Tuxtepec to Tócuaro Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Tuxtepec to Tócuaro is 495 miles (797 km), about 8 h 28 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Oaxaca — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Michoacán is the Mexican state that contains Tócuaro. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Veracruz State Art MuseumCañón del Río Blanco National ParkTeatro PrincipalCapilla del ArteAqueduct of Padre TemblequeTulaRayón National ParkTeatro Morelos de MaravatíoBasilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, PátzcuaroTuxtepecTócuaro
Route from Tuxtepec to Tócuaro with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance495 mi (797 km)
Driving time, no stops8 h 28 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-175 → MEX-145 → MEX-150D → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D → MEX-14 → MICH 19
Mexican states on the routeOaxaca (Level 2), Veracruz (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-145D, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 19.8 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 Tuxtepec to Tócuaro is like

MEX-150D (156 mi) and MEX-M40D (139 mi) carry about 60% of the 495 miles. MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-175, MEX-145, MEX-14 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 7 states: Oaxaca, Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Tuxtepec to Tócuaro, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Oaxaca
MEX-1751–76Oaxaca, Veracruz
MEX-1457–5649Veracruz
connecting roads56–604Veracruz
MEX-150D60–216156Veracruz, Puebla
connecting roads216–2171Puebla
MEX-M40D217–356139Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico
connecting roads356–3571State of Mexico
MEX-15D357–44790State of Mexico, Michoacán
MEX-37D447–48437Michoacán
connecting roads484–4851Michoacán
MEX-14485–4883Michoacán
MICH 19488–4957Michoacán
  • Mile 4 of this route: Oaxaca → Veracruz (state line)
  • Mile 128 of this route: Veracruz → Puebla (state line)
  • Mile 221 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
  • Mile 244 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 252 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 265 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 281 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 295 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 326 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 375 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)

Stops between Tuxtepec and Tócuaro

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 115)
  • Nature and outdoors: Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (mile 115), Rayón National Park (mile 378)
  • Museums and history: Veracruz State Art Museum (mile 104), Capilla del Arte (mile 197), Tula (mile 312), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 396), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 489)

Veracruz State Art Museum

Mile 104 · Art museum · 1 mi from the route

Housed in Orizaba's 18th-century former Oratorio of San Felipe Neri, later a hospital and then a jail, the Veracruz State Art Museum (Museo de Arte del Estado) holds more than 700 works, including 36 by Diego Rivera.

Cañón del Río Blanco National Park

Mile 115 · National Park of Mexico · 0.6 mi from the route

Cañón del Río Blanco National Park is a protected natural area in the Mexican state of Veracruz, set aside by the government as a national park.

Teatro Principal

Mile 196 · Theatre building · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The Teatro Principal is a historic theater in the city of Puebla that is still active as a stage for performances.

Capilla del Arte

Mile 197 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Capilla del Arte is a cultural space of the Universidad de las Américas Puebla in the old Las Fábricas de Francia building, with a contemporary art gallery and a reading nook.

Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque

Mile 261 · Aqueduct · 2 mi from the route

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.

Tula

Mile 312 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

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.

Rayón National Park

Mile 378 · National Park of Mexico · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Teatro Morelos de Maravatío

Mile 396 · Opera house · 1 mi from the route

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.

Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro

Mile 489 · Minor basilica · 2 mi from the route

Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.

More drives to Tócuaro

From Tuxtepec to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Tuxtepec to Tócuaro?

About 8 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 495 miles.

How far is Tócuaro from Tuxtepec by car?

About 495 miles (797 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 Tuxtepec to Tócuaro?

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 Tuxtepec to Tócuaro?

The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Tuxtepec to Tócuaro use?

In order: MEX-175, MEX-145, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14 and MICH 19. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Tuxtepec and Tócuaro?

Closest to the road: Veracruz State Art Museum (art museum, mile 104, 1 mi from the route); Cañón del Río Blanco National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 115, 0.6 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 312, 1 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.