2017 BAJA EXPEDITION #2, Central Baja California (San Ignacio to Loreto +)

An incredible trip of 10 days that included great weather (a bit cold at night), great Baja Nomads, some I met for the first time, and great but rough dirt roads. I went to many missions and visita sites. Here is a list:

San Ignacio, Mulegé, San Juan Londó, Loreto, Ligüí, San Javier, El Horno, San José de Comondú (1736 site), San Miguel (Comondú), La Purísima, Comondú Viejo (1708 site), and San Borja.

I traveled most of the known roads to the beaches between Santa Rosalía and Ensenada Blanca (below Loreto) and the rough roads between San Javier and Comondú, on to La Purísima and back east to Hwy. 1.

I also drove both roads into/ out of San Borja and checked out an abandoned gold mine with many open, deep shafts that I could not see the bottom of.

I took photos and notes at each site, recorded kilometer markers and mileages on the dirt roads all as part of a project to gather new data on Baja travel that we may all have access to. For the time being, just refer to my 2017 trip Reports here on Tacoma World to see and read about some of what I saw.

DAY ONE (Jan. 30, 2017):

Leave my North San Diego County home at 6:53 am. My vehicle is a 2010 Toyota Tacoma OFF ROAD TRD, 4WD, 4 door pickup. 265/75-16 Hankook Dynapro ATM tires. Almost stock, except for Bilstein 5100s all around and adjustable Ride Rite air springs on the back. Light bar in front with four CREE LED 7" lamps (2 spot beams and 2 driving beams).

Head to Calexico, buy pesos (20.20 per dollar). Cross into Mexico at 10:12 am. I get the green light but am flagged (flash lighted) to pull over (typical with a loaded pickup truck). After a short look-over, she sends me on south (never asked about FMM needs, but I had one already).

At San Felipe (12:24 pm), I top the tank and buy an extra 7 gallons to put into my empty 5 and 2-gallon cans, for insurance, should there be a gasoline issue. My truck has a 21-gallon tank and has just over a 300-mile range under these driving conditions. As it turned out, I did not need the extra gas cans as no stations were closed and I never dropped below 8 gallons still in my tank.

Military Checkpoints southbound (Hwy. 3 Jcn., Gonzaga Bay) did not stop me, or just a quick question of where I was coming from and where I was going.

At Gonzaga Bay at 2:06 pm and hoped to have a fish taco or two. The restaurant next to Rancho Grande was closed, and the taco shack in front of the market was out of fish so she was making potato tacos!!?? Out-of-fish in Baja is a crime! I went into the market and bought some crackers, cookies, and a Milky Way bar... as I did not want to take the time to go to Alfonsina's or Papa Fernandez' restaurants.

The pavement ends 20 kms. south of Gonzaga and is followed by almost 23 miles of fair, graded road, used also as construction access as they are building the final section of a paved Highway 5.

I reached Hwy. 1 (Laguna Chapala) at 3:15 pm. The construction detours were not bad, and the older road still used was only bad for about 2 miles past Coco's Corner.

Reached the L.A. Bay junction at 3:41 pm. The El Tomatal military checkpoint at 4:22 pm, not even looked my way. Villa Jesus Maria seems to have been renamed VALLE JESUS MARIA (unless the government signmaker goofed, and that happens a lot). I stopped for gasoline and had quesatacos (no fish here either) for dinner at Kassandra's next to the Pemex station. I was on the road again at 5:07 pm and soon saw the sun set.

At the Eagle Monument (it is in need of paint), which is the state border, and change to Mountain Standard Time, at 5:30 pm >>> now 6:30 pm. The charge for driving over the Baja California Sur state insect spray strip is 20 pesos. No INM officer or request to see FMM here as in years past (or at any time during the trip).

Arrived at San Ignacio at 8 pm (MST) and stayed at the La Huerta Hotel (650 pesos) for a great night sleep!

PHOTOS:


Km. 99, south of San Felipe


Desert south of Laguna Chapala, near El Crucero.


Kassandra's taco shop, Km 95, Valle Jesus Maria, Pemex Station.

DAY 2... where the data collecting gets serious... coming next!

 

This page from Harry Crosby's 1974 history adventure book The King's Highway in Baja California had me wanting to see this magnificient structure that to me would be like finding a pyramid, being such a grand structure in 1700s Baja California.

