By road, Ciudad Valles and Malinalco are about 309 miles (498 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 55 min of driving.
| Distance by road | 309 mi (498 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-85 → MEX-102 → MEX-105 → MEX-85D → Circuito Interior → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → EM 6 |
| Mexican states on the route | San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-85D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.4 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.
On the road from Ciudad Valles to Malinalco
MEX-105 (93 mi) and MEX-85 (81 mi) carry about 56% of the 309 miles. It runs through 4 states: San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Mexico City. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-85D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Ciudad Valles to Malinalco, road by road
| 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 | 216–246 | 30 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 246–250 | 4 | Mexico City |
| Circuito Interior | 250–255 | 5 | Mexico City |
| MEX-15 | 255–260 | 5 | Mexico City |
| MEX-15D | 260–272 | 12 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| EM 6 | 272–292 | 20 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 292–309 | 17 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 75 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 221 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 245 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 267 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Ciudad Valles and Malinalco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 159), Monumental Clock of Pachuca (mile 194), Acueducto de Guadalupe (mile 247), Monumento a los Niños Héroes (mile 254), Museo de Historia Natural (mile 256), Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 267)
- Nature and outdoors: Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 159), Museo de Historia Natural (mile 256), Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan National Park (mile 262), Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 267)
- Museums and history: Monumental Clock of Pachuca (mile 194), Acueducto de Guadalupe (mile 247), Centro Cultural de España, Mexico City (mile 250), Monumento a los Niños Héroes (mile 254), Museo de Historia Natural (mile 256)
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.
Acueducto de Guadalupe
Built in the mid-18th century to carry drinking water from Santa María Tlalnepantla to the Villa de Guadalupe, this colonial aqueduct in northern Mexico City now stands as a historic monument.
Centro Cultural de España, Mexico City
The Centro Cultural de España is at 18 Guatemala Street, just behind the Cathedral in Mexico City's historic center. In the late 1990s this old mansion was in ruins when the city ceded it to Spain.
Equestrian statue of Charles IV of Spain
Cast by Manuel Tolsá between 1796 and 1803, this bronze equestrian statue in Mexico City honors King Charles IV of Spain.
Monumento a los Niños Héroes
Officially called Altar a la Patria, this monument in Mexico City's Chapultepec park honors the Niños Héroes, six mostly teenage cadets killed defending the city during the Battle of Chapultepec on September 13, 1847.
Museo de Historia Natural
In the second section of Chapultepec Park, the Museo de Historia Natural y Cultura Ambiental displays mounted animals, fossils, rocks, minerals, sculptures and models about life on Earth and Mexico's biodiversity.
Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan National Park
In southern Mexico City's Tlalpan borough, Fuentes Brotantes de Tlalpan was declared a national park on September 28, 1936, on land once called the Barranca de los Manantiales.
Desierto de los Leones National Park
Declared a national park in 1917, this fir, ash and oak forest in Mexico City's Cuajimalpa and Álvaro Obregón boroughs surrounds a former Carmelite monastery. Locals come to hike, run and cycle, and more than 100 bird species live here.
In Malinalco itself
Malinalco
Carved straight into the hillside above Malinalco, the Cuauhcalli is a rock-cut temple at the heart of this archaeological zone. The Mexica took the Matlatzinca town around 1476 and used it to train and consecrate elite warriors.
Desierto del Carmen National Park
Declared a national park on October 10, 1942, Desierto del Carmen is a protected area in the municipality of Tenancingo, in the State of Mexico.
More drives to Malinalco
- Valle de Bravo to Malinalco
- Zitácuaro to Malinalco
- Tlalpujahua to Malinalco
- San Juan del Río to Malinalco
- Tequisquiapan to Malinalco
- Salvatierra to Malinalco
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 does it take to drive from Ciudad Valles to Malinalco?
About 7 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 309 miles.
How far is Malinalco from Ciudad Valles by car?
About 309 miles (498 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 Malinalco?
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 Malinalco?
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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Ciudad Valles to Malinalco use?
In order: MEX-85, MEX-102, MEX-105, MEX-85D, Circuito Interior, MEX-15, MEX-15D and EM 6. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ciudad Valles and Malinalco?
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); Museo de Historia Natural (museum, mile 256, 0.2 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.