The Wayro route from Zacatlán to Metztitlán is 103 miles (165 km), about 2 h 49 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 103 mi (165 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 49 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-119 → MEX-119D → MEX-132D → MEX-105 → HGO 37 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-119D, MEX-132D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Zacatlán to Metztitlán is like
MEX-132D (18 mi) and MEX-105 (18 mi) carry about 35% of the 103 miles. MEX-119D, MEX-132D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-119, MEX-105 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 2 states: Puebla, Hidalgo. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Zacatlán to Metztitlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-119 | 1–9 | 8 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 9–11 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-119D | 11–22 | 11 | Puebla, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 22–25 | 3 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-132D | 25–43 | 18 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 43–65 | 22 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 65–68 | 3 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 68–72 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 72–87 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 87–88 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| HGO 37 | 88–102 | 14 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 102–103 | 1 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 19 of this route: Puebla → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Zacatlán and Metztitlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Huapalcalco (mile 41), Templo y exconvento de San Agustín (mile 71), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 88), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 95)
- Nature and outdoors: Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla (mile 60), El Hiloche (mile 65), El Chico National Park (mile 65), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 88), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 95)
- Museums and history: Huapalcalco (mile 41), El Santo Museum (mile 43)
Huapalcalco
About 5 kilometers north of Tulancingo, the pre-Columbian site of Huapalcalco sits on the western slope of a hill called Tecolote.
El Santo Museum
Wrestling fans can stop in Tulancingo, birthplace of the masked luchador El Santo, where this museum opened in 1985. Displays include original masks and ring outfits, movie promotional material and photos from his career and private life.
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.
El Hiloche
Bosque El Hiloche is a state park of about 100 hectares of forest in Mineral del Monte, Hidalgo, and one of the geosites of the Comarca Minera Geopark.
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 Zacatlán to other places in Mexico
- Zacatlán to Chipilo
- Zacatlán to Omitlán
- Zacatlán to Otumba
- Zacatlán to Actopan
- Zacatlán to Jilotepec
- Zacatlán to Atlatlahucan
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Zacatlán to Metztitlán?
About 2 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 103 miles.
How far is Metztitlán from Zacatlán by car?
About 103 miles (165 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 Zacatlán 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 Zacatlán to Metztitlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Puebla 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 Zacatlán to Metztitlán use?
In order: MEX-119, MEX-119D, MEX-132D, 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 Zacatlán and Metztitlán?
Closest to the road: Huapalcalco (archaeological site, mile 41, 0.2 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, 0.5 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.