapulín
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to San Luis Soyatlán
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Tócuaro
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Bernal
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Omitlán
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Zirahuén?
About 4 h 32 min of driving without stops, over 264 miles.
How far is Zirahuén from San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes by car?
About 264 miles (425 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 José de Gracia, Aguascalientes 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 José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Zirahuén?
The U.S. State Department rates Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato 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 José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Zirahuén use?
In order: AGS 19, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D and MEX-14D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes and Zirahuén?
Closest to the road: Centro de Artes Visuales (art museum, mile 27, 0.3 mi from the route); Parque Rodolfo Landeros (park, mile 30, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (museum, mile 252, 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.