Just east (southbound) of the paved entrance road to old San Ignacio and the Km. 73 marker, turn right into the large dirt lot going to the far end. The Baja Oasis Motel is just past this lot. Park and walk to the Muralla...


To find a piece of Baja history I had read about since I was a teenager makes the journey just that much more exciting. Baja is a magic place!




A mortared spillway on this incredible dam and dike complex built in the 1760s.


The base.

 

Day 2 Continued...

Hotel Volcan Tres Virgenes:

The most recently active volcano on the peninsula is passed between San Ignacio and Santa Rosalia, Tres Virgenes is the complex of three volcanoes...






Km. 31.5 Paved road north to an eco-lodge, Volcán Trés Vírgenes (1.8 mi. in). 5 ؙcabins have 10 rooms with shower and toilet, 350 pesos. Food served in the lodge. The paved road beyond the resort (gated) goes to a geothermal electric plant.



Francisco (likes to be called 'Borrego') manages the lodge and he showed me around... I will be back!

 

SAN IGNACIO PICS:

I kind of jumped ahead... These pics were from before La Muralla:

Here are some photos I took in San Ignacio on Tue. Jan. 31, 9 am+, before I went to La Muralla and the Tres Virgenes Volcano hotel.

I am mainly trying to show places to camp or motels for travelers along with points of interest.
Let me know if you need any data on these pics. I will put them in order as if you were driving into town, from the highway, and heading out to San Ignacio Lagoon:





















Hotel La Huerta (and restaurant)

 

SANTA ROSALIA, and south, Jan. 31, 2017












Ferry Terminal


Hotel El Morro

SAN LUCAS:











SAN BRUNO:



I missed Pescador, he was fishing!

SHELL BEACH/ PTA. CHIVATO




Casa de Russ, where the great sunrise photos come from.

Russ took me for a Polaris ride around Punta Chivato. I want to thank Russ for his awesome hospitality (and great tacos that night)!















END OF DAY 2 (Tue. Jan. 31, 2017)

If you need a map to see where in Baja these places are:

 

Always enjoyed reading your trip posts! Thanks for this.

 

My pleasure... 8 more days of great places to show you still! Stand by!

I seriously don't get why there isn't more TWers down there... A lot are (and are on Baja Nomad, too), but it is such a great place to have a Tacoma and go camping... Far better than up here... and down there, it's almost free!

 

I agree. I've driven down to San Felipe and go down to Ensenada and Rosarito usually once a year. Typically, its during the Baja 500. I love the people down there! I've met so many awesome people in the middle of the desert down there. I even transported some military guys from a checkpoint in the middle of the desert to San Felipe at 2am in the morning. 3 guys, 3ar's, a dog, and a guitar in the bed of my truck at 80mph on the highway. They lived in San Felipe and bought my gf and I a beer when we ran into them in town the next night. Good times...

 

DAY 3: Mulegé Area and Bahía Concepción (most of)

It is Wednesday morning, Feb. 1, 2017, and it was a quiet wind-free night at Punta Chivato (Shell Beach). Thanks again to Russ for the hospitality and ATV ride around the area, yesterday. I was up at sunrise to take a photo, as Russ does here, but there were no clouds for the big ball of fire to illuminate, so no photo.

I got on the road at 8:45 am (MST) and drove the approx. 8 miles back to the highway at Palo Verde to begin the next section of note and photo taking...

SANTA INES (Km. 155.5)

2.8 miles in there is an unsigned fork. To the left, in 0.2 mi. is a fishermen's home or camp and what appears to be an area for camping. But, you cannot see the water (low sand dunes) from there. Going back to the fork, and taking the right branch went 1/2 mile to a parking area next to a beautiful beach... 3.3 miles from the highway.









Perfect! However, there are stories of robberies, here in the past. So a little danger with paradise!

On to Mulegé:


Through town and on the north river road.




Some palapas on the bench between the river and gulf.



El Patron restaurant (end of the north road) was closed (sign said open at 11), but just west, was Casa de Pancho Villa restaurant. WHAT A GREAT PLACE! Willy Airstream (Richard) had recommended it. I had a shrimp omelet with fries, fresh squeezed OJ and coffee, all for just 95 pesos... =US$4.75. They had wifi so I could check emails and Nomad while waiting. Met a traveler there who, later came to Loreto two days and attended my book signing.


The 4th California Mission, Santa Rosalía de Mulegé, founded in 1705.


The stone church was built in 1766, just before all the Jesuits were removed from the New World.


