The Wayro route from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Metztitlán is 175 miles (281 km), about 3 h 57 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 175 mi (281 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 57 min |
| Main roads, in order | PUE 438D → MEX-M40D → MEX-132 → MEX-88 → MEX-105 → HGO 37 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos (Level 3), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.0 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas to Metztitlán is like
MEX-M40D (45 mi) and MEX-105 (31 mi) carry about 43% of the 175 miles. MEX-M40D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-132, MEX-88, MEX-105 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Morelos, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Metztitlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Morelos |
| PUE 438D | 3–26 | 23 | Morelos, Puebla |
| local roads | 26–56 | 30 | Puebla |
| MEX-M40D | 56–101 | 45 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 101–102 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-132 | 102–105 | 3 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 105–106 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-88 | 106–121 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 121–124 | 3 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 124–140 | 16 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 140–144 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-105 | 144–159 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 159–160 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| HGO 37 | 160–174 | 14 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 174–175 | 1 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 6 of this route: Morelos → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 61 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 83 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 91 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 103 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Zacualpan de Amilpas and Metztitlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Acosta Mine Museum (mile 131), Templo y exconvento de San Agustín (mile 143), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 160), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 167)
- Nature and outdoors: El Chico National Park (mile 130), Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 160), Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (mile 167)
- Museums and history: Museo de Mineralogía de la UAEH (mile 126), Acosta Mine Museum (mile 131)
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In the town of Hueyapan, the 16th-century church and former convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán keeps original frescoes and moldings inside, around a modest cloister typical of its era.
Convento de Huejotzingo
Founded by Franciscans in the 16th century, the former convent of San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo shows colonial Plateresque architecture on the western slopes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1994.
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.
Museo de Mineralogía de la UAEH
Inside the central building of the state university in downtown Pachuca, the UAEH Mineralogy Museum displays minerals and rocks and is one of the longest-running museums of its kind in Mexico.
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.
Acosta Mine Museum
In Mineral del Monte, Hidalgo, the Museo de Sitio Mina de Acosta is devoted to the history of mining and is run by Pachuca's Archivo Histórico y Museo de Minería.
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 Zacualpan de Amilpas to other places in Mexico
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Ixtenco
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Omitlán
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Tetela de Ocampo
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Huasca de Ocampo
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to El Oro
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Bernal
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Metztitlán?
About 3 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 175 miles.
How far is Metztitlán from Zacualpan de Amilpas by car?
About 175 miles (281 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas to Metztitlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; 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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Metztitlán use?
In order: PUE 438D, 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas and Metztitlán?
Closest to the road: Acosta Mine Museum (museum, mile 131, 0.5 mi from the route); Barranca de Metztitlán (canyon, mile 160, 0.1 mi from the route); Biosphere Reserve Barranca de Metztitlán (biosphere reserve, mile 167, 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.