Driving to Zihua from Los Mochis or DF

Thank you again, Linda. That is very useful information.

Here are our approximate times in a motorhome towing a car:

OR:

Mazatlan to Guadalajara in a long day. (we haven't done this but have done parts of it; wouldn,t like to guess a time but could done in a day.

Guadalajara to Zihuatanejo could also be done in a day.

Last April we "did" Zihua to Mazatlan in one shot, 1030 km, a long 13 1/2 hours, via Uruapan, north to the Guad-DF cuota, then cuotas all the way to Maz. 1259 pesos in tolls! We would normally stay overnight in, say, Tequila, but this time we just kept going, much to Mrs. H's displeasure.

The coastal route does have its pretty parts, but Los Mochis - Mazatlan isn't one of them.....actually there isn't much scenery until south of Tepic, unless one takes the back road from San Blas south.

I hope the OP has done his homework regarding the train through the Copper Canyon. We've heard stories of sporadic or non-existent service. We haven't been that way ourselves yet, but it's on the bucket list.

Keep going past the sign to Zihuatanejo. You'll recognize it immediately because the wrong exit has an overpass. The wrong road also takes you through the scroungy town of Guacamayas, over forty topes, and slow belching trucks.

The correct path that leads you onto Mex 37-D will take you to a traffic signal intersection with a pair of left turn lanes, and a green arrow light. On your right will be an eclectic auto repair parts place that Salvador Dali would have enjoyed seeing.

Slower going for the first 2 miles due to parallel highway construction then 4 lanes. The off again on again caseta de cobro is probably permanently off so you will pay at the caseta just before you take the exit for Mex 200.

When you get to the bottom of the exit, do not turn immediately left onto the highway. Check both ways, then go straight across and make a left onto a frontage on ramp. School of hard knocks. Mexican friend got a PFP issued ticket there for 900 pesos, for not following the rules.

I traveled the length of Mex 200 border to border in Michoacan twice three weeks ago. The rurales have chased all the bad boys away. These guys the rurales are friendly. The Puesto de Control de Marinas de Armada 30 miles south of Cerro de Ortega may be a little more thorough. But again friendly.

At Tecoman, exit, then drive on a divided boulevard a couple of miles until you encounter a gigantic middle of the road monument. There will be a sign announcing CERRO de ORTEGA. Make a left there.

Follow this road. Pretty soon fairgrounds will appear on your right, you need to make a right at the intersection bordering the fairgrounds. This is a divided road that seems to have a lot of potholes.

The end of this road is a "T" intersection at a smaller middle of the road monument where you make a left and rejoin Mex 200.

There will be a Pemex gasolinera on your right that I recommend you fill up at. The next stations are a long way off.

Speeding flat bed big rigs overloaded with rebar from Las Truchas steel mill in Lazaro will be your biggest concern. The 40' trailers cut curves. Also beware of topes hidden in the shadow of trees (You didn't expect them to do all that work in the hot sun, did you?)

This is a beautiful daylight-only drive. Enjoy.