By road, Santa Clara del Cobre and Sayulita are about 346 miles (557 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 17 min of driving.
| Total distance | 346 mi (557 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → MEX-15 → MICH 39 → MEX-15D → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-15D, MEX-70D, MEX-200D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.8 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.
How the Santa Clara del Cobre to Sayulita drive plays out
MEX-15D (192 mi) and MEX-15 (32 mi) carry about 65% of the 346 miles. It runs through 3 states: Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-15D, MEX-70D and MEX-200D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santa Clara del Cobre to Sayulita, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-120 | 1–27 | 26 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 27–28 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 28–51 | 23 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 51–52 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MICH 39 | 52–58 | 6 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 58–62 | 4 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 62–63 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 63–190 | 127 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 190–199 | 9 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 199–264 | 65 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 264–298 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 298–317 | 19 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 317–332 | 15 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 332–345 | 13 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 345–346 | 1 | Nayarit |
- Mile 120 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 248 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Stops between Santa Clara del Cobre and Sayulita
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 11), Tzintzuntzan (mile 22), Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara (mile 186)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Walt Disney (mile 182), Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 327)
- Museums and history: Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 11), Ihuatzio (mile 14), Tzintzuntzan (mile 22), Guadalajara city museum (mile 184), National Museum of Tequila (mile 219)
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.
Ihuatzio
On the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro, Ihuatzio was one of three main Purépecha power centers. Visitors can see raised walkways and two semicircular pyramids called yácatas; excavations here also turned up Chac Mool and coyote sculptures carved from volcanic rock.
Tzintzuntzan
Once the political and economic capital of the Purépecha empire, governed by a hereditary line of uacúsecha, or 'eagle lords,' Tzintzuntzan preserves its yácatas, temple bases that combine rectangular and semicircular platforms around ritual plazas.
Parque Walt Disney
Despite sharing a name with Walt Disney, this recreational space in Guadalajara's Colonia Olímpica has no direct theme tied to Disney's amusement parks.
Guadalajara city museum
Guadalajara's city museum (Museo de la Ciudad), in the historic center, opened on February 14, 1992, and covers the city's history and many sides of its culture.
Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara
At a roundabout fountain in Guadalajara, a bronze statue of Minerva, Roman goddess of wisdom, stands on a large pedestal inscribed with the names of 18 notable citizens.
National Museum of Tequila
In the town of Tequila, MUNAT, the National Museum of Tequila, covers the history of the drink behind the region's fame. Jalisco's state government reclaimed the museum in 2026 and announced it will reopen with updated exhibits.
Rincón de Guayabitos
Rincón de Guayabitos is a beach town in Compostela, Nayarit, with about two kilometers of shore known for gentle waves, a popular getaway from Tepic and Guadalajara.
More drives to Sayulita
- Tepatitlán to Sayulita
- San Juan de los Lagos to Sayulita
- Jalpa to Sayulita
- León to Sayulita
- Aguascalientes to Sayulita
- Paracho to Sayulita
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 does it take to drive from Santa Clara del Cobre to Sayulita?
About 6 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 346 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santa Clara del Cobre to Sayulita?
About 346 miles (557 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 Sayulita?
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 Sayulita?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Santa Clara del Cobre to Sayulita?
In order: MEX-120, MEX-15, MICH 39, MEX-15D, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Santa Clara del Cobre and Sayulita?
Closest to the road: Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (museum, mile 11, 0.6 mi from the route); Tzintzuntzan (archaeological site, mile 22, 0.2 mi from the route); Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara (statue, mile 186, 0.8 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.