Malinalco to Mineral de Pozos Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Malinalco to Mineral de Pozos is 201 miles (323 km), about 4 h 24 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Guanajuato is the Mexican state that contains Mineral de Pozos. Check the full advisory for this state before you go.
Nevado de Toluca National ParkMuseo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de MéxicoMuseo Felipe Santiago GutiérrezCalixtlahuacaCathedral of AtlacomulcoHistoric Monuments Zone of QuerétaroCasa de la CorregidoraCerro de las CampanasFormer hacienda of ChichimequillasMalinalcoMineral de Pozos
Route from Malinalco to Mineral de Pozos with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance201 mi (323 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 24 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-55 → MEX-55D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 → GTO 100
Mexican states on the routeState of Mexico (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-A10D, MEX-55D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 8.0 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.

What the drive from Malinalco to Mineral de Pozos is like

MEX-57D (51 mi) and MEX-55 (41 mi) carry about 46% of the 201 miles. MEX-55D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-55, MEX-57 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Malinalco to Mineral de Pozos, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–3434State of Mexico
MEX-5534–4511State of Mexico
MEX-55D45–7429State of Mexico
connecting roads74–762State of Mexico
MEX-M40D76–859State of Mexico
connecting roads85–861State of Mexico
MEX-5586–11630State of Mexico, Querétaro
MEX-57D116–16751Querétaro
MEX-57167–18821Querétaro, Guanajuato
local roads188–1924Guanajuato
GTO 100192–2019Guanajuato
  • Mile 114 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
  • Mile 174 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)

Stops between Malinalco and Mineral de Pozos

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 75)
  • Nature and outdoors: Nevado de Toluca National Park (mile 24), Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México (mile 35), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 155)
  • Museums and history: Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México (mile 35), Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez (mile 36), Calixtlahuaca (mile 40), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 75), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 158)

Nevado de Toluca National Park

Mile 24 · Flora and fauna protection area · 12 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.

Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México

Mile 35 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

Set in the Parque de los Matlatzincas on Cerro del Calvario, the Natural Sciences Museum of the State of Mexico explores biology, geology and the preservation of natural resources.

Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez

Mile 36 · Art museum · 1 mi from the route

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.

Calixtlahuaca

Mile 40 · 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.

Cathedral of Atlacomulco

Mile 75 · Catholic cathedral · 0.1 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.

Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro

Mile 149 · Old town · 7 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Querétaro's historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996, pairs the Spaniards' grid of streets with the winding lanes of the old Indigenous quarters. Walk it for Baroque churches and mansions of the 17th and 18th centuries and the city's landmark aqueduct.

Casa de la Corregidora

Mile 151 · Building · 8 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Completed in 1770 as Querétaro's royal houses and town hall, the Casa de la Corregidora is where Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, held there in 1810, sent word of danger to Miguel Hidalgo. After independence it became the state government palace.

Cerro de las Campanas

Mile 155 · National Park of Mexico · 9 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.

Former hacienda of Chichimequillas

Mile 158 · Historic site · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

More drives to Mineral de Pozos

From Malinalco to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Malinalco to Mineral de Pozos?

About 4 h 24 min of driving without stops, over 201 miles.

How far is Mineral de Pozos from Malinalco by car?

About 201 miles (323 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 Malinalco to Mineral de Pozos?

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 Malinalco to Mineral de Pozos?

The U.S. State Department rates State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Malinalco to Mineral de Pozos use?

In order: MEX-55, MEX-55D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-57 and GTO 100. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Malinalco and Mineral de Pozos?

Closest to the road: Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México (museum, mile 35, 1 mi from the route); Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez (art museum, mile 36, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 75, 0.1 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.