By road, Tepic and Jalpa de Cánovas are about 239 miles (384 km) apart, or roughly 4 h 50 min of driving.
| Total distance | 239 mi (384 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 4 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-80D → MEX-84 → JAL 350 → JAL 323 → JAL 355 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-15D, MEX-80D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.5 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.
Driving Tepic to Jalpa de Cánovas: the shape of the trip
MEX-15D (125 mi) and MEX-80D (32 mi) carry about 66% of the 239 miles. It runs through 3 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Guanajuato. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-15D and MEX-80D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Tepic to Jalpa de Cánovas: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–5 | 5 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15D | 5–110 | 105 | Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 110–122 | 12 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 122–142 | 20 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 142–144 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 144–176 | 32 | Jalisco |
| MEX-84 | 176–203 | 27 | Jalisco |
| JAL 350 | 203–207 | 4 | Jalisco |
| JAL 323 | 207–232 | 25 | Jalisco |
| JAL 355 | 232–237 | 5 | Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| local roads | 237–239 | 2 | Guanajuato |
- Mile 62 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 233 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 51), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 81), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 121)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 121)
- Museums and history: Ixtlán del Rio (mile 51), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 81), National Museum of Tequila (mile 89), Guachimontones (mile 96), Casa Museo López Portillo (mile 126), Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (mile 126), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 129)
Ixtlán del Rio
A temple built on a completely round floor plan, unusual anywhere in Mesoamerica, is the highlight at the Ixtlán del Río archaeological site, which locals call Los Toriles. An introductory gallery explains the finds.
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
Jalisco's state government took back the National Museum of Tequila in 2026, announcing a reopening with refreshed displays. The museum, known as MUNAT, tells the story of the spirit in the town that shares its name.
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.
Casa Museo López Portillo
Opened on May 10, 1982, this house museum in Guadalajara's historic center showcases decorative arts and promotes work by young artists from the metro area.
Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara
Inside Guadalajara's Parque Agua Azul, the Museum of Paleontology opened in 2000 as one of only a few Mexican museums devoted to fossils, with exhibits developed with Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).
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.
More drives to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Real de Asientos to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Amatitán to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Zacatecas to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Jalpa de Cánovas
From Tepic to other places in Mexico
- Tepic to Amatitán
- Tepic to Ajijic
- Tepic to Tepatitlán
- Tepic to Temacapulín
- Tepic to Nochistlán
- Tepic to San Juan de los Lagos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tepic to Jalpa de Cánovas?
About 4 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 239 miles.
How far is Jalpa de Cánovas from Tepic by car?
About 239 miles (384 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 Tepic to Jalpa de Cánovas?
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 Tepic to Jalpa de Cánovas?
The U.S. State Department rates Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Tepic to Jalpa de Cánovas?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-80D, MEX-84, JAL 350, JAL 323 and JAL 355. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tepic and Jalpa de Cánovas?
Closest to the road: Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 51, 0.5 mi from the route); Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 81, 0.5 mi from the route); Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (park, mile 121, 0.9 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.