The Wayro route from Cuernavaca to Zitácuaro is 107 miles (172 km), about 2 h 32 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 107 mi (172 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 32 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-106 → MEX-200 → EM 44 → MEX-55 → MEX-A7D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos (Level 3), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-A7D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.3 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 Cuernavaca to Zitácuaro is like
MEX-A7D (34 mi) and MEX-106 (15 mi) carry about 46% of the 107 miles. MEX-A7D, MEX-15D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-106, MEX-200, MEX-55, MEX-15 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Morelos, State of Mexico, Michoacán. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cuernavaca to Zitácuaro, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–9 | 9 | Morelos |
| MEX-106 | 9–24 | 15 | Morelos, State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 24–29 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 29–34 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 34–37 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 37–44 | 7 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 44–45 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 45–50 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 50–60 | 10 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-A7D | 60–94 | 34 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 94–101 | 7 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 101–105 | 4 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 105–107 | 2 | Michoacán |
- Mile 15 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 91 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Cuernavaca and Zitácuaro
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 16)
- Nature and outdoors: Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 16), Cumbres del Ajusco National Park (mile 17), La Marquesa National Park (mile 37), Parque Estatal Sierra Morelos (mile 55), Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (mile 99)
- Museums and history: Toluca Cathedral (mile 52), Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez (mile 52), Calixtlahuaca (mile 56)
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Seven lagoons, three of them permanent, sit among pine, oak and fir forest above 3,000 meters in this park, decreed in 1936 on the Morelos–State of Mexico line. Hiking, horseback riding, camping and rowboats are popular here.
Cumbres del Ajusco National Park
Pine and oak forests climb toward alpine meadows in Cumbres del Ajusco National Park, on Mexico City's southern edge. It draws hikers, climbers and cyclists, and it gets occasional snow, a rarity for the region.
La Marquesa National Park
Set in high-altitude conifer forest along the Mexico City–Toluca highway, La Marquesa National Park offers roadside eateries, horse and ATV rentals, mountain biking and camping, and marks the site of the 1810 Battle of Monte de las Cruces.
Ciénegas del Lerma
These marshes in the Toluca Valley are three lakes left from a wetland of about 27,000 hectares in the late 19th century. A Ramsar site since 2004, they hold dozens of endemic and threatened species and are a key stop for migratory species.
Toluca Cathedral
Begun in 1867 and finished only in 1978, Toluca's Cathedral of Saint Joseph has a neoclassical facade and a bronze statue of the saint on its dome. It also preserves the 18th-century baroque front of the former San Elzeario church.
Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez
In Toluca's historic center, a building from the late 18th and early 19th centuries holds about 225 watercolors, oils and drawings tracing the work of painter Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez. It opened in December 1992.
Parque Estatal Sierra Morelos
This Toluca park, one of the State of Mexico's protected natural areas, is home to more than 500 species of plants and animals. Families come for the axolotl center, bat house, small farm and jogging track.
Calixtlahuaca
Spread over the slopes of Cerro Tenismó near Toluca, this site's standout is the round Temple of Ehécatl-Quetzalcóatl, rebuilt in four phases. Nearby, a Mexica-era skull rack displays stone skulls set into cross-shaped walls.
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies from across North America return to the oyamel fir forests about 100 km northwest of Mexico City, clustering so densely they bend branches. The reserve became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
More drives to Zitácuaro
- San Juan del Río to Zitácuaro
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Zitácuaro
- Zacatecas to Zitácuaro
- Fresnillo to Zitácuaro
- Durango to Zitácuaro
- Mazatlán to Zitácuaro
From Cuernavaca to other places in Mexico
- Cuernavaca to Valle de Bravo
- Cuernavaca to El Oro
- Cuernavaca to Tlalpujahua
- Cuernavaca to San Juan del Río
- Cuernavaca to Amealco
- Cuernavaca to Tequisquiapan
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cuernavaca to Zitácuaro?
About 2 h 32 min of driving without stops, over 107 miles.
How far is Zitácuaro from Cuernavaca by car?
About 107 miles (172 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 Cuernavaca to Zitácuaro?
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 Cuernavaca to Zitácuaro?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Cuernavaca to Zitácuaro use?
In order: MEX-106, MEX-200, EM 44, MEX-55, MEX-A7D, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Cuernavaca and Zitácuaro?
Closest to the road: Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 16, 0.4 mi from the route); Toluca Cathedral (catholic cathedral, mile 52, 1 mi from the route); Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez (art museum, mile 52, 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 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.