The Wayro route from Uruapan to Sayulita is 319 miles (513 km), about 6 h 1 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 319 mi (513 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-37 → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-15D, MEX-70D, MEX-200D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.7 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.
Driving Uruapan to Sayulita: the shape of the trip
MEX-15D (156 mi) and MEX-70D (19 mi) carry about 55% of the 319 miles. It runs through 3 states: Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-15D, MEX-70D and MEX-200D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Uruapan to Sayulita: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37 | 1–19 | 18 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 19–48 | 29 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 48–58 | 10 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 58–73 | 15 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 73–163 | 90 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 163–171 | 8 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 171–237 | 66 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 237–271 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 271–290 | 19 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 290–304 | 14 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 304–318 | 14 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 318–319 | 1 | Nayarit |
- Mile 93 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 221 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Places worth a stop between Uruapan and Sayulita
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Lago de Camécuaro National Park (mile 50), Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 57), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 162), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 231)
- Nature and outdoors: Lago de Camécuaro National Park (mile 50), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 162), Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 300)
- Museums and history: Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 57), Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (mile 155), Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes (mile 157), Guachimontones (mile 186), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 231)
Lago de Camécuaro National Park
Fed by countless springs, clear Lake Camécuaro near Tangancícuaro, about 13 km from Zamora, is ringed by old ahuehuete (sabino) trees. The national park is a popular spot for swimming, rowboats and picnics in their shade.
Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Rising over Zamora, Michoacán, the Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral whose towers reach 107.5 meters, making it the tallest church building in Mexico.
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.
Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes
The University of Guadalajara's Museo de las Artes, known as MUSA, opened on October 10, 1994, and was expanded in 2013.
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.
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.
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.
Rincón de Guayabitos
Visitors from Guadalajara and Tepic often head to this Nayarit beach town in the municipality of Compostela. Its shore runs about two kilometers, and the waves tend to be calm.
More drives to Sayulita
- Tepatitlán to Sayulita
- San Juan de los Lagos to Sayulita
- Jalpa to Sayulita
- León to Sayulita
- Aguascalientes to Sayulita
- Paracho to Sayulita
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 San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Uruapan to Real de Asientos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Uruapan to Sayulita?
About 6 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 319 miles.
How far is Sayulita from Uruapan by car?
About 319 miles (513 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 Sayulita?
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 Sayulita?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Uruapan to Sayulita?
In order: MEX-37, MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Uruapan to Sayulita?
Closest to the road: Lago de Camécuaro National Park (national park, mile 50, 0.5 mi from the route); Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe (cathedral, mile 57, 0.3 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 231, 0.5 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.