The Wayro route from Santa Clara del Cobre to San Miguel, Morelos is 296 miles (476 km), about 5 h 18 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 296 mi (476 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 18 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → MEX-14D → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-5D → MEX-115 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.8 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 Santa Clara del Cobre to San Miguel, Morelos is like
MEX-15D (91 mi) and MEX-5D (54 mi) carry about 49% of the 296 miles. MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-120, MEX-115 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santa Clara del Cobre to San Miguel, Morelos, 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 |
| MEX-M40D | 143–176 | 33 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 176–198 | 22 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-5D | 198–252 | 54 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 252–253 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 253–273 | 20 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 273–296 | 23 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
- Mile 125 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 175 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 195 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 283 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Santa Clara del Cobre and San Miguel, Morelos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (mile 188), Sacromonte National Park (mile 268)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 122), El Tepeyac National Park (mile 227), Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park (mile 267), Sacromonte National Park (mile 268)
- Museums and history: Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 10), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 142), Cathedral of Nezahualcóyotl (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.
Templo y exconvento de San Francisco
The Templo y Exconvento de San Francisco is a church and former convent located in the city of Tepeji del Río, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
El Tepeyac National Park
Decreed in 1937 on reforested slopes of the Sierra de Guadalupe, including Cerro del Tepeyac, this national park was created for rest and recreation, with views toward Mexico City and the old Lake Texcoco plain.
Historic center of Mexico City
Built by the Spanish in the 16th century on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, Mexico City's Centro Histórico holds the Metropolitan Cathedral, the excavated Aztec Templo Mayor and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1987.
Cathedral of Nezahualcóyotl
Consecrated on November 20, 2000, the Cathedral of Nezahualcóyotl, dedicated to Jesús, Señor de la Misericordia, is the seat of the Diocese of Nezahualcóyotl.
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park, also called Izta-Popo Zoquiapan, protects the land around Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, Mexico's second- and third-highest peaks, where the states of México, Puebla and Morelos meet.
Sacromonte National Park
Sacromonte National Park is a national park and protected area in the State of Mexico, established in 1952 and covering roughly 0.44 square kilometers.
When you get to San Miguel, Morelos
Convento de San Juan Bautista
This convent in Tetela del Volcán, known for its carved wooden sacristy and light-filled cloister walks, was cleaned of soot left from its use as a barracks during the Mexican Revolution in a conservation project completed in 2009.
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In the town of Hueyapan, the 16th-century church and former convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán keeps original frescoes and moldings inside, around a modest cloister typical of its era.
More drives to San Miguel, Morelos
- Cuernavaca to San Miguel, Morelos
- Zacatelco to San Miguel, Morelos
- Mexico City to San Miguel, Morelos
- Tlaxcala to San Miguel, Morelos
- Chiautempan to San Miguel, Morelos
- Apizaco to San Miguel, Morelos
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 San Miguel, Morelos?
About 5 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 296 miles.
How far is San Miguel, Morelos from Santa Clara del Cobre by car?
About 296 miles (476 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 San Miguel, Morelos?
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 San Miguel, Morelos?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo 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 San Miguel, Morelos use?
In order: MEX-120, MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D and MEX-115. 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 San Miguel, Morelos?
Closest to the road: Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (convent, mile 188, 0.6 mi from the route); Cathedral of Nezahualcóyotl (catholic cathedral, mile 233, 1 mi from the route); Sacromonte National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 268, 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.