Ezequiel Montes to Tonatico Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Ezequiel Montes to Tonatico is 153 miles (246 km), about 3 h 11 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Querétaro — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. State of Mexico is the Mexican state that contains Tonatico. See the full advisory for current details.
Galería LibertadCathedral of AtlacomulcoCalixtlahuacaMuseo Taller NishizawaNevado de Toluca National ParkDesierto del Carmen National ParkEzequiel MontesTonatico
Route from Ezequiel Montes to Tonatico with the 6 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance153 mi (246 km)
Driving time, no stops3 h 11 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-120 → MEX-57D → MEX-55 → MEX-55D
Mexican states on the routeQuerétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-57D, MEX-55D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 6.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below6

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 Ezequiel Montes to Tonatico is like

MEX-55D (60 mi) and MEX-55 (45 mi) carry about 69% of the 153 miles. MEX-57D, MEX-55D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-120, MEX-55 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 2 states: Querétaro, State of Mexico. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Ezequiel Montes to Tonatico, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Querétaro
MEX-1201–2322Querétaro
MEX-57D23–296Querétaro
connecting roads29–301Querétaro
MEX-5530–7040Querétaro, State of Mexico
connecting roads70–711State of Mexico
MEX-55D71–10635State of Mexico
MEX-55106–1115State of Mexico
local roads111–12312State of Mexico
connecting roads123–1241State of Mexico
MEX-55D124–14925State of Mexico
local roads149–1534State of Mexico
  • Mile 33 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)

Stops between Ezequiel Montes and Tonatico

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Galería Libertad (mile 11), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 71)
  • Nature and outdoors: Nevado de Toluca National Park (mile 129), Desierto del Carmen National Park (mile 144)
  • Museums and history: Galería Libertad (mile 11), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 71), Calixtlahuaca (mile 105), Museo Taller Nishizawa (mile 109)

Galería Libertad

Mile 11 · Art museum · 0.4 mi from the route

Run by Querétaro's state culture department, Galería Libertad is a public gallery in the historic center of Santiago de Querétaro devoted to exhibiting, promoting and teaching the visual arts.

Cathedral of Atlacomulco

Mile 71 · Catholic cathedral · 0.5 mi from the route

Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.

Calixtlahuaca

Mile 105 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

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.

Museo Taller Nishizawa

Mile 109 · Art museum · 1 mi from the route

A late 18th-century house in Toluca, where painter Luis Nishizawa once taught painting workshops, now preserves and displays his work, a collection of nearly 800 pieces in a range of techniques.

Nevado de Toluca National Park

Mile 129 · Flora and fauna protection area · 7 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The Nevado de Toluca volcano was declared a flora and fauna protection area in 2013, a protected zone spanning ten municipalities of the State of Mexico, including Toluca, Zinacantepec and Temascaltepec.

Desierto del Carmen National Park

Mile 144 · National Park of Mexico · 7 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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 Tonatico

From Ezequiel Montes to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Ezequiel Montes to Tonatico?

About 3 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 153 miles.

How far is Tonatico from Ezequiel Montes by car?

About 153 miles (246 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 Ezequiel Montes to Tonatico?

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 Ezequiel Montes to Tonatico?

The U.S. State Department rates Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Ezequiel Montes to Tonatico use?

In order: MEX-120, MEX-57D, MEX-55 and MEX-55D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Ezequiel Montes and Tonatico?

Closest to the road: Galería Libertad (art museum, mile 11, 0.4 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 71, 0.5 mi from the route); Museo Taller Nishizawa (art museum, mile 109, 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.