The mission site is reached from the south side of the bridge over the river at Km. 134, and a paved road turns left and goes under the bridge to the mission.

More Mulegé from along the south side of the river...




Km. 133 Jungla Jim's (was busy).


Cuesta Real (hotel & RV park). Km. 132/133


Villa María Isabel RV Park. Km. 132+

The Hotel Serenidad (Km. 131+) was pretty quiet looking. Such a big place, and almost no clients in sight. The airstrip looked okay, a bit wet still maybe (it rained a week earlier).

The Pemex station is at Km. 130, and I am pretty sure the pumps here are rigged to short the amount pumped by about 15%. I didn't need a lot today, but in a few days, it was more evident when I returned.

Here are a few Bahía Concepción shots:


Playa Brisas del Mar


Playa Frambes Lighthouse Resort (Bob & Susan on Nomad)


Los Narranjos bungalos for rent (300 pesos).










Playa Santispac and most the other places were wall to wall snowbirds (90% Canadian).

MORE COMING...

 

Did you have to use 4WD at all throughout your trip? Aka would it be possible to do in a 2WD tacoma with A/Ts?

 

I rarely used 4WD. Only felt the need to if I drove onto the beach or on the steep grade between San Javier and Comondú and again on the steep grade east from La Purísima.

 

Leaving Santispac. The mangrove below is where the hot springs of Santispac are... in the mud.


Playa Escondida (Km. 111+)


The road back to the highway from Playa Escondida


Playa Los Cocos (Km. 110.5)


Betha's Restaurant/Playa El Burro (Km. 108.5)





EL COYOTE, Km. 107 (Famous sea level palms):









PLAYA BUENAVENTURA, Km. 93+ (Mark & Olivia's):





EL REQUESON (Km. 92, to the left):







LA PERLA (Km. 92, to the right):












Camping fee, 100 pesos.

End of DAY 3.

 

DAY 4, Thursday Feb. 2 (Groundhog sees his shadow)

It was a pleasant night at La Perla. I introduced myself to the one other camper, at the north palapa. A man named Serg from Quebec and his wife (didn't see her that day). He bought one of my books. Serg had been there for many days or weeks, very content. Beats winter in the Great White North, eh?





I was on the road at 9:45 am...
One more camping beach is just south...

Playa Armenta (Km. 90+ and 89+)
[the + means about 1/4 kilometer from the marker, or just out of sight]




It is about a kilometer (0.6 mi.) drive in from the north entrance, on the original road to La Paz.



Heading south, I wanted to see San Nicolas. Heard lots about it and seen Nomad photos in the past... Nomad 'Vgabndo' (Perry) used to have a place there. He gave Baja Nomad the term "Peace, Love, and Fish Tacos" as our motto.



The junction for San Nicolas is just past the Rosarito restaurant and along the runway built during the construction of Hwy. 1 through here about 1970-1971. It is just south of Km. 62.









Flash flood(s) have really cut through here in the recent past.
It is 10.6 miles to the beach from Hwy. 1 on fairly good graded road, complete with highway signs and kilometer posts. A 'Chuy's Sportfishing' sign is in the village area. Nothing looked like a camping area or any rooms (or at least signs), so back out to the highway.

At Km. 59+ is the graded road west to San Isidro and La Purísima. This road I will be traveling in a few more days is NOT maintained and should be avoided by most, only trucks and SUVs, as it is very rough. Only a few miles near Hwy. 1 (here) are smooth and fast. Flash floods and rain of the past couple of years has been hard on the roads in Baja Sur.

The next coastal area I wanted to see was San Juanico and San Basilio. There are two roads in. The first is unsigned at Km. 48.5 and the second has a big sign (Km. 40) the reads to NOT use this road, go north to Km. 49.
I would see later that this Km. 40 road is chained closed on the east end and is for the use of the property owner of San Basilio, all are welcome to San Basilio, but use the natural arroyo road at Km. 48.5. So back north I go up Hwy. 1, 5 miles...





There is an unsigned fork at Mile 6.8. The left fork goes 2.4 miles more to the fishing village of San Juanico. No camping facility or rooms were seen.



Back to the fork, and going on the right fork (and keep right in 1 mile at another fork) in just 1.5 miles met up with the graded road from Km. 40, and was chained closed. A San Basilio property guard met me where these burros were and told me I could camp ahead, no problema.



