The Wayro route from Cuautla to Metztitlán is 167 miles (268 km), about 3 h 47 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 167 mi (268 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-115 → MEX-115D → MEX-142 → MEX-85D → MEX-85 → MEX-105 → HGO 37 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos (Level 3), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-115D, MEX-85D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 6.7 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 Cuautla to Metztitlán is like
MEX-105 (31 mi) and MEX-115 (26 mi) carry about 34% of the 167 miles. MEX-115D, MEX-85D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-115, MEX-142, MEX-85, MEX-105 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Morelos, State of Mexico, Hidalgo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cuautla to Metztitlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Morelos |
| MEX-115 | 2–13 | 11 | Morelos |
| MEX-115D | 13–28 | 15 | Morelos, State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 28–43 | 15 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 43–57 | 14 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 57–58 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-142 | 58–73 | 15 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 73–77 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-85D | 77–93 | 16 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 93–109 | 16 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 109–117 | 8 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 117–132 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 132–136 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 136–152 | 16 | Hidalgo |
| HGO 37 | 152–167 | 15 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 21 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 88 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Cuautla and Metztitlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (mile 32), Texcoco Cathedral (mile 62), Templo y exconvento de San Agustín (mile 135), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 152), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 159)
- Nature and outdoors: Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park (mile 30), Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (mile 32), Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (mile 62), El Chico National Park (mile 122), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 152), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 159)
- Museums and history: Texcoco Cathedral (mile 62), Mexican Air Force Museum (mile 82)
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.
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.
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.
Texcoco Cathedral
Texcoco's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception occupies a former convent built by the Franciscans in the 16th century, one of the order's early convent complexes in the Americas.
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 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.
Templo y exconvento de San Agustín
Founded in 1536 and built between 1542 and 1562, the Augustinian church and former convent of San Agustín in Atotonilco el Grande has a Plateresque design and frescoes.
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.
Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán
The Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve protects about 96,000 hectares of eastern-central Hidalgo, where the Amajac, Metztitlán, Almolón and Metzquititlán rivers have cut four canyons, the Metztitlán gorge being the main one.
When you get to Metztitlán
Los Reyes Magos monastery, Metztitlán
Augustinian friars built the fortress-like Santos Reyes convent in Metztitlán in the 16th century, enclosing its atrium with a wall, open chapels and an atrial cross; it stands inside the Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve with wide canyon views.
More drives to Metztitlán
- Pachuca to Metztitlán
- Actopan to Metztitlán
- Tulancingo to Metztitlán
- Zimapán to Metztitlán
- Otumba to Metztitlán
- Calpulalpan to Metztitlán
From Cuautla to other places in Mexico
- Cuautla to Malinalco
- Cuautla to Metepec
- Cuautla to Zitácuaro
- Cuautla to Tlalpujahua
- Cuautla to Amealco
- Cuautla to Tequisquiapan
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cuautla to Metztitlán?
About 3 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 167 miles.
How far is Metztitlán from Cuautla by car?
About 167 miles (268 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 Cuautla to Metztitlán?
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 Cuautla to Metztitlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; 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 Cuautla to Metztitlán use?
In order: MEX-115, MEX-115D, MEX-142, MEX-85D, MEX-85, MEX-105 and HGO 37. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Cuautla and Metztitlán?
Closest to the road: Texcoco Cathedral (cathedral, mile 62, 0.7 mi from the route); Barranca de Metztitlán (canyon, mile 152, 0.2 mi from the route); Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (biosphere reserve, mile 159, 0.6 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.