General Zaragoza to Huasca de Ocampo is about 467 road miles (752 km): roughly 9 h 55 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
What the State Department tells travelers on this route:
- Nuevo León: “Those traveling between the U.S. border and Monterrey on highways 85/85D, 54, and 40/40D should exercise caution and avoid travel after dark.”
- Nuevo León: “Armed robberies and carjackings have occurred along these highways even during daylight hours.”
| Distance | 467 mi (752 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | NL 3 → SLP 29 → MEX-57D → MEX-57 → MEX-M40D → MEX-85 → MEX-105 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-57D, MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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.
How the General Zaragoza to Huasca de Ocampo drive plays out
MEX-57 (173 mi) and MEX-57D (134 mi) carry about 66% of the 467 miles. It runs through 6 states: Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D and MEX-M40D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from General Zaragoza to Huasca de Ocampo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–42 | 42 | Nuevo León |
| NL 3 | 42–47 | 5 | Nuevo León |
| SLP 29 | 47–76 | 29 | Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 76–82 | 6 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 82–158 | 76 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 158–199 | 41 | San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 199–200 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 200–297 | 97 | San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| connecting roads | 297–298 | 1 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 298–385 | 87 | Querétaro, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 385–431 | 46 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 431–432 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 432–443 | 11 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 443–451 | 8 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 451–462 | 11 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 462–467 | 5 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 68 of this route: Nuevo León → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 237 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 291 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 352 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 385 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 414 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 428 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Huasca de Ocampo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tula National Park (mile 397)
- Nature and outdoors: El Gogorrón National Park (mile 210), Tula National Park (mile 397), El Chico National Park (mile 457)
- Museums and history: Matehuala Cathedral (mile 77), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 190), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 305)
Matehuala Cathedral
In Matehuala, San Luis Potosí, the Diocese of Matehuala has its seat at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, a Catholic church that remains open to worshippers.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
San Luis Potosí's cathedral anchors the city's historic center, which UNESCO lists as a component of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro World Heritage Site.
El Gogorrón National Park
Decreed a national park in 1936, Gogorrón in San Luis Potosí mixes desert scrub and grassland with pine-oak forest on its heights, and hot-spring balnearios lie within its bounds.
Former hacienda of Chichimequillas
Discalced Carmelite friars founded this hacienda around 1690 to shelter travelers on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and to farm. Its two-story stone and lime main house, finished in 1813, wraps around a central courtyard beside a chapel.
Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro
UNESCO listed Querétaro's historic center in 1996. Here, the Spanish grid of streets meets the winding lanes of the old Indigenous quarters, with Baroque churches and mansions throughout.
Tula National Park
This park protects the ruins of Tula, ancient capital of the Toltecs. Walk up to the main pyramid to stand beside the Atlantes, basalt warrior figures more than four meters tall, and look for the Coatepantli wall's reliefs of snakes devouring skeletons.
Teatro de la Ciudad San Francisco
The Teatro de la Ciudad San Francisco is a theater in the historic center of Pachuca de Soto, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
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.
When you get to Huasca de Ocampo
Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla
Basalt columns more than 40 meters tall line a ravine near Huasca de Ocampo, formed when lava cooled quickly on contact with water. Alexander von Humboldt described the Basaltic Prisms (Prismas Basálticos) after his visit in 1803.
More drives to Huasca de Ocampo
- Actopan to Huasca de Ocampo
- Otumba to Huasca de Ocampo
- Tepotzotlán to Huasca de Ocampo
- Mexico City to Huasca de Ocampo
- Jilotepec to Huasca de Ocampo
- Zimapán to Huasca de Ocampo
From General Zaragoza to other places in Mexico
- General Zaragoza to Temacapulín
- General Zaragoza to Omitlán
- General Zaragoza to Ixcateopan
- General Zaragoza to Boca de Pascuales
- General Zaragoza to Lo de Marcos
- General Zaragoza to Chacala
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from General Zaragoza to Huasca de Ocampo?
About 9 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 467 miles.
How far is Huasca de Ocampo from General Zaragoza by car?
About 467 miles (752 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 General Zaragoza to Huasca 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 General Zaragoza to Huasca de Ocampo?
The U.S. State Department rates Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; 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 General Zaragoza to Huasca de Ocampo use?
In order: NL 3, SLP 29, MEX-57D, MEX-57, MEX-M40D, MEX-85 and MEX-105. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from General Zaragoza to Huasca de Ocampo?
Closest to the road: Matehuala Cathedral (cathedral, mile 77, 2 mi from the route); Tula National Park (national park, mile 397, 1 mi from the route); Teatro de la Ciudad San Francisco (theater, mile 452, 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 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.