The Wayro route from Santa Clara del Cobre to Nombre de Dios is 450 miles (725 km), about 8 h 14 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 450 mi (725 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 14 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → MEX-14D → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-43D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Zacatecas (Level 4), Durango (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.0 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.
What the drive from Santa Clara del Cobre to Nombre de Dios is like
MEX-45 (173 mi) and MEX-45D (164 mi) carry about 75% of the 450 miles. MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-120, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 6 states: Michoacán, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Durango. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santa Clara del Cobre to Nombre de Dios, 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 | 216–245 | 29 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 245–249 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 249–278 | 29 | Aguascalientes, Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 278–313 | 35 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 313–319 | 6 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 319–327 | 8 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 327–334 | 7 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 334–347 | 13 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 347–449 | 102 | Zacatecas, Durango |
| local roads | 449–450 | 1 | Durango |
- 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 273 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)
- Mile 425 of this route: Zacatecas → Durango (state line)
Stops between Santa Clara del Cobre and Nombre de Dios
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 232), Teatro Morelos (mile 234)
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl (mile 237), Sierra de Órganos National Park (mile 418)
- Museums and history: Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 10), Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 232), Museo de la Insurgencia (mile 255), Guadalupe regional museum (mile 300)
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.
Teatro Aguascalientes
Teatro Aguascalientes is the city's main opera house, a modern building by architect Abraham Zabludovsky with seating for about 1,650 people.
Teatro Morelos
In downtown Aguascalientes, Teatro Morelos is a neoclassical theater designed and built by engineer José Noriega and opened in 1885. In October and November 1914 it hosted the Sovereign Revolutionary Convention.
Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl
The Jardín Botánico Rey Nezahualcóyotl is a botanical garden that falls under the administration of the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes.
Museo de la Insurgencia
Set in a 17th-century estate, the Museo de la Insurgencia opened in 1964 to tell the story of Mexico's independence movement. One hall shows farm, mining and textile tools from hacienda work; another displays everyday objects from past eras.
Guadalupe regional museum
In Guadalupe, Zacatecas, the Museo de Guadalupe fills a former college that sent missionaries to the north and holds an important collection of 17th- to 19th-century painting, including works by Cristóbal de Villalpando, Miguel Cabrera and Juan Correa.
Historic centre of Zacatecas
Founded in 1546 after a rich silver strike, Zacatecas climbs the steep sides of a narrow valley; its UNESCO-listed center holds an 18th-century Baroque cathedral, colonial convents, the Calderón Theater and the old González Market.
Sierra de Órganos National Park
Volcanic activity and erosion shaped the 20- to 60-meter rock spires of Sierra de Órganos, a national park near Sombrerete created in 2000. Western movies have been filmed here, and visitors hike marked trails, mountain bike and camp.
More drives to Nombre de Dios
- Cosalá to Nombre de Dios
- Aguascalientes to Nombre de Dios
- San Juan de los Lagos to Nombre de Dios
- Tepatitlán to Nombre de Dios
- Amatitán to Nombre de Dios
- Ajijic to Nombre de Dios
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 San Ignacio, Sinaloa
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Mineral de Pozos
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Bernal
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Pedro Escobedo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Clara del Cobre to Nombre de Dios?
About 8 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 450 miles.
How far is Nombre de Dios from Santa Clara del Cobre by car?
About 450 miles (725 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 Nombre de Dios?
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 Nombre de Dios?
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; Durango Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Santa Clara del Cobre to Nombre de Dios use?
In order: MEX-120, MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D and MEX-45. 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 Nombre de Dios?
Closest to the road: Teatro Aguascalientes (opera house, mile 232, 0.2 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos (theatre building, mile 234, 0.1 mi from the route); Sierra de Órganos National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 418, 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.