The Wayro route from San Miguel, Morelos to Metztitlán is 171 miles (276 km), about 3 h 59 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 171 mi (276 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 59 min |
| Main roads, in order | PUE 438D → MEX-M40D → MEX-132 → MEX-88 → MEX-105 → HGO 37 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos (Level 3), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 6.9 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 San Miguel, Morelos to Metztitlán is like
MEX-M40D (46 mi) and MEX-105 (31 mi) carry about 45% of the 171 miles. MEX-M40D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-132, MEX-88, MEX-105 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Morelos, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from San Miguel, Morelos to Metztitlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Morelos, Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 7–24 | 17 | Puebla |
| local roads | 24–53 | 29 | Puebla |
| MEX-M40D | 53–99 | 46 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-132 | 99–103 | 4 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-88 | 103–118 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 118–122 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 122–137 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 137–141 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 141–157 | 16 | Hidalgo |
| HGO 37 | 157–171 | 14 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 2 of this route: Morelos → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 58 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 81 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 88 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 100 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between San Miguel, Morelos and Metztitlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Dificultad Mine Museum (mile 127), Templo y exconvento de San Agustín (mile 140), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 157), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 164)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 58), El Chico National Park (mile 127), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 157), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 164)
- Museums and history: Monumental Clock of Pachuca (mile 122), Cuartel del Arte en Pachuca, Hidalgo (mile 122), La Dificultad Mine Museum (mile 127)
Convento de Huejotzingo
Founded by Franciscans in the 16th century, the former convent of San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo shows colonial Plateresque architecture on the western slopes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1994.
Parque nacional Xicoténcatl
Covering roughly 600 hectares in central Tlaxcala, Xicohténcatl National Park takes in the historic center of Tlaxcala city plus Quiahuixtlán, Ocotelulco and Tepeticpac, which correspond to three of the old Tlaxcalan lordships.
Monumental Clock of Pachuca
Rising over Plaza Independencia in Pachuca's historic center, the Monumental Clock tower was built between 1904 and 1910 to mark the centennial of Mexico's War of Independence.
Cuartel del Arte en Pachuca, Hidalgo
In downtown Pachuca, the Cuartel del Arte is an art gallery presenting painting and sculpture exhibitions by Mexican and international artists.
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.
La Dificultad Mine Museum
At the La Dificultad mine in Mineral del Monte, a site museum and interpretation center tells the area's mining and hospital history, showing how the mines moved from steam power to electricity.
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 San Miguel, Morelos to other places in Mexico
- San Miguel, Morelos to Omitlán
- San Miguel, Morelos to Tetela de Ocampo
- San Miguel, Morelos to Huasca de Ocampo
- San Miguel, Morelos to El Oro
- San Miguel, Morelos to Bernal
- San Miguel, Morelos to Mineral de Pozos
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from San Miguel, Morelos to Metztitlán?
About 3 h 59 min of driving without stops, over 171 miles.
How far is Metztitlán from San Miguel, Morelos by car?
About 171 miles (276 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 San Miguel, Morelos 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 San Miguel, Morelos to Metztitlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from San Miguel, Morelos to Metztitlán use?
In order: PUE 438D, MEX-M40D, MEX-132, MEX-88, 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 San Miguel, Morelos and Metztitlán?
Closest to the road: La Dificultad Mine Museum (museum, mile 127, 0.6 mi from the route); Barranca de Metztitlán (canyon, mile 157, 0.1 mi from the route); Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (biosphere reserve, mile 164, 0.5 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.