Tepic to Rioverde is about 418 road miles (672 km): roughly 7 h 45 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 418 mi (672 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 45 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-80D → MEX-80 → SLP 80D → MEX-57D → MEX-70 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.7 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.
The Tepic–Rioverde drive in a few lines
MEX-15D (125 mi) and MEX-80D (115 mi) carry about 57% of the 418 miles. It runs through 4 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-15D, MEX-80D and MEX-57D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Tepic to Rioverde: 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 | 217–249 | 32 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 249–291 | 42 | Jalisco, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 80D | 291–339 | 48 | San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 339–341 | 2 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 341–347 | 6 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70 | 347–415 | 68 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 415–418 | 3 | San Luis Potosí |
- Mile 62 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 275 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 285 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
Places worth a stop between Tepic and Rioverde
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 51), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 81), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 240), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 240)
- Nature and outdoors: El Gogorrón National Park (mile 321), El Potosí National Park (mile 391)
- Museums and history: Ixtlán del Rio (mile 51), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 81), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 211), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 240), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 240)
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
The Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería, an interpretive museum of agave landscape and mining, is located in the municipality of Magdalena, Mexico.
Diana Theatre
The Diana Theatre, or Teatro Diana, is an indoor theater in Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco, with seating for 2,345 people.
Exconvento del Carmen
Built in the 17th century for the Discalced Carmelites, the Ex Convento del Carmen in Guadalajara is now a cultural venue with a long religious history.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Raised between 1732 and 1769, the cathedral basilica of San Juan de los Lagos draws pilgrims from far away who come to visit the small image of the Virgin kept inside.
Teatro José Rosas Moreno
Named after Jalisco writer José Rosas Moreno, this theater in Lagos de Moreno took decades to finish: work started in 1867, and it opened on May 5, 1907.
Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera
Lagos de Moreno, in the state of Jalisco, is home to the Museo Casa Agustín Rivera Altos de Jalisco, a local museum in town.
El Gogorrón National Park
Decreed a national park in 1936, Gogorrón in San Luis Potosí mixes desert scrub and grassland with pine-oak forest on its heights, and hot-spring balnearios lie within its bounds.
El Potosí National Park
El Potosí National Park is a protected area in the state of San Luis Potosí, covering about 20 square kilometers.
More drives to Rioverde
- San Miguel de Allende to Rioverde
- Celaya to Rioverde
- Tepatitlán to Rioverde
- Zitácuaro to Rioverde
- Mexico City to Rioverde
- Cuernavaca to Rioverde
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 Rioverde?
About 7 h 45 min of driving without stops, over 418 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tepic to Rioverde?
About 418 miles (672 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 Rioverde?
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 Rioverde?
The U.S. State Department rates Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Tepic to Rioverde?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-80D, MEX-80, SLP 80D, MEX-57D and MEX-70. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tepic and Rioverde?
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); Teatro José Rosas Moreno (opera house, mile 240, 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.