3.3 miles from the fork, or 10 miles from Hwy. 1 is a cattle guard crossing and a fork. I could see many campers to the right, so I first went left about 1/2 mile to a deserted beach:


San Basilio north beach.


The left end after the sand part.

The road to this beach continues up a hill to the private home area. I went back to see the other beach, on the bay with yachts offshore. It is 1/2 mile from the cattle guard fork to the south beach.










San Basilio south beach.
I took photos and made a U-turn and left. Other vehicles were on the beach, note tracks.

Back out to the highway and southbound again.

Just south of Km. 30 is a signed road right to the mission site of San Juan Londó, an important visita (mission visiting station/ chapel) of the Loreto mission from around 1705 and later attached to the Comondú mission.
You go just 0.4 mile, and park between the ruins and a ranch. A cemetary is next to the site.







At Km. 26+ is a road that leads east towards San Bruno, the oldest Spanish ruins in California (1683-1685) where an attempt to establish a mission and colony was made.

The military checkpoint is at Km. 24. The did not even look at southbound cars.

Approaching Loreto...





The first missson and capital of California (Baja & Alta)...
















Here is El Caballo Blanco, Jeannie's bookstore, she had asked I bring her 15 books when she heard I was going to be in Loreto and if I could give a lecture on the missions the following night. If you haven't seen my book yet: www.oldmissions.com is where the publisher sells it (also on my personal site www.vivabaja.com I am pretty proud of my baby, it is now in its third printing. Edit: In November 2017, was the book's 6th printing! Also available on Amazon.



I got a room at the Hotel Angra for 830 pesos (=$41.50), it has secured parking in front of the rooms, which are in a courtyard of sorts. It was nice, had wifi, and a continental breakfast was included.

The place is new, the room is nice. The only gripe was a neighbor's rooster was crowing at midnight the first night and barking dog was active the next night. Neither were the management's fault, of course.

END of DAY 4.

To be continued!

 

DAY 5: LORETO TO LIGUI

Today I explore around Loreto.

I first want to say what a great dinner I had the previous night with Baja Nomad 'ncampion' who picked me up at the hotel and took me to Orlando's. A winner, for sure! I had the Cilantro Fish plate and Nick had the Mango Fish plate. Ice cold Pacificos made it a complete meal with chips and salsa.

Okay, so first thing is, being a history guy, I wanted to see what came of the first fishing resort in town, from the 1950s, the Flying Sportsman Lodge. It had the town's first pier in front. It was the cover of the famous Ray Cannon book, The Sea of Cortez:



That book was published in 1966.


The pier in 2017



On south to see any camping possibilities between Loreto and where the highway begins to climb the sierra and leave the gulf coast for La Paz.

Km. 117+ is the paved highway west to San Javier, where I will go tomorrow. This is about 1 mile south of Loreto's entrance road.


Km. 99.5 View Parking


The Sierra Giganta.


Palm grove near the beach, just south of Juncalito, Km. 97.


The beach, some campers.

Puerto Escondido Paved road near Km. 94


Yacht Harbor

The harbor is a mile+ in. Closer to the highway is the Tripui Hotel and RV Park. They offer lawn camping. Very friendly. Camping is $10/pp, RV with hookups is $20/pp and a hotel room is 1,290 pesos (=$64.50).

A bit closer to the highway from Tripui complex is an unsigned dirt road south. It seems to be a secret area but not really, as every spot was occupied by snowbird campers! A sign along the way reads Playa El Quemado. It is 1.5 miles to the mostly rocky beach and spots along the beach between sand hills with brush extend a half mile to the south.









Km. 84+ Ligüí, a small town on the left. Turn off highway at the school, before the road begins the uphill climb.



The road left was badly mangled by a flash flood and the white cross and white painted rocks outlining the mission memorial site has been destroyed since my previous visit here, in 2012.

The mission was once next to the arroyo but was swallowed up by an enlarged arroyo by 2001. Mission San Juan Bautista de Ligüí was the third California mission, founded in 1705, and the first one to be abandoned, in 1721. The location was never good, other than lots of Indians living there.


Where the mission was originally, now in a sandy arroyo, by the road.

The best way to the beach now is to go right at the sign (0.4 mi. from highway) and then left following down the arroyo. The beach no longer has any palapas, as it did in the past. It is 0.5 mi. from the fork (0.9 from the highway).

