Tepic to Pabellón de Hidalgo is about 285 road miles (458 km): roughly 5 h 4 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 285 mi (458 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 5 h 4 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-80D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 20 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.4 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.
On the road from Tepic to Pabellón de Hidalgo
MEX-15D (125 mi) and MEX-80D (73 mi) carry about 69% of the 285 miles. It runs through 3 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-15D, MEX-80D and MEX-45D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Tepic to Pabellón de Hidalgo: 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 |
| local roads | 217–230 | 13 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 230–243 | 13 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 243–273 | 30 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 273–276 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 276–281 | 5 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 20 | 281–284 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 284–285 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
- Mile 62 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 247 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
What to see on the way from Tepic to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- 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), Centro de Artes Visuales (mile 262)
- 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), Guachimontones (mile 96), Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Gráficas (mile 126), Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (mile 126), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 211), Centro de Artes Visuales (mile 262)
Ixtlán del Rio
Known locally as Los Toriles, the Ixtlán del Río site is famous for a temple with a fully circular floor plan, rare in Mesoamerica. People lived here from about 300 BC to AD 600, and 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.
Guachimontones
Near the town of Teuchitlán, Guachimontones is known for its circular structures. INAH describes it as the first large population center in western Mexico, emerging around 1000 BC, with two ball courts and about 40 circular buildings across 20 hectares.
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.
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
Only a few museums in Mexico are devoted to fossils, and one of them sits in Guadalajara's Parque Agua Azul, where it has welcomed visitors since 2000.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Gothic-style ribbed vaults rise over the interior of San Juan de los Lagos' cathedral basilica, built from 1732 to 1769, where you'll also find a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
Centro de Artes Visuales
Run by the Instituto Cultural de Aguascalientes, the Centro de Artes Visuales is an arts education center in the city of Aguascalientes with its own exhibition space for visual art.
Arriving in Pabellón de Hidalgo
Museo de la Insurgencia
A 17th-century estate has housed the Museo de la Insurgencia since 1964. Beyond the story of Mexico's fight for independence, its halls show hacienda work tools and everyday objects from earlier times.
More drives to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Nombre de Dios to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- El Salto, Durango to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Tepatitlán to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Guadalajara to Pabellón de Hidalgo
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 Pabellón de Hidalgo?
About 5 h 4 min of driving without stops, over 285 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tepic to Pabellón de Hidalgo?
About 285 miles (458 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 Pabellón de Hidalgo?
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 Pabellón de Hidalgo?
The U.S. State Department rates Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tepic to Pabellón de Hidalgo use?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-80D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and AGS 20. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tepic and Pabellón de Hidalgo?
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); Centro de Artes Visuales (art museum, mile 262, 0.2 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.