Ciudad Valles to Ixcateopan is about 375 road miles (603 km): roughly 9 h 30 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 375 mi (603 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 30 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-85 → MEX-102 → MEX-105 → MEX-85D → EM 12 → Viaducto → MEX-95D → MEX-95 → MEX-92D |
| Mexican states on the route | San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Morelos, Guerrero |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-85D, MEX-95D, MEX-92D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.0 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.
On the road from Ciudad Valles to Ixcateopan
MEX-105 (93 mi) and MEX-85 (81 mi) carry about 46% of the 375 miles. It runs through 6 states: San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Morelos, Guerrero. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-85D, MEX-95D and MEX-92D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Ciudad Valles to Ixcateopan: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-85 | 2–67 | 65 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-102 | 67–71 | 4 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 71–96 | 25 | San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 96–175 | 79 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 175–179 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 179–193 | 14 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 193–200 | 7 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 200–216 | 16 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85D | 216–232 | 16 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 232–237 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| EM 12 | 237–245 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 245–249 | 4 | State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 249–255 | 6 | Mexico City |
| local roads | 255–262 | 7 | Mexico City |
| Viaducto | 262–265 | 3 | Mexico City |
| MEX-95D | 265–287 | 22 | Mexico City, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 287–296 | 9 | Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 296–305 | 9 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 305–316 | 11 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 316–317 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 317–345 | 28 | Morelos, Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 345–347 | 2 | Guerrero |
| MEX-92D | 347–352 | 5 | Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 352–353 | 1 | Guerrero |
| local roads | 353–375 | 22 | Guerrero |
- Mile 75 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 221 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 247 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 282 of this route: Mexico City → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 339 of this route: Morelos → Guerrero (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Ciudad Valles and Ixcateopan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 159), Monumental Clock of Pachuca (mile 194)
- Nature and outdoors: Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 159), Viveros de Coyoacán (mile 259), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 344)
- Museums and history: Monumental Clock of Pachuca (mile 194), Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco (mile 249), Caricature Museum, Mexico City (mile 255), Museo Nacional de la Estampa (mile 255), Teopanzolco (mile 302)
Barranca de Metztitlán
Barranca de Metztitlán is a biosphere reserve in Hidalgo, protected for its steep cliffs, deep winding canyons and distinctive plants and wildlife.
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.
Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco
Established by Franciscans in Tlatelolco on January 6, 1536, the Colegio de Santa Cruz was an early school of higher learning that trained Indigenous students and interpreters.
Caricature Museum, Mexico City
Housed in an 18th-century Baroque building in Mexico City's historic center, the Caricature Museum opened in 1987 to preserve the history of Mexican cartooning.
Museo Nacional de la Estampa
Dedicated to Mexican graphic arts, the Museo Nacional de la Estampa in Mexico City covers printmaking techniques such as woodcuts, lithography and seals.
Viveros de Coyoacán
Part tree nursery, part public park, Viveros de Coyoacán covers 96 acres and was founded in the early 20th century by Miguel Ángel de Quevedo to grow seedlings for reforesting Mexico's forests.
Teopanzolco
Now surrounded by the city of Cuernavaca, Teopanzolco preserves a Late Postclassic pyramid base that once carried twin temples to Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli, a layout closely tied to Tenochtitlan's sacred precinct.
Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park
Protected as a national park since 1936, this area near Taxco centers on the Cacahuamilpa caverns, where a guided route of about 4 km passes chambers up to 80 meters high, decorated with flowstone and floor-to-ceiling columns.
Arriving in Ixcateopan
Ixcateopan
Some 36 kilometers from Taxco in the rugged mountains of northern Guerrero, the ruins at Ixcateopan de Cuauhtémoc belong to a city that served as an important regional ceremonial center.
More drives to Ixcateopan
- Tlaltizapán to Ixcateopan
- Tepoztlán to Ixcateopan
- Metepec to Ixcateopan
- Oaxtepec to Ixcateopan
- Tlayacapan to Ixcateopan
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Ixcateopan
From Ciudad Valles to other places in Mexico
- Ciudad Valles to Tecolutla
- Ciudad Valles to Pedro Escobedo
- Ciudad Valles to Otumba
- Ciudad Valles to Cuetzalan
- Ciudad Valles to Tlaxcala
- Ciudad Valles to Chiautempan
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ciudad Valles to Ixcateopan?
About 9 h 30 min of driving without stops, over 375 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ciudad Valles to Ixcateopan?
About 375 miles (603 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 Ciudad Valles to Ixcateopan?
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 Ciudad Valles to Ixcateopan?
The U.S. State Department rates San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Ciudad Valles to Ixcateopan use?
In order: MEX-85, MEX-102, MEX-105, MEX-85D, EM 12, Viaducto, MEX-95D, MEX-95 and MEX-92D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ciudad Valles and Ixcateopan?
Closest to the road: Barranca de Metztitlán (canyon, mile 159, 0.2 mi from the route); Monumental Clock of Pachuca (monument, mile 194, 0.1 mi from the route); Teopanzolco (archaeological site, mile 302, 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 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.