The Wayro route from Santa Fe de la Laguna to Huasca de Ocampo is 243 miles (391 km), about 4 h 15 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 243 mi (391 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 15 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15 → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-85 → MEX-105 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.7 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 Fe de la Laguna to Huasca de Ocampo is like
MEX-15D (91 mi) and MEX-M40D (80 mi) carry about 70% of the 243 miles. MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15, MEX-85, MEX-105 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santa Fe de la Laguna to Huasca de Ocampo, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-15 | 0–16 | 16 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 16–37 | 21 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 37–128 | 91 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 128–208 | 80 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 208–219 | 11 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 219–227 | 8 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 227–238 | 11 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 238–243 | 5 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 110 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 160 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 190 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 204 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Santa Fe de la Laguna and Huasca de Ocampo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Cultural Hidalguense (mile 222), Museo Casa Grande (mile 234)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 107), Parque Cultural Hidalguense (mile 222), El Chico National Park (mile 233)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 127), Tula (mile 173), Monumental Clock of Pachuca (mile 228), Museo Nacional de la Fotografía (mile 228), Museo Casa Grande (mile 234)
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
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.
Tula
Once the Toltec capital, the Tula archaeological zone is best known for its Atlantes, basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall crowning the main pyramid. Visitors also see a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall, carved with snakes devouring skeletons.
Parque Cultural Hidalguense
Formerly Parque David Ben Gurión, Pachuca's Parque Cultural Hidalguense reopened in 2025 after a major renovation, with a monumental chess board, an artificial lake with fountains, a skate park and Byron Gálvez's restored artwork known as el Pisal.
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.
Museo Nacional de la Fotografía
Pachuca de Soto, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo, is home to the Museo Nacional de la Fotografía, a museum devoted to photography.
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.
Museo Casa Grande
The Museo Casa Grande is a museum in Mineral del Monte, in the state of Hidalgo, run by the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo.
When you get to Huasca de Ocampo
Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla
Basalt columns more than 40 meters tall line a ravine near Huasca de Ocampo, formed when lava cooled quickly on contact with water. Alexander von Humboldt described the Basaltic Prisms (Prismas Basálticos) after his visit in 1803.
More drives to Huasca de Ocampo
- Actopan to Huasca de Ocampo
- Otumba to Huasca de Ocampo
- Tepotzotlán to Huasca de Ocampo
- Mexico City to Huasca de Ocampo
- Jilotepec to Huasca de Ocampo
- Zimapán to Huasca de Ocampo
From Santa Fe de la Laguna to other places in Mexico
- Santa Fe de la Laguna to Bernal
- Santa Fe de la Laguna to Mineral de Pozos
- Santa Fe de la Laguna to Real de Asientos
- Santa Fe de la Laguna to San Ignacio, Sinaloa
- Santa Fe de la Laguna to Omitlán
- Santa Fe de la Laguna to Chipilo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Fe de la Laguna to Huasca de Ocampo?
About 4 h 15 min of driving without stops, over 243 miles.
How far is Huasca de Ocampo from Santa Fe de la Laguna by car?
About 243 miles (391 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 Fe de la Laguna to Huasca 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 Fe de la Laguna to Huasca 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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Santa Fe de la Laguna to Huasca de Ocampo use?
In order: MEX-15, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-85 and MEX-105. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Santa Fe de la Laguna and Huasca de Ocampo?
Closest to the road: Tula (archaeological site, mile 173, 1 mi from the route); Parque Cultural Hidalguense (park, mile 222, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo Casa Grande (art museum, mile 234, 0.9 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.