By road, Xilitla and Jalpa de Cánovas are about 291 miles (468 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 6 min of driving.
| Distance | 291 mi (468 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 6 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → QRO 100 → QRO 4 → MEX-57D → MEX-45D → GTO 87-0 → GTO 37 |
| Mexican states on the route | San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-57D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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.
How the Xilitla to Jalpa de Cánovas drive plays out
MEX-120 (104 mi) and MEX-45D (102 mi) carry about 71% of the 291 miles. It runs through 3 states: San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Guanajuato. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D and MEX-45D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Xilitla to Jalpa de Cánovas: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-120 | 1–105 | 104 | San Luis Potosí, Querétaro |
| QRO 100 | 105–132 | 27 | Querétaro |
| QRO 4 | 132–152 | 20 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 152–164 | 12 | Querétaro |
| MEX-45D | 164–266 | 102 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| GTO 87-0 | 266–280 | 14 | Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 280–282 | 2 | Guanajuato |
| GTO 37 | 282–291 | 9 | Guanajuato |
- Mile 16 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 171 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Santiago de Jalpan mission (mile 50)
- Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 160)
- Museums and history: San Francisco del Valle de Tilaco mission (mile 22), Santa María del Agua de Landa mission (mile 39), Santiago de Jalpan mission (mile 50), Museo Regional de Querétaro (mile 164), El Cerrito (mile 168)
San Francisco del Valle de Tilaco mission
In Landa de Matamoros, the Misión de San Francisco de Asís del Valle de Tilaco has a Baroque facade, one of the last works in that style built in New Spain, and is a key monument of the Sierra Gorda.
Santa María del Agua de Landa mission
Built by Franciscans in the 18th century, the Mission of Santa María del Agua de Landa in Landa de Matamoros is an architectural complex in the churrigueresque style.
Santiago de Jalpan mission
Built between 1751 and 1758 under Franciscan friar Junípero Serra, the Misión de Santiago de Jalpan is one of five Franciscan missions raised in Querétaro's Sierra Gorda.
El Cimatario National Park
El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.
Templo y exconvento de San Francisco de Asís de Querétaro
Querétaro's San Francisco church once served as the city's cathedral. The convent was begun in 1589 and the church finished in 1640, and it keeps a Baroque lectern and upper-choir stalls by Francisco Eduardo Tresguerras.
Museo Regional de Querétaro
The state's regional museum occupies the former Great Convent of San Francisco in central Santiago de Querétaro, a building dating from the 1540s and 1550s.
El Cerrito
Just outside Querétaro city in Corregidora, El Cerrito is an INAH archaeological zone centered on a pyramid close to 100 feet high, later topped by a 19th-century fort, with a small site museum on the grounds.
More drives to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Real de Asientos to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Amatitán to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Zacatecas to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Jalpa de Cánovas
From Xilitla to other places in Mexico
- Xilitla to Pinal de Amoles
- Xilitla to Omitlán
- Xilitla to Cuetzalan
- Xilitla to El Oro
- Xilitla to Ocuituco
- Xilitla to Santa Fe de la Laguna
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Xilitla to Jalpa de Cánovas?
About 7 h 6 min of driving without stops, over 291 miles.
How far is Jalpa de Cánovas from Xilitla by car?
About 291 miles (468 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 Xilitla to Jalpa de Cánovas?
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 Xilitla to Jalpa de Cánovas?
The U.S. State Department rates San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Xilitla to Jalpa de Cánovas?
In order: MEX-120, QRO 100, QRO 4, MEX-57D, MEX-45D, GTO 87-0 and GTO 37. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Xilitla and Jalpa de Cánovas?
Closest to the road: Santa María del Agua de Landa mission (mission, mile 39, 1 mi from the route); Santiago de Jalpan mission (mission, mile 50, 0.7 mi from the route); Museo Regional de Querétaro (museum, mile 164, 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 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.