The Wayro route from Zacatelco to Metztitlán is 137 miles (220 km), about 2 h 56 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 137 mi (220 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-119 → MEX-117D → MEX-M40D → MEX-132 → MEX-88 → MEX-105 → HGO 37 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-117D, MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 5.5 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 Zacatelco to Metztitlán is like
MEX-M40D (42 mi) and MEX-105 (33 mi) carry about 55% of the 137 miles. MEX-117D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-119, MEX-132, MEX-88, MEX-105 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo, State of Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Zacatelco to Metztitlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-119 | 0–6 | 6 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-117D | 6–21 | 15 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-M40D | 21–63 | 42 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 63–64 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-132 | 64–67 | 3 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 67–68 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-88 | 68–83 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 83–86 | 3 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 86–103 | 17 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 103–106 | 3 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 106–122 | 16 | Hidalgo |
| HGO 37 | 122–137 | 15 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 19 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 23 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 45 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 53 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 65 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Zacatelco and Metztitlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Medicina Laboral y Centro Cultural Nicolás Zavala (mile 91), Templo y exconvento de San Agustín (mile 106), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 122), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 129)
- Nature and outdoors: El Chico National Park (mile 92), Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla (mile 100), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 122), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 129)
- Museums and history: Museo Miguel N. Lira (mile 9), Monumental Clock of Pachuca (mile 88), Museo Nacional de la Fotografía (mile 88), Museo de Medicina Laboral y Centro Cultural Nicolás Zavala (mile 91)
Museo Miguel N. Lira
Downtown Tlaxcala's Museo Miguel N. Lira fills the old State Printing Office, linked to the writer and poet. Visitors see his manuscripts, family photos and personal belongings, plus the original linotype machines and the press that printed his work.
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.
Museo de Medicina Laboral y Centro Cultural Nicolás Zavala
Occupational medicine and mining history are the focus of this museum in Mineral del Monte, Hidalgo, which keeps the original facilities, furniture and medical equipment. Pachuca's mining archive and museum runs it.
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.
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.
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 Zacatelco to other places in Mexico
- Zacatelco to Tlaxco
- Zacatelco to Calpulalpan
- Zacatelco to Otumba
- Zacatelco to Atlatlahucan
- Zacatelco to Omitlán
- Zacatelco to Huasca de Ocampo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Zacatelco to Metztitlán?
About 2 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 137 miles.
How far is Metztitlán from Zacatelco by car?
About 137 miles (220 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 Zacatelco 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 Zacatelco to Metztitlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Zacatelco to Metztitlán use?
In order: MEX-119, MEX-117D, MEX-M40D, MEX-132, MEX-88, 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 Zacatelco and Metztitlán?
Closest to the road: Templo y exconvento de San Agustín (convent, mile 106, 0.7 mi from the route); Barranca de Metztitlán (canyon, mile 122, 0.1 mi from the route); Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (biosphere reserve, mile 129, 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.