Zamora to La Peñita de Jaltemba is about 241 road miles (388 km): roughly 4 h 1 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance | 241 mi (388 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D |
| 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 9.6 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.
How the Zamora to La Peñita de Jaltemba drive plays out
MEX-15D (156 mi) and MEX-70D (18 mi) carry about 72% of the 241 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, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Zamora to La Peñita de Jaltemba: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–16 | 16 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 16–106 | 90 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 106–114 | 8 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 114–180 | 66 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 180–214 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 214–232 | 18 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 232–241 | 9 | Nayarit |
- Mile 35 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 163 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Places worth a stop between Zamora and La Peñita de Jaltemba
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 104), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 144), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 173)
- Nature and outdoors: Agua Azul (mile 98), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 104)
- Museums and history: Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 95), Casa Museo López Portillo (mile 99), Guachimontones (mile 129), National Museum of Tequila (mile 135), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 144), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 173)
Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque
Ceramics lovers in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, can find the Museo Regional de la Cerámica on Independencia Street. Along with the Pantaleón Panduro Museum, it is one of the city's two principal pottery museums.
Agua Azul
Parque Agua Azul is an urban park on Calzada Independencia in Guadalajara's historic center, a green stop close to downtown.
Casa Museo López Portillo
Opened on May 10, 1982, this house museum in Guadalajara's historic center showcases decorative arts and promotes work by young artists from the metro area.
Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara
Zapopan's Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara is a public park in Jalisco with a busy event calendar that includes open-air film screenings, live concerts 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.
National Museum of Tequila
Jalisco's state government took back the National Museum of Tequila in 2026, announcing a reopening with refreshed displays. The museum, known as MUNAT, tells the story of the spirit in the town that shares its name.
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
A temple built on a completely round floor plan, unusual anywhere in Mesoamerica, is the highlight at the Ixtlán del Río archaeological site, which locals call Los Toriles. An introductory gallery explains the finds.
When you get to La Peñita de Jaltemba
Rincón de Guayabitos
Rincón de Guayabitos is a beach town in Compostela, Nayarit, with about two kilometers of shore known for gentle waves, a popular getaway from Tepic and Guadalajara.
More drives to La Peñita de Jaltemba
- Tepatitlán to La Peñita de Jaltemba
- San Juan de los Lagos to La Peñita de Jaltemba
- Lagos de Moreno to La Peñita de Jaltemba
- Pénjamo to La Peñita de Jaltemba
- León to La Peñita de Jaltemba
- Aguascalientes to La Peñita de Jaltemba
From Zamora to other places in Mexico
- Zamora to Amatitán
- Zamora to Tequila
- Zamora to Real de Asientos
- Zamora to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Zamora to El Rosario, Sinaloa
- Zamora to Nombre de Dios
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Zamora to La Peñita de Jaltemba?
About 4 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 241 miles.
How far is La Peñita de Jaltemba from Zamora by car?
About 241 miles (388 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 Zamora to La Peñita de Jaltemba?
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 Zamora to La Peñita de Jaltemba?
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 Zamora to La Peñita de Jaltemba?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D and MEX-200D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Zamora to La Peñita de Jaltemba?
Closest to the road: Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (park, mile 104, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 144, 0.5 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 173, 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.