The Wayro route from Sombrerete to Barra de Navidad is 521 miles (839 km), about 9 h 34 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 521 mi (839 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 34 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-80D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-54D → MEX-54 → MEX-110 → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Zacatecas (Level 4), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Colima (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-80D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D, MEX-200D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.9 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 Sombrerete to Barra de Navidad is like
MEX-45 (127 mi) and MEX-54D (89 mi) carry about 41% of the 521 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D, MEX-200D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-15, MEX-54, MEX-110, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Colima. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Sombrerete to Barra de Navidad, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 1–60 | 59 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 60–72 | 12 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 72–81 | 9 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 81–130 | 49 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 130–159 | 29 | Zacatecas, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 159–163 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 163–193 | 30 | Aguascalientes, Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 193–206 | 13 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 206–217 | 11 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 217–218 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 218–304 | 86 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 304–310 | 6 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 310–314 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 314–331 | 17 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54D | 331–420 | 89 | Jalisco, Colima |
| MEX-54 | 420–428 | 8 | Colima |
| MEX-110 | 428–452 | 24 | Colima |
| connecting roads | 452–455 | 3 | Colima |
| MEX-200D | 455–492 | 37 | Colima |
| MEX-200 | 492–519 | 27 | Colima, Jalisco |
| local roads | 519–521 | 2 | Jalisco |
- Mile 135 of this route: Zacatecas → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 189 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 411 of this route: Jalisco → Colima (state line)
- Mile 507 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
Stops between Sombrerete and Barra de Navidad
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Nacional de la Muerte (mile 173), José Guadalupe Posada Museum (mile 174), Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 465)
- Nature and outdoors: Agua Azul (mile 309)
- Museums and history: Guadalupe regional museum (mile 109), Museo Nacional de la Muerte (mile 173), José Guadalupe Posada Museum (mile 174), El Ixtépete (mile 314), Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 386), Cathedral Basilica of Colima (mile 426), Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 465)
- With kids: Acuario Michin Guadalajara (mile 310)
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.
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.
José Guadalupe Posada Museum
Aguascalientes is the birthplace of printmaker José Guadalupe Posada, and this museum shows the original signed printing plates he used to create his graphic images.
Agua Azul
Parque Agua Azul is an urban park on Calzada Independencia in Guadalajara's historic center, a green stop close to downtown.
Acuario Michin Guadalajara
Acuario Michin Guadalajara is an aquarium in the city of Guadalajara, in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
El Ixtépete
Zapopan's El Ixtépete preserves a pyramid built around AD 650-750, during the Grillo tradition, with at least seven superimposed construction phases; the site lies within the Guadalajara metro area near the Periférico and Avenida Mariano Otero.
Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral
Ciudad Guzmán's St. Joseph Cathedral (Catedral de San José) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ciudad Guzmán and the seat of its bishop.
Cathedral Basilica of Colima
Colima Cathedral, the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, stands at a corner of the Jardín Libertad in the city center. Pope John Paul II named it a minor basilica on October 12, 1998.
Museo Comunitario de la Sal
Set in an old warehouse in Cuyutlán, the community Salt Museum (Museo Comunitario de la Sal) explains how local salt has been harvested, from the old tapeixtle technique to modern methods, with historic photos of the salt works.
More drives to Barra de Navidad
- Cotija to Barra de Navidad
- Tepatitlán to Barra de Navidad
- San Juan de los Lagos to Barra de Navidad
- Nochistlán to Barra de Navidad
- Jalpa to Barra de Navidad
- Pátzcuaro to Barra de Navidad
From Sombrerete to other places in Mexico
- Sombrerete to Cosalá
- Sombrerete to Temacapulín
- Sombrerete to Amatitán
- Sombrerete to Ajijic
- Sombrerete to San Luis Soyatlán
- Sombrerete to Mazamitla
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Sombrerete to Barra de Navidad?
About 9 h 34 min of driving without stops, over 521 miles.
How far is Barra de Navidad from Sombrerete by car?
About 521 miles (839 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 Sombrerete to Barra de Navidad?
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 Sombrerete to Barra de Navidad?
The U.S. State Department rates Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Sombrerete to Barra de Navidad use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-54D, MEX-54, MEX-110, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Sombrerete and Barra de Navidad?
Closest to the road: Museo Nacional de la Muerte (art museum, mile 173, 0.1 mi from the route); José Guadalupe Posada Museum (museum, mile 174, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 465, 0.4 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.