The Wayro route from Pinos to Metztitlán is 329 miles (529 km), about 7 h 41 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 329 mi (529 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | ZAC 291 → MEX-49 → MEX-57 → MEX-57D → MEX-45 → MEX-85 |
| Mexican states on the route | Zacatecas (Level 4), San Luis Potosí (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.2 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 Pinos to Metztitlán is like
MEX-57 (107 mi) and MEX-45 (51 mi) carry about 48% of the 329 miles. MEX-57D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-49, MEX-57, MEX-45, MEX-85 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 6 states: Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Pinos to Metztitlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Zacatecas |
| ZAC 291 | 2–16 | 14 | Zacatecas |
| connecting roads | 16–17 | 1 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-49 | 17–60 | 43 | Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 60–63 | 3 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 63–170 | 107 | San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| connecting roads | 170–171 | 1 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 171–219 | 48 | Querétaro |
| MEX-45 | 219–270 | 51 | Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 270–275 | 5 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 275–329 | 54 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 29 of this route: Zacatecas → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 111 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 164 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 227 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 230 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Pinos and Metztitlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Arqueología e Historia de Huichapan (mile 242), Museo de la Cultura Hñähñu y Centro Cultural del Valle del Mezquital (mile 275), Church of San Miguel Arcángel (mile 275), Tolantongo Canyon (mile 302)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Tangamanga (mile 62), El Gogorrón National Park (mile 84), Tolantongo Canyon (mile 302)
- Museums and history: Museo Laberinto de las Ciencias y las Artes (mile 62), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 179), Museo de Arqueología e Historia de Huichapan (mile 242), Museo de la Cultura Hñähñu y Centro Cultural del Valle del Mezquital (mile 275)
Parque Tangamanga
Spread over 420 hectares, San Luis Potosí's big urban park has two lakes, wooded areas, sports grounds, a zoo, a swimming area, a theater and the old Tenería hacienda.
Museo Laberinto de las Ciencias y las Artes
Built in Parque Tangamanga I and opened on September 4, 2008, the Museo Laberinto de las Ciencias y las Artes is an interactive museum in San Luis Potosí.
El Gogorrón National Park
Straddling San Luis Potosí and Guanajuato near Villa de Reyes, this national park offers rugged rock formations, mountain scenery and thermal springs, with camping, hiking and mountain biking.
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
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.
Museo de Arqueología e Historia de Huichapan
Huichapan's archaeology and history museum displays pre-Hispanic vessels, arrowheads, a funerary offering, shell and jade necklaces, replicas of rock paintings and pieces linked to the Mezquital Valley, plus workshops, film series and performances.
Museo de la Cultura Hñähñu y Centro Cultural del Valle del Mezquital
In Ixmiquilpan, Hidalgo, the Museo de la Cultura Hñähñu y Centro Cultural del Valle del Mezquital works as both a museum and a cultural center.
Church of San Miguel Arcángel
Ixmiquilpan's 16th-century Church of San Miguel Arcángel is known for its murals with religious and secular scenes, and for a design that blends European and Indigenous traditions.
Tolantongo Canyon
Barranca de Tolantongo is a deep canyon in Hidalgo state whose walls rise as high as 500 meters.
When you get to Metztitlán
Los Reyes Magos monastery, Metztitlán
Augustinian friars built the fortress-like Santos Reyes convent in Metztitlán in the 16th century, enclosing its atrium with a wall, open chapels and an atrial cross; it stands inside the Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve with wide canyon views.
More drives to Metztitlán
- Pachuca to Metztitlán
- Actopan to Metztitlán
- Tulancingo to Metztitlán
- Zimapán to Metztitlán
- Otumba to Metztitlán
- Calpulalpan to Metztitlán
From Pinos to other places in Mexico
- Pinos to Temacapulín
- Pinos to San Luis Soyatlán
- Pinos to Tócuaro
- Pinos to Bernal
- Pinos to Omitlán
- Pinos to Huasca de Ocampo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Pinos to Metztitlán?
About 7 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 329 miles.
How far is Metztitlán from Pinos by car?
About 329 miles (529 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 Pinos to Metztitlán?
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 Pinos to Metztitlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; 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 Pinos to Metztitlán use?
In order: ZAC 291, MEX-49, MEX-57, MEX-57D, MEX-45 and MEX-85. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Pinos and Metztitlán?
Closest to the road: Museo de Arqueología e Historia de Huichapan (museum, mile 242, 0.7 mi from the route); Museo de la Cultura Hñähñu y Centro Cultural del Valle del Mezquital (museum, mile 275, 0.1 mi from the route); Church of San Miguel Arcángel (convent, mile 275, 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.