The Wayro route from Tequila to El Salto, Durango is 326 miles (524 km), about 5 h 7 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 326 mi (524 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 7 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-40D → MEX-40 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco (Level 3), Nayarit (Level 2), Sinaloa (Level 4), Durango (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D, MEX-40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
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 Tequila to El Salto, Durango is like
MEX-15D (242 mi) and MEX-40D (75 mi) carry about 97% of the 326 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-40 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Nayarit, Sinaloa, Durango. Of the 4 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tequila to El Salto, Durango, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 2–244 | 242 | Jalisco, Nayarit, Sinaloa |
| MEX-40D | 244–319 | 75 | Sinaloa, Durango |
| connecting roads | 319–320 | 1 | Durango |
| MEX-40 | 320–325 | 5 | Durango |
| local roads | 325–326 | 1 | Durango |
- Mile 32 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
- Mile 175 of this route: Nayarit → Sinaloa (state line)
- Mile 286 of this route: Sinaloa → Durango (state line)
Stops between Tequila and El Salto, Durango
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 12), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 42)
- Nature and outdoors: Agua Grande Lagoon (mile 200)
- Museums and history: Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 12), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 42), Museo Regional de Nayarit (mile 94)
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.
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 Regional de Nayarit
In the city of Tepic, the Museo Regional de Nayarit focuses on the different cultural traditions of pre-Hispanic Nayarit.
Agua Grande Lagoon
Agua Grande is a large coastal lagoon in the Mexican state of Sinaloa that drains into the Pacific Ocean through the Teacapán Estuary.
More drives to El Salto, Durango
- San Juan de los Lagos to El Salto, Durango
- Tepatitlán to El Salto, Durango
- Guadalajara to El Salto, Durango
- Zamora to El Salto, Durango
- Paracho to El Salto, Durango
- Uruapan to El Salto, Durango
From Tequila to other places in Mexico
- Tequila to Temacapulín
- Tequila to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Tequila to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tequila to Calvillo
- Tequila to Real de Asientos
- Tequila to El Rosario, Sinaloa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tequila to El Salto, Durango?
About 5 h 7 min of driving without stops, over 326 miles.
How far is El Salto, Durango from Tequila by car?
About 326 miles (524 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 Tequila to El Salto, Durango?
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 Tequila to El Salto, Durango?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Sinaloa Level 4: Do Not Travel; Durango Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tequila to El Salto, Durango use?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-40D and MEX-40. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tequila and El Salto, Durango?
Closest to the road: Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 12, 0.5 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 42, 0.5 mi from the route); Museo Regional de Nayarit (museum, mile 94, 1 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.