The Wayro route from Actopan to San Miguel, Morelos is 135 miles (217 km), about 3 h 1 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 135 mi (217 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-85 → MEX-85D → MEX-5D → MEX-115 |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-85D, MEX-5D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 5.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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.
What the drive from Actopan to San Miguel, Morelos is like
MEX-85 (35 mi) and MEX-5D (33 mi) carry about 50% of the 135 miles. MEX-85D, MEX-5D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-85, MEX-115 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Actopan to San Miguel, Morelos, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 2–37 | 35 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85D | 37–57 | 20 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 57–58 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-5D | 58–91 | 33 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 91–92 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 92–112 | 20 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 112–135 | 23 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
- Mile 43 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 122 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Actopan and San Miguel, Morelos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (mile 80)
- Nature and outdoors: El Chico National Park (mile 17), El Tepeyac National Park (mile 66), Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (mile 80), Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (mile 104), Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park (mile 106)
- Museums and history: Mexican Air Force Museum (mile 48), Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (mile 80)
El Chico National Park
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.
Mexican Air Force Museum
At Santa Lucía Air Base, the Military Aviation Museum, run by the Secretariat of National Defense, displays historical material from the Mexican Air Force.
El Tepeyac National Park
Decreed in 1937 on reforested slopes of the Sierra de Guadalupe, including Cerro del Tepeyac, this national park was created for rest and recreation, with views toward Mexico City and the old Lake Texcoco plain.
Historic center of Mexico City
Built by the Spanish in the 16th century on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, Mexico City's Centro Histórico holds the Metropolitan Cathedral, the excavated Aztec Templo Mayor and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1987.
Guerrero Chimalli
Rising 60 meters beside Bordo de Xochiaca Avenue in Chimalhuacán, this steel sculpture by Sebastián depicts an Indigenous warrior holding a shield (chimalli) and a mace.
Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario
The museum at the Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario opened in 2011 with a permanent exhibit, Encuentro con Nuestras Raíces, a hall of art from the State of Mexico and three temporary galleries.
Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park
Named for Antonio Flores de Valdés, who inherited the estate in 1642, this former hacienda and mill near Texcoco became a national park in 1937. Visitors walk among its ruins, the San Joaquín church remains and a chapel built on rock.
Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad
Bosque de los Árboles de Navidad in Amecameca, State of Mexico, is a tourist park with a greenhouse, covering about 400 hectares.
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park, also called Izta-Popo Zoquiapan, protects the land around Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, Mexico's second- and third-highest peaks, where the states of México, Puebla and Morelos meet.
When you get to San Miguel, Morelos
Convento de San Juan Bautista
This convent in Tetela del Volcán, known for its carved wooden sacristy and light-filled cloister walks, was cleaned of soot left from its use as a barracks during the Mexican Revolution in a conservation project completed in 2009.
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In the town of Hueyapan, the 16th-century church and former convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán keeps original frescoes and moldings inside, around a modest cloister typical of its era.
More drives to San Miguel, Morelos
- Cuernavaca to San Miguel, Morelos
- Zacatelco to San Miguel, Morelos
- Mexico City to San Miguel, Morelos
- Tlaxcala to San Miguel, Morelos
- Chiautempan to San Miguel, Morelos
- Apizaco to San Miguel, Morelos
From Actopan to other places in Mexico
- Actopan to Otumba
- Actopan to Cadereyta
- Actopan to Ezequiel Montes
- Actopan to Amealco
- Actopan to Pedro Escobedo
- Actopan to El Oro
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Actopan to San Miguel, Morelos?
About 3 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 135 miles.
How far is San Miguel, Morelos from Actopan by car?
About 135 miles (217 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 San Miguel, Morelos?
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 San Miguel, Morelos?
The U.S. State Department rates Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Actopan to San Miguel, Morelos use?
In order: MEX-85, MEX-85D, MEX-5D and MEX-115. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Actopan and San Miguel, Morelos?
Closest to the road: Guerrero Chimalli (colossal statue, mile 73, 1 mi from the route); Museo del Centro Cultural Mexiquense Bicentenario (museum, mile 80, 0.2 mi from the route); Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (park, mile 104, 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 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.