The Wayro route from Ocuituco to Tócuaro is 271 miles (436 km), about 5 h 18 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 271 mi (436 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 18 min |
| Main roads, in order | MOR 10 → MEX-115 → MEX-160D → MEX-95D → MEX-106 → MEX-200 → EM 44 → MEX-55 → MEX-55D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D → MEX-14 → MICH 19 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos (Level 3), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-160D, MEX-95D, MEX-55D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.8 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 Ocuituco to Tócuaro is like
MEX-15D (90 mi) and MEX-37D (38 mi) carry about 47% of the 271 miles. MEX-160D, MEX-95D, MEX-55D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-115, MEX-106, MEX-200, MEX-55, MEX-14 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Morelos, State of Mexico, Michoacán. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Ocuituco to Tócuaro, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Morelos |
| MOR 10 | 1–6 | 5 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 6–10 | 4 | Morelos |
| MEX-115 | 10–13 | 3 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 13–14 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 14–34 | 20 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 34–45 | 11 | Morelos |
| MEX-106 | 45–63 | 18 | Morelos, State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 63–68 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 68–73 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 73–76 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 76–83 | 7 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 83–84 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 84–89 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 89–99 | 10 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 99–129 | 30 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 129–132 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 132–222 | 90 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 222–260 | 38 | Michoacán |
| MEX-14 | 260–264 | 4 | Michoacán |
| MICH 19 | 264–271 | 7 | Michoacán |
- Mile 58 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 150 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Ocuituco and Tócuaro
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán (mile 17), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 55)
- Nature and outdoors: Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 55), Cumbres del Ajusco National Park (mile 57), La Marquesa National Park (mile 76)
- Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 171), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 265)
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
Inscribed by UNESCO in 1994, this World Heritage site groups early 16th-century monasteries that Franciscan, Dominican and Augustinian friars built on the slopes of Popocatépetl, with large open spaces used to evangelize the Indigenous population.
Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol
Built by Augustinian friars, the Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol in Atlatlahucan is well preserved, with murals and decorated vaults, and is associated with the origins of the Chinelo dancers.
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In Oaxtepec, the Exconvento de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is among the first convents the Dominicans built in Mexico, and its walls preserve extensive fresco painting from the colonial era.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.
More drives to Tócuaro
- Amatitán to Tócuaro
- Tequila to Tócuaro
- San Juan de los Lagos to Tócuaro
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Tócuaro
- Pinos to Tócuaro
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Tócuaro
From Ocuituco to other places in Mexico
- Ocuituco to Omitlán
- Ocuituco to Huasca de Ocampo
- Ocuituco to Metztitlán
- Ocuituco to Bernal
- Ocuituco to Mineral de Pozos
- Ocuituco to Ihuatzio
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ocuituco to Tócuaro?
About 5 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 271 miles.
How far is Tócuaro from Ocuituco by car?
About 271 miles (436 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 Ocuituco to Tócuaro?
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 Ocuituco to Tócuaro?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Ocuituco to Tócuaro use?
In order: MOR 10, MEX-115, MEX-160D, MEX-95D, MEX-106, MEX-200, EM 44, MEX-55, MEX-55D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14 and MICH 19. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Ocuituco and Tócuaro?
Closest to the road: Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán (convent, mile 17, 0.9 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 55, 0.3 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos (theatre building, mile 91, 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.