The Wayro route from Celaya to Huasca de Ocampo is 183 miles (295 km), about 3 h 16 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 183 mi (295 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D → MEX-85 → MEX-105 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.3 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.
What the drive from Celaya to Huasca de Ocampo is like
MEX-47D (52 mi) and MEX-M40D (46 mi) carry about 54% of the 183 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-85, MEX-105 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Celaya to Huasca de Ocampo, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45 | 2–7 | 5 | Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 7–8 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 8–13 | 5 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-47D | 13–65 | 52 | Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 65–101 | 36 | Querétaro, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 101–147 | 46 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 147–148 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 148–159 | 11 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 159–167 | 8 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 167–178 | 11 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 178–183 | 5 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 25 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 67 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 101 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 130 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 144 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Celaya and Huasca de Ocampo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo El Rehilete (mile 161), Museo Casa Grande (mile 174)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 24), El Chico National Park (mile 173)
- Museums and history: Tula (mile 113), Teotihuacan (mile 148), Museo El Rehilete (mile 161), Monumental Clock of Pachuca (mile 168), Museo Casa Grande (mile 174)
- With kids: Bioparque de Convivencia en Pachuca, Hidalgo (mile 163)
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
Tula
Once the Toltec capital, the Tula archaeological zone is best known for its Atlantes, basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall crowning the main pyramid. Visitors also see a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall, carved with snakes devouring skeletons.
Teotihuacan
Built between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, this UNESCO-listed ancient city lines the Avenue of the Dead, where you can walk between the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.
Museo El Rehilete
Kids head to Pachuca's interactive museum El Rehilete for its planetarium, observatory, dinosaur park, botanical garden and archaeological walk, plus a historic DC-3 airplane and a fire truck they can explore.
Bioparque de Convivencia en Pachuca, Hidalgo
Pachuca's Bioparque de Convivencia is a rescue and recovery center for wild, exotic and endemic animals saved from abuse, abandonment or risk, housing a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation unit.
Monumental Clock of Pachuca
Rising over Plaza Independencia in Pachuca's historic center, the Monumental Clock tower was built between 1904 and 1910 to mark the centennial of Mexico's War of Independence.
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.
Museo Casa Grande
The Museo Casa Grande is a museum in Mineral del Monte, in the state of Hidalgo, run by the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo.
When you get to Huasca de Ocampo
Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla
Basalt columns more than 40 meters tall line a ravine near Huasca de Ocampo, formed when lava cooled quickly on contact with water. Alexander von Humboldt described the Basaltic Prisms (Prismas Basálticos) after his visit in 1803.
More drives to Huasca de Ocampo
- Actopan to Huasca de Ocampo
- Otumba to Huasca de Ocampo
- Tepotzotlán to Huasca de Ocampo
- Mexico City to Huasca de Ocampo
- Jilotepec to Huasca de Ocampo
- Zimapán to Huasca de Ocampo
From Celaya to other places in Mexico
- Celaya to Real de Asientos
- Celaya to Amatitán
- Celaya to Zacatecas
- Celaya to Tequila
- Celaya to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Celaya to Sombrerete
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Celaya to Huasca de Ocampo?
About 3 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 183 miles.
How far is Huasca de Ocampo from Celaya by car?
About 183 miles (295 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 Celaya to Huasca de Ocampo?
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 Celaya to Huasca de Ocampo?
The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Celaya to Huasca de Ocampo use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-85 and MEX-105. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Celaya and Huasca de Ocampo?
Closest to the road: Tula (archaeological site, mile 113, 1 mi from the route); Museo El Rehilete (museum, mile 161, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Casa Grande (art museum, mile 174, 0.9 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.