Actopan to Metztitlán Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Actopan to Metztitlán is 58 miles (94 km), about 1 h 58 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Hidalgo is the Mexican state that contains Metztitlán. See the full advisory for current details.
El Chico National ParkTemplo y exconvento de San AgustínBarranca de MetztitlánBiosphere Reserve Barranca de MetztitlánActopanMetztitlán
Route from Actopan to Metztitlán with the 4 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance58 mi (94 km)
Driving time, no stops1 h 58 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-105 → HGO 37
Mexican states on the routeHidalgo (Level 2)
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 2.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below4

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 insuranceRequired 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 Actopan to Metztitlán is like

MEX-105 (14 mi) and HGO 37 (14 mi) carry about 48% of the 58 miles. The route stays on free federal roads (libre): MEX-105. Of the 4 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Actopan to Metztitlán, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–2929Hidalgo
MEX-10529–4314Hidalgo
connecting roads43–441Hidalgo
HGO 3744–5814Hidalgo

Stops between Actopan and Metztitlán

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 43), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 51)
  • Nature and outdoors: El Chico National Park (mile 24), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 43), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 51)

El Chico National Park

Mile 24 · National Park of Mexico · 6 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

In Hidalgo, El Chico National Park is known for towering cliffs such as Las Ventanas and Peña del Cuervo, popular with climbers, and forest wildlife including gray foxes, ringtails, armadillos, hawks, falcons and woodpeckers.

Templo y exconvento de San Agustín

Mile 28 · Convent · 2 mi from the route

Founded in 1536 and built between 1542 and 1562, the Augustinian church and former convent of San Agustín in Atotonilco el Grande has a Plateresque design and frescoes.

Barranca de Metztitlán

Mile 43 · Canyon · 0.2 mi from the route

Barranca de Metztitlán is a biosphere reserve in Hidalgo, protected for its steep cliffs, deep winding canyons and distinctive plants and wildlife.

Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán

Mile 51 · Biosphere reserve · 0.6 mi from the route

The Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve protects about 96,000 hectares of eastern-central Hidalgo, where the Amajac, Metztitlán, Almolón and Metzquititlán rivers have cut four canyons, the Metztitlán gorge being the main one.

When you get to Metztitlán

Los Reyes Magos monastery, Metztitlán

Convent · in Metztitlán

Augustinian friars built the fortress-like Santos Reyes convent in Metztitlán in the 16th century, enclosing its atrium with a wall, open chapels and an atrial cross; it stands inside the Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve with wide canyon views.

More drives to Metztitlán

From Actopan to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Actopan to Metztitlán?

About 1 h 58 min of driving without stops, over 58 miles.

How far is Metztitlán from Actopan by car?

About 58 miles (94 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 Actopan to Metztitlán?

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 Actopan to Metztitlán?

The U.S. State Department rates Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Actopan to Metztitlán use?

In order: MEX-105 and HGO 37. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Actopan and Metztitlán?

Closest to the road: Templo y exconvento de San Agustín (convent, mile 28, 2 mi from the route); Barranca de Metztitlán (canyon, mile 43, 0.2 mi from the route); Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (biosphere reserve, mile 51, 0.6 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.