Tepotzotlán to Metztitlán Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Tepotzotlán to Metztitlán is 102 miles (164 km), about 2 h 43 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Hidalgo is the Mexican state that contains Metztitlán. See the full advisory for current details.
Bioparque de Convivencia en Pachuca, HidalgoParque de los Niños Héroes, PachucaCuartel del Arte en Pachuca, HidalgoEl Chico National ParkLa Dificultad Mine MuseumBasaltic Prisms of Santa María ReglaTemplo y exconvento de San AgustínBarranca de MetztitlánBiosphere Reserve Barranca de MetztitlánTepotzotlánMetztitlán
Route from Tepotzotlán to Metztitlán with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance102 mi (164 km)
Driving time, no stops2 h 43 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-85 → MEX-105 → HGO 37
Mexican states on the routeState of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2)
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 4.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

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 insuranceRequired 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 Tepotzotlán to Metztitlán is like

MEX-105 (32 mi) and MEX-85 (20 mi) carry about 51% of the 102 miles. The route stays on free federal roads (libre): MEX-85, MEX-105. It runs through 2 states: State of Mexico, Hidalgo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Tepotzotlán to Metztitlán, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–2424State of Mexico
MEX-8524–4420State of Mexico, Hidalgo
local roads44–528Hidalgo
MEX-10552–6816Hidalgo
local roads68–713Hidalgo
MEX-10571–8716Hidalgo
connecting roads87–881Hidalgo
HGO 3788–10214Hidalgo
  • Mile 27 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)

Stops between Tepotzotlán and Metztitlán

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Dificultad Mine Museum (mile 58), Templo y exconvento de San Agustín (mile 71), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 88), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 95)
  • Nature and outdoors: Parque de los Niños Héroes, Pachuca (mile 53), El Chico National Park (mile 57), Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla (mile 65), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 88), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 95)
  • Museums and history: Cuartel del Arte en Pachuca, Hidalgo (mile 53), La Dificultad Mine Museum (mile 58)
  • With kids: Bioparque de Convivencia en Pachuca, Hidalgo (mile 48)

Bioparque de Convivencia en Pachuca, Hidalgo

Mile 48 · Zoo · 2 mi from the route

Pachuca's Bioparque de Convivencia is a rescue and recovery center for wild, exotic and endemic animals saved from abuse, abandonment or risk, housing a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation unit.

Parque de los Niños Héroes, Pachuca

Mile 53 · Park · 1 mi from the route

The Jardín de los Niños Héroes is a public park in the historic center of Pachuca de Soto, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

Cuartel del Arte en Pachuca, Hidalgo

Mile 53 · Art museum · 1 mi from the route

In downtown Pachuca, the Cuartel del Arte is an art gallery presenting painting and sculpture exhibitions by Mexican and international artists.

El Chico National Park

Mile 57 · National Park of Mexico · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

La Dificultad Mine Museum

Mile 58 · Museum · 0.6 mi from the route

At the La Dificultad mine in Mineral del Monte, a site museum and interpretation center tells the area's mining and hospital history, showing how the mines moved from steam power to electricity.

Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla

Mile 65 · Waterfall · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Templo y exconvento de San Agustín

Mile 71 · Convent · 0.7 mi from the route

Founded in 1536 and built between 1542 and 1562, the Augustinian church and former convent of San Agustín in Atotonilco el Grande has a Plateresque design and frescoes.

Barranca de Metztitlán

Mile 88 · Canyon · 0.1 mi from the route

Barranca de Metztitlán is a biosphere reserve in Hidalgo, protected for its steep cliffs, deep winding canyons and distinctive plants and wildlife.

Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán

Mile 95 · Biosphere reserve · 0.6 mi from the route

The Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve protects about 96,000 hectares of eastern-central Hidalgo, where the Amajac, Metztitlán, Almolón and Metzquititlán rivers have cut four canyons, the Metztitlán gorge being the main one.

When you get to Metztitlán

Los Reyes Magos monastery, Metztitlán

Convent · in Metztitlán

Augustinian friars built the fortress-like Santos Reyes convent in Metztitlán in the 16th century, enclosing its atrium with a wall, open chapels and an atrial cross; it stands inside the Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve with wide canyon views.

More drives to Metztitlán

From Tepotzotlán to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Tepotzotlán to Metztitlán?

About 2 h 43 min of driving without stops, over 102 miles.

How far is Metztitlán from Tepotzotlán by car?

About 102 miles (164 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 Tepotzotlán to Metztitlán?

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 Tepotzotlán to Metztitlán?

The U.S. State Department rates 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 Tepotzotlán to Metztitlán use?

In order: MEX-85, MEX-105 and HGO 37. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Tepotzotlán and Metztitlán?

Closest to the road: La Dificultad Mine Museum (museum, mile 58, 0.6 mi from the route); Barranca de Metztitlán (canyon, mile 88, 0.1 mi from the route); Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (biosphere reserve, mile 95, 0.6 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.