Tepic to Mineral de Pozos is about 365 road miles (587 km): roughly 6 h 47 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance | 365 mi (587 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-80D → MEX-80 → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → MEX-110D → MEX-110 → MEX-51 → GTO 100 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-45D, MEX-110D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 Tepic to Mineral de Pozos drive plays out
MEX-15D (125 mi) and MEX-80D (73 mi) carry about 54% of the 365 miles. It runs through 3 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Guanajuato. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-15D, MEX-80D and MEX-45D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Tepic to Mineral de Pozos: 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 | 144–217 | 73 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 217–231 | 14 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 231–268 | 37 | Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45 | 268–281 | 13 | Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 281–282 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-110D | 282–291 | 9 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-110 | 291–328 | 37 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-51 | 328–359 | 31 | Guanajuato |
| GTO 100 | 359–365 | 6 | Guanajuato |
- Mile 62 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 249 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
What to see on the way from Tepic to Mineral de Pozos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 51), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 121), Museo Regional de Guanajuato Alhóndiga de Granaditas (mile 295), Miguel Hidalgo House, Dolores Hidalgo (mile 328)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 121)
- Museums and history: Ixtlán del Rio (mile 51), Guachimontones (mile 96), Casa Museo López Portillo (mile 126), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 211), Museo Regional de Guanajuato Alhóndiga de Granaditas (mile 295), Miguel Hidalgo House, Dolores Hidalgo (mile 328)
Ixtlán del Rio
Between roughly 300 BC and AD 600, people made their home at Los Toriles in Ixtlán del Río. Today visitors come for its circular temple, a rare design in Mesoamerica.
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
Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara is a public park in Zapopan, Jalisco, that hosts many events, including concerts, outdoor movie screenings 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.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Pilgrims come from far and wide to San Juan de los Lagos to see the small image of the Virgin kept in this cathedral basilica, built between 1732 and 1769. Inside are Gothic-style ribbed vaults and a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
Museo Regional de Guanajuato Alhóndiga de Granaditas
Built between 1796 and 1809 to plans by José Alejandro Durán y Villaseñor, the Alhóndiga de Granaditas in Guanajuato is home to the Museo Regional de Guanajuato.
Miguel Hidalgo House, Dolores Hidalgo
Built in 1779, the Casa de Hidalgo in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, is also known as the Museo Histórico Curato de Dolores.
More drives to Mineral de Pozos
- Celaya to Mineral de Pozos
- Salvatierra to Mineral de Pozos
- León to Mineral de Pozos
- Salamanca to Mineral de Pozos
- Irapuato to Mineral de Pozos
- Moroleón to Mineral de Pozos
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 does it take to drive from Tepic to Mineral de Pozos?
About 6 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 365 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tepic to Mineral de Pozos?
About 365 miles (587 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 Mineral de Pozos?
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 Mineral de Pozos?
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 Mineral de Pozos?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-80D, MEX-80, MEX-45D, MEX-45, MEX-110D, MEX-110, MEX-51 and GTO 100. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tepic to Mineral de Pozos?
Closest to the road: Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 51, 0.5 mi from the route); Museo Regional de Guanajuato Alhóndiga de Granaditas (museum, mile 295, 0.2 mi from the route); Miguel Hidalgo House, Dolores Hidalgo (museum, mile 328, 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 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.