The Wayro route from Santa Clara del Cobre to Tepoztlán is 245 miles (395 km), about 4 h 48 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 245 mi (395 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 48 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 9.8 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 Tepoztlán is like
MEX-15D (91 mi) and MEX-37D (38 mi) carry about 53% of the 245 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, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santa Clara del Cobre to Tepoztlán, 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 | 239–244 | 5 | Morelos |
| local roads | 244–245 | 1 | 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 Tepoztlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 145), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 221)
- Nature and outdoors: La Marquesa National Park (mile 200), Cumbres del Ajusco National Park (mile 219), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 221)
- Museums and history: Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 10), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 104), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 145), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 233), Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca (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.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
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.
Ciénegas del Lerma
These marshes in the Toluca Valley are three lakes left from a wetland of about 27,000 hectares in the late 19th century. A Ramsar site since 2004, they hold dozens of endemic and threatened species and are a key stop for migratory species.
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.
Cumbres del Ajusco National Park
Pine and oak forests climb toward alpine meadows in Cumbres del Ajusco National Park, on Mexico City's southern edge. It draws hikers, climbers and cyclists, and it gets occasional snow, a rarity for the region.
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.
Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca
The Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca is a photography museum in Cuernavaca, Morelos, housed in a building that resembles a French-style castle.
When you get to Tepoztlán
El Tepozteco National Park
Eroded volcanic hills of the Sierra de Tepoztlán fill this national park, about half of which lies in Mexico City's Milpa Alta borough. A short, steep climb leads to the Tepozteco archaeological zone; wear good shoes, since the rocks get slippery.
Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum
Tepoztlán's Dominican monastery, built between 1555 and 1580, keeps original 16th-century murals in its cloister. Upstairs, the museum covers local daily life, faith, festivals and dances, and the complex is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing.
El Tepozteco
High on a hill above Tepoztlán, El Tepozteco holds the remains of a shrine to Ometochtli-Tepoztécatl, god of pulque, fertility and the harvest, along with terraced platforms built from around AD 1200.
More drives to Tepoztlán
- Mexico City to Tepoztlán
- Metepec to Tepoztlán
- Toluca to Tepoztlán
- Atlixco to Tepoztlán
- Taxco to Tepoztlán
- Tepotzotlán to Tepoztlán
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 Tepoztlán?
About 4 h 48 min of driving without stops, over 245 miles.
How far is Tepoztlán from Santa Clara del Cobre by car?
About 245 miles (395 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 Tepoztlán?
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 Tepoztlán?
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 Tepoztlán 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 Tepoztlán?
Closest to the road: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 104, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 145, 0.4 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.