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A Life Less Ordinary

Tag: Baja California Sur

Wet & Wild Mesquite Canyon – One of the Most Spectacular Hikes in Baja California Sur, Mexico

May 2, 2022 / / 52 Comments

A hike in Mesquite Canyon, located about an hour south of Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico, was on the agenda last year, especially after seeing photos about it on our friends Sandie and Karsten’s blog. They had told us how to get there, but our mistake was not writing down the instructions and neglecting to search for the approach on Google Map’s satellite image.

Hiking in the heat to find the trail last year – in vain

We found the correct entrance road in the spring of 2021, drove through the gravel pit area, parked, and explored two approaches on foot with Maya. One brought us to a gate, which we didn’t think allowed public access (it did) and the other gravel path brought us into the mountains after a couple of hot and rocky miles, before we believed this wasn’t right.

The gate was closed last year, so we didn’t proceed. The trail starts two miles past this point.

It was late afternoon by the time we returned to Zesty, so we spent the night in the peaceful environs of a gravel pit. Bummed, we gave up on this alleged incredible canyon hike. When we saw Sandie and Karsten again, they mentioned the trail started two miles past the gate.

Camped with Zesty near the gravel pit, last year

Needless to say, this hike in Mesquite Canyon was high on the list during our recent return trip to Baja California Sur. This time, we did enough research and were determined to find the trail. Except, it was Sunday and the access road to the canyon was blocked off. Despair and disappointment arrived.

Oh no, the access road is blocked!

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Agua Verde – A Remote Gem & Highlight in Baja California, Mexico

April 20, 2022 / / 67 Comments

In the beginning of February, Mark, Maya, and I spent ten days on a pebble beach near Agua Verde in Baja California, Mexico. During that time, we visited this small village with our friends Duwan and Greg, in their car. Waiting for a fish taco lunch at the town’s waterfront, we spotted a protected bay with anchored boats and a sandy beach through binoculars. We decided to stop there on the drive home. Within five minutes of setting foot on that white beach and gazing at the surrounding rock formations, Mark and I concluded: “Let’s stop here for a week on our drive back north.”

Agua Verde bay

So, a good six weeks later, after we explored more of the Baja California peninsula and rounded Cabo Este, we stocked up on water, propane, and food for another nine days off the beaten path. Our first night was spent at the end of the ten-mile paved stretch of road, which then turned into dirt for another 20 miles to Agua Verde.

(As always, hover over or click on the photos in galleries to read their captions.)

Sign at the entrance of the 30-mile road
Welcome back to the mountains!
Extra water to add to our tank later

The road in

Those last 30 kilometers (20 miles) of the Agua Verde road were rutted and potholed; some were steep and narrow, down a treacherous slope, where you hoped nobody arrived from the other side. This was the second time we attempted this route. Heading down and looking ahead, clouds of dust announced opposing traffic. Sometimes, I would jump out of the passenger seat to assess the situation. On the return trip, it was more difficult to see oncoming cars. We hoped they would see our dust cloud.

Heading down the hill
A steep descend
What do you mean no passing allowed?
Another sharp turn
A dust cloud tells another car is heading our way.
A truck heading our way!

At the bottom of the windy hill, the track was mostly flat but still in awful shape. The entire stretch of road, from Mex 1 (the main “highway” in Baja) to Agua Verde took us two hours and a half of being shaken. Despite our slow progress, car sickness still befell me. But it was worth it.

One-lane dirt road towards Agua Verde

Our campsite

After a last, steep descend, an empty beach opened up. We had encountered quite a bit of traffic on the drive, so we feared the place would be packed. Not so. A group of fishermen was camped for the night by the entrance of the beach and multiple sailboats peacefully swayed at anchor. We had our pick to park and chose a spot higher up. From here, we could see the protected bay on one side and the windier Sea of Cortez on the other side. Depending on shade, we moved our chairs around the camper.

First camping spot
Bedside view towards the Sea of Cortez
Bedside view towards the calm bay
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Off the Beaten Path in Baja California Sur, Mexico – Cabo Este or the East Cape

April 2, 2022 / / 56 Comments

While any visit to the Agua Verde area by vehicle can only happen after taking a 30-kilometer/20-mile slow, steep, uncomfortable, and extremely bumpy ride (after another 10 kilometers/7 miles of pavement), exploring the East Cape by its access road Camino Cabo Este is even tougher and more demanding. No wonder this stretch is called one of the worst roads in Baja.

