The Wayro route from Santa Clara del Cobre to Jalpa is 291 miles (468 km), about 5 h 22 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 291 mi (468 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 22 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → MEX-14D → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-43D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → MEX-70 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Zacatecas (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.6 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 Santa Clara del Cobre to Jalpa is like
MEX-45D (108 mi) and MEX-43D (51 mi) carry about 55% of the 291 miles. MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-120, MEX-45, MEX-70 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Michoacán, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santa Clara del Cobre to Jalpa, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-120 | 1–10 | 9 | Michoacán |
| MEX-14D | 10–14 | 4 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 14–52 | 38 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 52–56 | 4 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 56–57 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-43D | 57–108 | 51 | Michoacán, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 108–216 | 108 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 216–232 | 16 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 232–239 | 7 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-70 | 239–290 | 51 | Aguascalientes, Zacatecas |
| local roads | 290–291 | 1 | Zacatecas |
- Mile 72 of this route: Michoacán → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 172 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 220 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 274 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)
Stops between Santa Clara del Cobre and Jalpa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Rodolfo Landeros (mile 232), La Santa Cruz (mile 267)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Rodolfo Landeros (mile 232)
- Museums and history: Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 10), Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 10), Museo Nacional de la Muerte (mile 232), La Santa Cruz (mile 267)
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.
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.
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.
Museo Nacional de la Muerte
Run by the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes, the Museo Nacional de la Muerte displays objects about death in Mexican culture, drawn from a collection donated by printmaker Octavio Bajonero Gil.
La Santa Cruz
In Calvillo's town center, La Santa Cruz is a cultural and monumental complex with Catholic and historical themes devoted to Calvillo's role in the Cristero War of 1926; it opened in 2021.
When you get to Jalpa
Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes
The Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes is a community museum in the municipality of Jalpa, in the Mexican state of Zacatecas, named for teacher Arturo Reyes Viramontes.
More drives to Jalpa
From Santa Clara del Cobre to other places in Mexico
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Amatitán
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Real de Asientos
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Nombre de Dios
- Santa Clara del Cobre to San Ignacio, Sinaloa
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Mineral de Pozos
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Bernal
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Clara del Cobre to Jalpa?
About 5 h 22 min of driving without stops, over 291 miles.
How far is Jalpa from Santa Clara del Cobre by car?
About 291 miles (468 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 Santa Clara del Cobre to Jalpa?
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 Santa Clara del Cobre to Jalpa?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Santa Clara del Cobre to Jalpa use?
In order: MEX-120, MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and MEX-70. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Santa Clara del Cobre and Jalpa?
Closest to the road: Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (museum, mile 10, 1 mi from the route); Parque Rodolfo Landeros (park, mile 232, 0.4 mi from the route); La Santa Cruz (museum, mile 267, 0.2 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.