The Wayro route from Poza Rica to Metztitlán is 152 miles (245 km), about 3 h 30 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 152 mi (245 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 30 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-130 → MEX-132D → MEX-105 → HGO 37 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-130D, MEX-132D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 6.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Poza Rica to Metztitlán is like
MEX-132D (83 mi) and MEX-105 (19 mi) carry about 67% of the 152 miles. MEX-132D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-130, MEX-105 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Poza Rica to Metztitlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Veracruz |
| MEX-130 | 2–11 | 9 | Veracruz |
| MEX-132D | 11–94 | 83 | Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo |
| local roads | 94–114 | 20 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 114–118 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 118–122 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 122–137 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 137–138 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| HGO 37 | 138–152 | 14 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 20 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 75 of this route: Puebla → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Poza Rica and Metztitlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Templo y exconvento de San Agustín (mile 121), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 137), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 145)
- Nature and outdoors: Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla (mile 110), El Hiloche (mile 114), El Chico National Park (mile 115), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 137), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 145)
- Museums and history: Tulancingo Cathedral (mile 93), Museo de Datos Históricos (mile 93)
Tulancingo Cathedral
Tulancingo Cathedral grew from a 16th-century Franciscan mission. The present church, designed by architect José Damián Ortiz de Castro and consecrated in 1806, has an unusual Neoclassical portico with Ionic columns and a triangular pediment.
Museo de Datos Históricos
Tulancingo's first station of the Hidalgo and Northeast Railroad, built in 1893, now houses the Museo de Datos Históricos, with regional archaeological pieces such as the Huapalcalco feline, traditional clothing from Santa Ana Hueytlalpan and a historical photo archive.
Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla
Basalt columns more than 40 meters tall line a ravine near Huasca de Ocampo, formed when lava cooled quickly on contact with water. Alexander von Humboldt described the Basaltic Prisms (Prismas Basálticos) after his visit in 1803.
El Hiloche
Bosque El Hiloche is a state park of about 100 hectares of forest in Mineral del Monte, Hidalgo, and one of the geosites of the Comarca Minera Geopark.
El Chico National Park
In Hidalgo, El Chico National Park is known for towering cliffs such as Las Ventanas and Peña del Cuervo, popular with climbers, and forest wildlife including gray foxes, ringtails, armadillos, hawks, falcons and woodpeckers.
Templo y exconvento de San Agustín
Founded in 1536 and built between 1542 and 1562, the Augustinian church and former convent of San Agustín in Atotonilco el Grande has a Plateresque design and frescoes.
Barranca de Metztitlán
Barranca de Metztitlán is a biosphere reserve in Hidalgo, protected for its steep cliffs, deep winding canyons and distinctive plants and wildlife.
Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán
The Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve protects about 96,000 hectares of eastern-central Hidalgo, where the Amajac, Metztitlán, Almolón and Metzquititlán rivers have cut four canyons, the Metztitlán gorge being the main one.
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 Poza Rica to other places in Mexico
- Poza Rica to Actopan
- Poza Rica to Huejotzingo
- Poza Rica to Atlixco
- Poza Rica to Jilotepec
- Poza Rica to Zimapán
- Poza Rica to San Miguel, Morelos
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Poza Rica to Metztitlán?
About 3 h 30 min of driving without stops, over 152 miles.
How far is Metztitlán from Poza Rica by car?
About 152 miles (245 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 Poza Rica 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 Poza Rica to Metztitlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla 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 Poza Rica to Metztitlán use?
In order: MEX-130, MEX-132D, MEX-105 and HGO 37. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Poza Rica and Metztitlán?
Closest to the road: Templo y exconvento de San Agustín (convent, mile 121, 0.7 mi from the route); Barranca de Metztitlán (canyon, mile 137, 0.2 mi from the route); Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (biosphere reserve, mile 145, 0.6 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.