The Wayro route from Santa Clara del Cobre to Oaxtepec is 257 miles (413 km), about 4 h 58 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 257 mi (413 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 58 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → MEX-14D → MEX-37D → 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-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.3 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 Santa Clara del Cobre to Oaxtepec is like
MEX-15D (91 mi) and MEX-37D (38 mi) carry about 50% of the 257 miles. MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-120, 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, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santa Clara del Cobre to Oaxtepec, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-120 | 1–10 | 9 | Michoacán |
| MEX-14D | 10–14 | 4 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 14–52 | 38 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 52–143 | 91 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 143–145 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 145–180 | 35 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 180–185 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 185–191 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 191–192 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 192–200 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 200–203 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 203–207 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 207–212 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 212–226 | 14 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 226–234 | 8 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 234–239 | 5 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 239–255 | 16 | Morelos |
| local roads | 255–257 | 2 | Morelos |
- Mile 125 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 220 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Santa Clara del Cobre and Oaxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 145), Toluca Cathedral (mile 185), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 221)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 122), Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México (mile 186), La Marquesa National Park (mile 200), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 221)
- Museums and history: Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 10), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 145), Toluca Cathedral (mile 185), Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México (mile 186), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 233), Teopanzolco (mile 233)
Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares
Housed in an 18th-century building adapted from the Colegio de San Nicolás, which Vasco de Quiroga founded in the 16th century, this INAH museum in Pátzcuaro shows Purépecha pottery, textiles, woodwork and lacquerware.
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.
Toluca Cathedral
Begun in 1867 and finished only in 1978, Toluca's Cathedral of Saint Joseph has a neoclassical facade and a bronze statue of the saint on its dome. It also preserves the 18th-century baroque front of the former San Elzeario church.
Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México
Set in the Parque de los Matlatzincas on Cerro del Calvario, the Natural Sciences Museum of the State of Mexico explores biology, geology and the preservation of natural resources.
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.
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 Oaxtepec
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.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
More drives to Oaxtepec
- Malinalco to Oaxtepec
- Mexico City to Oaxtepec
- Metepec to Oaxtepec
- Toluca to Oaxtepec
- Otumba to Oaxtepec
- Taxco to Oaxtepec
From Santa Clara del Cobre to other places in Mexico
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Amatitán
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Real de Asientos
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Nombre de Dios
- Santa Clara del Cobre to San Ignacio, Sinaloa
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Mineral de Pozos
- Santa Clara del Cobre to Bernal
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Clara del Cobre to Oaxtepec?
About 4 h 58 min of driving without stops, over 257 miles.
How far is Oaxtepec from Santa Clara del Cobre by car?
About 257 miles (413 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 Santa Clara del Cobre to Oaxtepec?
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 Santa Clara del Cobre to Oaxtepec?
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 Santa Clara del Cobre to Oaxtepec use?
In order: MEX-120, MEX-14D, MEX-37D, 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 Santa Clara del Cobre and Oaxtepec?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 145, 0.4 mi from the route); Toluca Cathedral (catholic cathedral, mile 185, 1 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 221, 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.