Here's a panorama series going from right to left:











The right fork goes south 1.3 miles to the town of Ensenada Blanca. Sadly, the beach on their bay is now cut off and behind a security gate. You must be a guest of the nearby Danzante Resort to pass to see the water or beach. How sad. The village was here long before that resort.

Back to Loreto and later go to the bookstore. It was a full house and met many. The fellow I met in Mulegé was there, as was ncampion and even our famous Nomad, Mike Younghusband who (in 2010) walked over 1,000 miles down the peninsula with his burro, Don-Kay (following the lead made in 1997 by Graham Mackintosh and his burro, Misión). Here is that adventure: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=47853

Mike wants to join me tomorrow to San Javier and beyond to show me something really cool... Stay Tuned!

 

WOW! Would love to follow you one these days.

 

amazing photos! thanks for sharing these

 

5 more days to show you are coming.... just taking a break!

Baja rocks, with camping, four wheeling, photo shooting, history exploring... it is like a time machine!

My web site is filled with these trips and links to help you plan your own trip. www.vivabaja.com

I am for hire if you want a guide or even ride in my Tacoma, as well! Email me for details. My next research trip is March 1 for up to 7 days. The location will be decided by this weather we are getting.

 

DAY 6-A: Sat. Feb. 4, 2017 Loreto to San Javier

Mike Younghusband meets me at the Pemex station, right across the street from my hotel entrance at 8 am. After topping my tank, I follow Mike as we head west, into the Sierra Giganta mountains.

If you get a chance to read Padre Piccolo's diaries of how he founded Mission San Javier, in 1699, it gives a connection to what it was like before bulldozers and dynamite!

I first traveled to San Javier in July 1973 on the original auto road blasted through in the 1950s and again in 1976. Only a mule or burro could bring supplies from Loreto before then, traveling on the first leg of El Camino Real, the Jesuit mission road connecting the missions that would be built throughout this land that many still thought was an island.

Now, a modern highway has been built up the mountain. In 2009, it was completed about half the distance, when I was last up this way. Now, flash floods try to take it out, but crews are on top of things and are improving damaged areas.












Km. 18 Rancho Las Parras, on the left, has a nice chapel across the highway.



Km. 24.5 is Rancho Nuevo, on the left. Here, Mike introduces me to "Bule" who arranges for anyone to go on a mule ride adventure.

Km. 25.5 is Rancho Viejo, on the right. This was the first location of Mission San Francisco Javier de Biaundo from May 11, 1699 to 1710, when Padre Juan de Ugarte moved it 5 miles south.

Km. 27.5 Unsigned junction with road to San José Comondú, 26 miles.

Km. 34 SAN JAVIER





Mike shows me the trail to the back side of the mission and we follow the water canal and see the old old olive tree.















We have quesadillas at the little restaurant on the west side of the street near the mission and then head north 4 miles to the Comondú junction, and I say goodbye to pavement for the next many hours!

To Be Continued!

 

California BEGAN in Baja!

Discovered in late 1533 or early 1534, and thought to be the mythical island where the only metal was gold and ruled by Queen Calafia over a population of only women! Sailors were captured for breeding. Any male children were fed to the griffins.

The first colony was started by Cortez himself in 1535, at La Paz (he called it Santa Cruz). It failed after two years, the land was too harsh and the natives too hostile.

The missionaries made efforts to get a foothold on the land in 1683. Again, after two years, that idea was abandoned.

In 1697, with knowledge gained from past failures, the Jesuit Order of Catholic priests founded the first California mission, at Conchó, and named in Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó. Loreto was the first of 27 missions on the peninsula of California and 21 in the land to the north that had no name, other than New California or Upper California. San Diego was the 19th California mission, founded 72 years after Loreto.

 

DAY 6-B The Indian Camp


The road between San Javier and Comondú is not bad for a few miles, but do you see that grade ahead? That is pretty rough and coming down the other side to El Horno is even rougher. I used 4WD about halfway up that grade. To help going down the other side, I used low range for improved gear-brake-assist. From El Horno to Comondú, the road was good again. See road log, below.

Mike wanted to show me something he and Wilderone discovered while looking for petroglyphs during their mule trip through the area.

We parked and went hiking along an abandoned road.



Mike found the spot, it was a large flat area, above the arroyo, where a whole village may have been, based on the number of metates (grinding stones and bowls)... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metate













VERY COOL! Baja is the best at taking us back in time!!

Later, we took a walk to this stream before Mike returned to Loreto and I continued on to Comondú.