The Wayro route from Morelia to Tepoztlán is 200 miles (322 km), about 4 h 1 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 200 mi (322 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-126 → MEX-48D → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 → MEX-95D → MEX-160D |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-48D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.0 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 Morelia to Tepoztlán is like
MEX-15D (78 mi) and MEX-55D (33 mi) carry about 56% of the 200 miles. MEX-48D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-126, MEX-55, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Morelia to Tepoztlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-126 | 0–4 | 4 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 4–6 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-48D | 6–20 | 14 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 20–98 | 78 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 98–101 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 101–134 | 33 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 134–140 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 140–146 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 146–147 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 147–155 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 155–157 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 157–162 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 162–167 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 167–181 | 14 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 181–188 | 7 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 188–194 | 6 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 194–198 | 4 | Morelos |
| local roads | 198–200 | 2 | Morelos |
- Mile 80 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 173 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Morelia and Tepoztlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 99), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 175)
- Nature and outdoors: Insurgente José María Morelos y Pavón National Park (mile 7), Rayón National Park (mile 76), La Marquesa National Park (mile 155), Cumbres del Ajusco National Park (mile 173), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 175)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 99), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 188), Teopanzolco (mile 188)
Insurgente José María Morelos y Pavón National Park
Insurgente José María Morelos y Pavón National Park protects about 72 square kilometers of mountain terrain in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt in Michoacán.
Rayón National Park
Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
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.
Teatro Morelos
In Toluca's historic center, just west of the State of Mexico's Palace of Justice, Teatro Morelos stages plays along with other shows and cultural events.
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.
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.
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.
Cuernavaca Cathedral
Franciscans built this 16th-century convent church, now Cuernavaca's cathedral and part of the UNESCO-listed monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl; visitors can see its murals, side chapels and a sacred art museum.
Teopanzolco
Now surrounded by the city of Cuernavaca, Teopanzolco preserves a Late Postclassic pyramid base that once carried twin temples to Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli, a layout closely tied to Tenochtitlan's sacred precinct.
When you get to Tepoztlán
El Tepozteco National Park
Eroded volcanic hills of the Sierra de Tepoztlán fill this national park, about half of which lies in Mexico City's Milpa Alta borough. A short, steep climb leads to the Tepozteco archaeological zone; wear good shoes, since the rocks get slippery.
Museo Carlos Pellicer
Tepoztlán's Museo de Arte Prehispánico Carlos Pellicer, opened in 1965 and named for the poet and museographer, displays a collection of pre-Hispanic objects in the former granary of the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Natividad.
El Tepozteco
High on a hill above Tepoztlán, El Tepozteco holds the remains of a shrine to Ometochtli-Tepoztécatl, god of pulque, fertility and the harvest, along with terraced platforms built from around AD 1200.
More drives to Tepoztlán
- Mexico City to Tepoztlán
- Metepec to Tepoztlán
- Toluca to Tepoztlán
- Atlixco to Tepoztlán
- Taxco to Tepoztlán
- Tepotzotlán to Tepoztlán
From Morelia to other places in Mexico
- Morelia to Cotija
- Morelia to Amatitán
- Morelia to Tequila
- Morelia to Real de Asientos
- Morelia to Guadalupe, Zacatecas
- Morelia to Jerez, Zacatecas
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Morelia to Tepoztlán?
About 4 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 200 miles.
How far is Tepoztlán from Morelia by car?
About 200 miles (322 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 Morelia to Tepoztlán?
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 Morelia to Tepoztlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Morelia to Tepoztlán use?
In order: MEX-126, MEX-48D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95D and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Morelia and Tepoztlán?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 99, 0.4 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos (theatre building, mile 139, 1 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 175, 0.3 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.