The Wayro route from Uruapan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is 285 miles (459 km), about 4 h 54 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 285 mi (459 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 54 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-14D → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-43D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 19 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.4 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 Uruapan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is like
MEX-45D (108 mi) and MEX-43D (51 mi) carry about 56% of the 285 miles. MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 4 states: Michoacán, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. Of the 4 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Uruapan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Michoacán |
| MEX-14D | 4–37 | 33 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 37–75 | 38 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 75–79 | 4 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 79–80 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-43D | 80–131 | 51 | Michoacán, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 131–239 | 108 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 239–269 | 30 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 269–272 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 272–276 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| connecting roads | 276–277 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 19 | 277–285 | 8 | Aguascalientes |
- Mile 95 of this route: Michoacán → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 194 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 243 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
Stops between Uruapan and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Escarcega (mile 258)
- Museums and history: Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 33), Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 33), Museo Escarcega (mile 258)
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.
Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares
Housed in an 18th-century building adapted from the Colegio de San Nicolás, which Vasco de Quiroga founded in the 16th century, this INAH museum in Pátzcuaro shows Purépecha pottery, textiles, woodwork and lacquerware.
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
Museo Escarcega
Eduardo Escárcega Rangel created this museum in the city of Aguascalientes to show his personal collection of paintings and prints by local, national and international artists.
When you get to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
Santuario del Cristo Roto, San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
A 28-meter broken Christ, the Cristo Roto, stands on an island in the Presidente Calles dam at San José de Gracia, reachable only by boat. Sculptors Erasmo Aguilar and Miguel Romo Santino made it to recall what the town lost when the dam was built.
More drives to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Jerez, Zacatecas to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Amatitán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Ajijic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tequila to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
From Uruapan to other places in Mexico
- Uruapan to Amatitán
- Uruapan to Tequila
- Uruapan to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Uruapan to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Uruapan to Real de Asientos
- Uruapan to Guadalupe, Zacatecas
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Uruapan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
About 4 h 54 min of driving without stops, over 285 miles.
How far is San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes from Uruapan by car?
About 285 miles (459 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 Uruapan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
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 Uruapan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; 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 Uruapan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes use?
In order: MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and AGS 19. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Uruapan and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
Closest to the road: Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (museum, mile 33, 1 mi from the route); Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (minor basilica, mile 33, 2 mi from the route); Museo Escarcega (art museum, mile 258, 0.7 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.