Cuanajo to Tetela de Ocampo Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Cuanajo to Tetela de Ocampo is 324 miles (521 km), about 5 h 50 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not Travel; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Puebla is the Mexican state that contains Tetela de Ocampo. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Museo Regional MichoacanoMuseo de Arte Contemporáneo Alfredo ZalceInsurgente José María Morelos y Pavón National ParkTeatro Morelos de MaravatíoRayón National ParkTulaTeotihuacanHuapalcalcoSantuario de Nuestro Padre Jesús de AquixtlaCuanajoTetela de Ocampo
Route from Cuanajo to Tetela de Ocampo with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance324 mi (521 km)
Driving time, no stops5 h 50 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-14 → MEX-126 → MEX-48D → MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-132 → MEX-132D → MEX-119D → PUE 148
Mexican states on the routeMichoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-48D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-132D, MEX-119D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 13.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

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 Cuanajo to Tetela de Ocampo is like

MEX-M40D (95 mi) and MEX-15D (77 mi) carry about 53% of the 324 miles. MEX-48D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-132D, MEX-119D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-14, MEX-126, MEX-132 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Puebla. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Cuanajo to Tetela de Ocampo, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–44Michoacán
MEX-144–2925Michoacán
connecting roads29–301Michoacán
MEX-12630–344Michoacán
connecting roads34–351Michoacán
MEX-48D35–5015Michoacán
MEX-15D50–12777Michoacán, State of Mexico
MEX-M40D127–22295State of Mexico, Hidalgo
MEX-132222–24422Hidalgo
connecting roads244–2451Hidalgo
MEX-132D245–27025Hidalgo
connecting roads270–2722Hidalgo
MEX-119D272–29018Hidalgo, Puebla
connecting roads290–2966Puebla
PUE 148296–32428Puebla
  • Mile 109 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 159 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 190 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 204 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 275 of this route: Hidalgo → Puebla (state line)

Stops between Cuanajo and Tetela de Ocampo

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Regional Michoacano (mile 29), Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Alfredo Zalce (mile 30), Huapalcalco (mile 253), Santuario de Nuestro Padre Jesús de Aquixtla (mile 297)
  • Nature and outdoors: Insurgente José María Morelos y Pavón National Park (mile 37), Rayón National Park (mile 106)
  • Museums and history: Museo Regional Michoacano (mile 29), Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Alfredo Zalce (mile 30), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 88), Tula (mile 172), Teotihuacan (mile 221), Huapalcalco (mile 253)

Museo Regional Michoacano

Mile 29 · Museum · 0.1 mi from the route

In the historic center of Morelia, the Museo Regional Michoacano is a long-running museum focused on the history of Michoacán.

Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Alfredo Zalce

Mile 30 · Art museum · 0.4 mi from the route

Run by Michoacán's Secretariat of Culture, the Alfredo Zalce Museum of Contemporary Art in Morelia mainly shows contemporary visual art by Michoacán artists, plus some national names.

Insurgente José María Morelos y Pavón National Park

Mile 37 · National Park of Mexico · 10 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Insurgente José María Morelos y Pavón National Park protects about 72 square kilometers of mountain terrain in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt in Michoacán.

Teatro Morelos de Maravatío

Mile 88 · Opera house · 1 mi from the route

Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.

Rayón National Park

Mile 106 · National Park of Mexico · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.

Tula

Mile 172 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

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

Mile 221 · Historic site · 13 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Huapalcalco

Mile 253 · Archaeological site · 0.2 mi from the route

About 5 kilometers north of Tulancingo, the pre-Columbian site of Huapalcalco sits on the western slope of a hill called Tecolote.

Santuario de Nuestro Padre Jesús de Aquixtla

Mile 297 · Sanctuary · 0.7 mi from the route

In the Sierra Norte de Puebla, the sanctuary of Nuestro Padre Jesús in Aquixtla draws thousands of pilgrims during the year who come to give thanks for favors received.

More drives to Tetela de Ocampo

From Cuanajo to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Cuanajo to Tetela de Ocampo?

About 5 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 324 miles.

How far is Tetela de Ocampo from Cuanajo by car?

About 324 miles (521 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 Cuanajo to Tetela 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 Cuanajo to Tetela de Ocampo?

The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Cuanajo to Tetela de Ocampo use?

In order: MEX-14, MEX-126, MEX-48D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-132, MEX-132D, MEX-119D and PUE 148. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Cuanajo and Tetela de Ocampo?

Closest to the road: Museo Regional Michoacano (museum, mile 29, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Alfredo Zalce (art museum, mile 30, 0.4 mi from the route); Huapalcalco (archaeological site, mile 253, 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 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.