Ixtepec to Jilotepec Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 13 October, 2026

Plan on about 8 h 34 min of driving for the 510-mile (821 km) trip from Ixtepec to Jilotepec, before any stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Oaxaca — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo — 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 Jilotepec. See the full advisory for current details.
Cathedral of Córdoba, VeracruzCañón del Río Blanco National ParkTeatro PrincipalCapilla del ArteLa Constancia MexicanaParque nacional XicoténcatlConvento de HuejotzingoExconvent of Santa María MagdalenaAtlantean figuresIxtepecJilotepec
Route from Ixtepec to Jilotepec with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance510 mi (821 km)
Driving time, no stops8 h 34 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-185D → MEX-185 → MEX-145D → MEX-150D → MEX-M40D
Mexican states on the routeOaxaca, Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico
Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap)MEX-185D, MEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 20.4 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.

The Ixtepec–Jilotepec drive in a few lines

MEX-150D (157 mi) and MEX-145D (118 mi) carry about 54% of the 510 miles. It runs through 6 states: Oaxaca, Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-185D, MEX-145D and MEX-150D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Ixtepec to Jilotepec, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–22Oaxaca
MEX-185D2–1614Oaxaca
connecting roads16–171Oaxaca
MEX-18517–3922Oaxaca
local roads39–445Oaxaca
MEX-18544–6117Oaxaca
local roads61–643Oaxaca
MEX-18564–12258Oaxaca, Veracruz
connecting roads122–1231Veracruz
MEX-145D123–241118Veracruz
MEX-150D241–398157Veracruz, Puebla
MEX-M40D398–508110Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico
local roads508–5102State of Mexico
  • Mile 81 of this route: Oaxaca → Veracruz (state line)
  • Mile 309 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
  • Mile 403 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
  • Mile 426 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 433 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 446 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 462 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 477 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 506 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)

What to see on the way from Ixtepec to Jilotepec

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 296), La Constancia Mexicana (mile 381)
  • Nature and outdoors: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 296), Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 391)
  • Museums and history: Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz (mile 274), Capilla del Arte (mile 378), La Constancia Mexicana (mile 381)

Cathedral of Córdoba, Veracruz

Mile 274 · Cathedral · 2 mi from the route

Built in the first half of the 17th century, Córdoba's Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the city's main church; look up to see its octagonal dome covered in tiles, finished in a neoclassical style.

Cañón del Río Blanco National Park

Mile 296 · National park · 0.5 mi from the route

Protected as a national park by Mexico's government, Cañón del Río Blanco is a natural area in Veracruz state.

Teatro Principal

Mile 377 · Theater · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The Teatro Principal is a historic theater in the city of Puebla that is still active as a stage for performances.

Capilla del Arte

Mile 378 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Capilla del Arte is a cultural space of the Universidad de las Américas Puebla in the old Las Fábricas de Francia building, with a contemporary art gallery and a reading nook.

La Constancia Mexicana

Mile 381 · Museum · 0.4 mi from the route

A textile factory founded in 1835 in Puebla now houses the La Constancia museum complex, with a children's museum, a puppet house, a Mexican music museum, an automobile museum and a park of miniature world monuments.

Parque nacional Xicoténcatl

Mile 391 · National park · 10 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Covering roughly 600 hectares in central Tlaxcala, Xicohténcatl National Park takes in the historic center of Tlaxcala city plus Quiahuixtlán, Ocotelulco and Tepeticpac, which correspond to three of the old Tlaxcalan lordships.

Convento de Huejotzingo

Mile 392 · Convent · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded by Franciscans in the 16th century, the former convent of San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo shows colonial Plateresque architecture on the western slopes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1994.

Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena

Mile 398 · Convent · 1 mi from the route

The former convent of Santa María Magdalena (Exconvento de Santa María Magdalena) is a 17th-century Baroque church built by the Dieguino friars, still in use as a Catholic temple of the Archdiocese of Puebla.

Atlantean figures

Mile 493 · Sculptures · 1 mi from the route

Crowning the main pyramid at the Tula archaeological zone, these basalt sculptures of Toltec warriors stand more than four meters tall in what was once the Toltec capital; the nearby Wall of Snakes shows carved serpents devouring skeletons.

More drives to Jilotepec

From Ixtepec to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Ixtepec to Jilotepec?

About 8 h 34 min of driving without stops, over 510 miles.

What is the driving distance from Ixtepec to Jilotepec?

About 510 miles (821 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 Ixtepec to Jilotepec?

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 Ixtepec to Jilotepec?

The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo 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.

Which highways go from Ixtepec to Jilotepec?

In order: MEX-185D, MEX-185, MEX-145D, MEX-150D and MEX-M40D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.

What are good stops between Ixtepec and Jilotepec?

Closest to the road: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (national park, mile 296, 0.5 mi from the route); La Constancia Mexicana (museum, mile 381, 0.4 mi from the route); Atlantean figures (sculptures, mile 493, 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.