The Wayro route from Tzintzuntzan to Metztitlán is 280 miles (451 km), about 5 h 13 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 280 mi (451 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 13 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → MEX-15 → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-M40D → MEX-85 → MEX-105 → HGO 37 |
| 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 11.2 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 Tzintzuntzan to Metztitlán is like
MEX-15D (91 mi) and MEX-M40D (79 mi) carry about 61% of the 280 miles. MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-120, 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, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tzintzuntzan to Metztitlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-120 | 0–5 | 5 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 5–19 | 14 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 19–40 | 21 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 40–131 | 91 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 131–210 | 79 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 210–211 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 211–222 | 11 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 222–230 | 8 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 230–245 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 245–250 | 5 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 250–265 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| HGO 37 | 265–280 | 15 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 113 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 163 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 193 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 207 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Tzintzuntzan and Metztitlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tula National Park (mile 176), Templo y exconvento de San Agustín (mile 249), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 265), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 273)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 109), Tula National Park (mile 176), El Chico National Park (mile 235), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 265), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 273)
- Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 91)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Teatro de la Ciudad San Francisco
The Teatro de la Ciudad San Francisco is a theater in the historic center of Pachuca de Soto, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
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.
Templo y exconvento de San Agustín
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
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
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
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
- Pachuca to Metztitlán
- Actopan to Metztitlán
- Tulancingo to Metztitlán
- Zimapán to Metztitlán
- Otumba to Metztitlán
- Calpulalpan to Metztitlán
From Tzintzuntzan to other places in Mexico
- Tzintzuntzan to Amatitán
- Tzintzuntzan to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Tzintzuntzan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tzintzuntzan to Real de Asientos
- Tzintzuntzan to Nombre de Dios
- Tzintzuntzan to San Ignacio, Sinaloa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tzintzuntzan to Metztitlán?
About 5 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 280 miles.
How far is Metztitlán from Tzintzuntzan by car?
About 280 miles (451 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 Tzintzuntzan 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 Tzintzuntzan to Metztitlán?
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 Tzintzuntzan to Metztitlán use?
In order: MEX-120, MEX-15, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, 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 Tzintzuntzan and Metztitlán?
Closest to the road: Templo y exconvento de San Agustín (convent, mile 249, 0.7 mi from the route); Barranca de Metztitlán (canyon, mile 265, 0.1 mi from the route); Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (biosphere reserve, mile 273, 0.5 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.