The Wayro route from Santa Clara del Cobre to Tetela de Ocampo is 339 miles (546 km), about 5 h 51 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 339 mi (546 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 51 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → MEX-14D → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-132 → MEX-132D → MEX-119D → PUE 148 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-132D, MEX-119D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.6 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 Tetela de Ocampo is like
MEX-M40D (94 mi) and MEX-15D (91 mi) carry about 55% of the 339 miles. MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-132D, MEX-119D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-120, MEX-132 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Puebla. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santa Clara del Cobre to Tetela de Ocampo, 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 | 143–237 | 94 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-132 | 237–260 | 23 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-132D | 260–285 | 25 | Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 285–287 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-119D | 287–306 | 19 | Hidalgo, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 306–311 | 5 | Puebla |
| PUE 148 | 311–339 | 28 | Puebla |
- Mile 125 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 175 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 205 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 219 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 291 of this route: Hidalgo → Puebla (state line)
Stops between Santa Clara del Cobre and Tetela de Ocampo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Huapalcalco (mile 268), Santuario de Nuestro Padre Jesús de Aquixtla (mile 313)
- Nature and outdoors: Tula National Park (mile 188)
- Museums and history: Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 10), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 104), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 142), Museo del Ferrocarril (mile 266), Huapalcalco (mile 268)
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.
Atlantean figures
Crowning the main pyramid at the Tula archaeological zone, these basalt sculptures of Toltec warriors stand more than four meters tall in what was once the Toltec capital; the nearby Wall of Snakes shows carved serpents devouring skeletons.
Tula National Park
This park protects the ruins of Tula, ancient capital of the Toltecs. Walk up to the main pyramid to stand beside the Atlantes, basalt warrior figures more than four meters tall, and look for the Coatepantli wall's reliefs of snakes devouring skeletons.
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque
Built by Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque between 1554 and 1572, this 16th-century water system runs more than 48 km between Zempoala and Otumba. Its tallest arcade at Tepeyahualco reaches almost 40 meters, and UNESCO listed it in 2015.
Museo del Ferrocarril
This former railway station on the old Hidalgo Railroad line to Mexico City now works as a museum, with photographs of its construction and the office and bookkeeping objects used in its day.
Huapalcalco
About 5 kilometers north of Tulancingo, the pre-Columbian site of Huapalcalco sits on the western slope of a hill called Tecolote.
Santuario de Nuestro Padre Jesús de Aquixtla
In the Sierra Norte de Puebla, the sanctuary of Nuestro Padre Jesús in Aquixtla draws thousands of pilgrims during the year who come to give thanks for favors received.
More drives to Tetela de Ocampo
- Calpulalpan to Tetela de Ocampo
- Cholula to Tetela de Ocampo
- Otumba to Tetela de Ocampo
- Pachuca to Tetela de Ocampo
- Atlixco to Tetela de Ocampo
- Actopan to Tetela de Ocampo
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 Tetela de Ocampo?
About 5 h 51 min of driving without stops, over 339 miles.
How far is Tetela de Ocampo from Santa Clara del Cobre by car?
About 339 miles (546 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 Tetela de Ocampo?
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 Tetela de Ocampo?
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; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Santa Clara del Cobre to Tetela de Ocampo use?
In order: MEX-120, MEX-14D, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-132, MEX-132D, MEX-119D and PUE 148. 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 Tetela de Ocampo?
Closest to the road: Atlantean figures (atlantean figures, mile 188, 1 mi from the route); Huapalcalco (archaeological site, mile 268, 0.2 mi from the route); Santuario de Nuestro Padre Jesús de Aquixtla (sanctuary, mile 313, 0.7 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.