Sayulita to Zirahuén is about 326 road miles (525 km): roughly 6 h 7 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 326 mi (525 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 7 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-70D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-37 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.1 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 Sayulita to Zirahuén is like
MEX-15D (165 mi) and MEX-70D (52 mi) carry about 67% of the 326 miles. It runs through 3 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-200D, MEX-70D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Sayulita to Zirahuén
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 1–14 | 13 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 14–29 | 15 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 29–81 | 52 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15D | 81–147 | 66 | Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 147–159 | 12 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 159–258 | 99 | Jalisco, Michoacán |
| MEX-37 | 258–301 | 43 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 301–326 | 25 | Michoacán |
- Mile 99 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 227 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Sayulita and Zirahuén
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 118), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 158)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 19), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 158), Lago de Camécuaro National Park (mile 270)
- Museums and history: Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 118), National Museum of Tequila (mile 127), Guachimontones (mile 133), Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Gráficas (mile 163), Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (mile 163), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 167)
Rincón de Guayabitos
Visitors from Guadalajara and Tepic often head to this Nayarit beach town in the municipality of Compostela. Its shore runs about two kilometers, and the waves tend to be calm.
Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería
Agave landscapes and mining are the twin themes of the Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería, an interpretive museum in the municipality of Magdalena.
National Museum of Tequila
The National Museum of Tequila (MUNAT) in the town of Tequila tells the story of the spirit that put this corner of Jalisco on the map. The state government took it back in 2026 and announced a reopening with refreshed exhibits.
Guachimontones
About 40 circular buildings and two ball courts spread over 20 hectares at Guachimontones, outside Teuchitlán. INAH calls it western Mexico's first large population center, dating back to around 1000 BC.
Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara
Zapopan's Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara is a public park in Jalisco with a busy event calendar that includes open-air film screenings, live concerts and food festivals.
Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Gráficas
The Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Gráficas stands on Paseo Alcalde, formerly Avenida Alcalde, in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara
Fossils are the focus at Guadalajara's Museum of Paleontology, which opened in 2000 inside Parque Agua Azul with exhibits developed alongside INAH, Mexico's national anthropology and history institute.
Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque
Ceramics lovers in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, can find the Museo Regional de la Cerámica on Independencia Street. Along with the Pantaleón Panduro Museum, it is one of the city's two principal pottery museums.
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.
Once you reach 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 Sayulita to other places in Mexico
- Sayulita to Boca de Pascuales
- Sayulita to Temacapulín
- Sayulita to Maruata
- Sayulita to Tócuaro
- Sayulita to Mineral de Pozos
- Sayulita to Nuevo Ideal
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Sayulita to Zirahuén?
About 6 h 7 min of driving without stops, over 326 miles.
What is the driving distance from Sayulita to Zirahuén?
About 326 miles (525 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 Sayulita 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 Sayulita to Zirahuén?
The U.S. State Department rates 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.
Which highways go from Sayulita to Zirahuén?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-15 and MEX-37. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Sayulita and Zirahuén?
Closest to the road: Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 118, 0.6 mi from the route); Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (park, mile 158, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 167, 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 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.