Camino Cabo Este

Luckily, you don’t have to drive the entire 100 kilometers (60 miles) of washboard and potholed dirt track in one go! As a matter of fact, it took us twelve fabulous days to complete this one-way adventure.

(As always, hover over or click on the photos in galleries to read their captions.)

La Paz

But first, Mark, Maya, our friends Duwan and Greg, and I spent a few days in La Paz, where we found a decent parking spot for three nights. Mark and I remember the capital of Baja California Sur as a pleasant town with a good vibe and historic charm. In the last sixteen years, it hasn’t changed much.

Fishermen next to our camper, going out in the early morning
Mural at our La Paz parking lot, at night
Mural on the property of the Marea Hotel
Happy hour in La Paz
Dinner out at a local seafood restaurant
Sharing a pink smoothie on Valentine’s Day
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Ten Days at a Pebble Beach in Baja – Friends, Wildlife, Hikes, and Views

March 26, 2022 / / 48 Comments

Our arrival in Baja California, Mexico, was delayed by six weeks, because we decided to work for a month in the Phoenix area (Arizona, USA) after spending more money than anticipated on the cross-country drive from east to west. We also had a few important phone calls requiring unwavering internet and we needed an extra two weeks to prep our camper for the trip.

The majestic Sea of Cortez

Soon after crossing the border in mid-January, we decided Mark should fly back to Massachusetts for a family matter. To accommodate that impromptu trip, we “rushed” south on the peninsula and prepared for his imminent return. Maya and I stayed at a campground in Loreto (Rivera Del Mar) during his ten-day absence.

(As always, hover over or click on the photos to read their captions.)

The Malecon in Loreto
Loreto: a cute, historic, and colorful town
The Mission in Loreto

After all those arrangements and adjustements, you can imagine that we were more than ready and excited to take “a break from life” and start our Baja adventures. On February 1st, we filled our truck camper, T&T, with drinking water, propane, and food, emptied our sewage tanks at the campground, and headed south for a beach vacation along the Sea of Cortez. We spent one night at Juncalito Beach to get a decent start the next morning. The road to our destination in the Agua Verde area would be slow, treacherous, and mind blowing; a perfect introduction to Baja’s roughness and beauty.

Camped along the beach in Juncalito
A calm bay at Playa Juncalito

As expected, the single-track dirt road contained sharp turns, potholes, small rocks, and gravel. Some parts were steep and nerves of steel were required. Mark did a great job bringing us down to the coastline, where the track turned into the usual Baja secondary road: washboard, sand, and gravel. The cloudy, drizzly weather was unusual.

The cloudy and drizzly approach to the Agua Verde coastline
Slow and careful drive, back up!
Hopefully nobody is coming from the opposite side!
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Five Things to Do in Loreto, Baja California, Mexico

February 16, 2022 / / 47 Comments

Mark, Maya, and I visited Loreto for a few days last year, in our campervan Zesty. It was pretty much our most southern stop on the peninsula during a two-month Baja California sojourn. We spent most of that time on the beaches of Bahia Concepcion and in Mulege, a town we liked better than Loreto. I wrote about that “comparison” here.

Every city in Baja California has a statue of their name in colorful letters.

When it became clear and imminent for Mark to fly back to Massachusetts last month, we decided Loreto would be the best, most convenient, and cheapest place for Maya and me to await his return. We managed to snag a “dry camping” spot at Rivera del Mer RV Park ($5/person/night), which has splendid bathroom and laundry facilities.

T&T at Rivera del Mar RV park this year
Zesty parked at Rivera del Mar RV park last year (spring 2021) – nobody else was around
In perspective: T&T parked in the corner of the tight “dry camping” area

Vendors with fresh tortillas and other goodies pass right by the gate and the center of town is a short walk away. Unless you have a dog. That requires a detour to avoid all the barking, aggressive, local canines guarding their properties.

Lunch on fresh corn tortillas, bought from a passing vendor

(As always, hover over or click on the photos to read their captions.)

Here are my five highlights of Loreto, which grew on me when I camped there in T&T the last twelve days of January.

Seal on the pedestrian walkway in town

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