This section covers the southern part of the peninsula from south of Guerro Negro to Cabo San Lucas.
Most people think that Baja is all desert. The northern part is varied and has mountians, lakes, seasonal rivers even pine forest. The south however is the famous Baja "Desert" that every one has read about. Places where rain has never been recorded, and summer temputures reach 130 degrees. Well, it's a desert all right but its not quite that bad. I suppose fifty years ago it felt like that but today the road is much better and the population has increased dramaticly. Road traffic is heavier and the desolation that was visited just a few years ago has changed.
There is rain, although not much. And when it does rain it rains a lot. The hurricane season from June through October brings the occasional tropical downpour. Rain falls of a inch per hour are not uncommon. Dry river beds turn into ragging rivers that disappear as quickly as they appeared. But the rest of the time, it is dry, and warm. Temputures may hit the high 120s on some days in the hot summer but mostly the summer temputures will be in the 100 degree area with almost no humidity. This is the Chahuahuan and Senoran Desert that is also found on the mainland of Mexico. Giant catus, lots of dirt, dust, and sand and barren mountians are the rule here.
Leaving Guerro Negro the Highway turns Southeast and is straight and narrow for almost sixty miles. I have said it a hundred times but will say it again, Watch Your Speed. There are no trees, telephone poles, even road signs to give a idea of how fast your going. The road is narrow and rolling across the uneven Magdalana Plain. A few miles out of Gurerro Negro there is a dirt road turn off and a small road sign indicating the entrance to the Mexican National Park at Gurerro Negro, or Parke National de Balinas. The home and breeding grounds of the California Grey Whales. Its a dusty four miles to the beach and often there are Mexican Pangas, or small boats that will take you out into the lagoon to get real close to the whales. How close? Well, would you like to pet one? This is relativly safe, but occasionally a Mother whale will take exception to the tourist being to close to her calf and boats have been bumped and even overturned. Make your own decision, but its the chance of a lifetime.
Back on Highway One, the rolling highway continues out into the distance with no end in sight. Watch out for oncoming traffic as they often wander into the oncoming lane. Its a common Baja practice to drive in the middle of the road to avoid potholes and pull into your lane just as oncoming traffic approaches. I dont recomend this practice, but have to admit that after a couple hundred miles of bone jarring road, relaxing in the smooth middle part of the highway has been good on the old back, if not on self preservation.
The next major town is Vizcaniso. Nothing more than a wide spot in the road, this dusty cross road serves the farming and ranching community for miles around. The Pemex station almost always has gas, but there is no place worthwhile to provision. San Ignacio is just ahead and a much better stop. This is the part of the peninsula where a good tour book and maps come in handy. Dirt roads criss cross the desert but there are no road signs, and maps or local knowlege are the only way to get around. Dont go off Highway One exploring, unless you are well prepared and self suficent. The Auto Club can't help you down here. Trips down dirt roads to legendary places like Turtle Bay, or Abre Ojos are worth while but require planning, spare parts and tires, water, extra gas, tools, good maps and camping equipment. The Mexican people are generous, but have precious little to share. The small dirt road towns and fish camps don't cater to tourist and don't have tourist facilities. Hotels are marginal to bad and, the food questionable, so plan to be on your own.
As you approach San Ignacio, the terrain changes from the flat desert of the Magdalana plain. Deep ravines or Vados take the road up and down and back and forth. Just because you can see the road ahead dont assume it goes straight. It might just as well swerve to the right,go down a vado then back up and swerve to the left, then back to the right, to continue straight. Miss the turn and land up upside down in a deep ravine. Another good reason not to drive at night.
Off to your right you will start to see signs of habatations. House and car traffic and lots of palm trees. The Pemex gas station is on your left and a good place to get filled up on gas. This is not the center of town. There is the skeleton of a whale on the south side of the road marking the entrance into town. Turn down the road in into a paradox in the desert. Out of nowhere tall Date Palms grow by the thousand. About a quarter mile in, you go over a earthen dam and are surrounded by a lake on both sides of the road. Is this Baja? Yep, sure is. Continue through the Palms for about a mile. There are several active and abandoned camp grounds. The La Pinta hotel is on the left about a quarter mile from the center of San Ignacio. This secret paradise has been discovered by the eco-tour companies and they book the hotel solid during many months of the year, but its still worth a stop. A good resturant for breakfest, lunch or dinner with a limited menu and lovely grounds. Arrive early if your planning to eat. They will often run out of food if it gets busy. If you have the time, leave your car here and walk the remaining quarter mile into town. Its like a time machine. On your left is the old vineyard planted by the Spanish Missionarys over 200 years ago. The palms, the old houses, and then through a small opening in the buildings the town square with huge oak trees and the stone church build by the Jesuits two hundred years ago. The church is open and in daily use. Vistors are welcome but respect the Mexican customs. Women should be dressed appropriately to visit the church. No halter tops for women or bathing suits, that kind of stuff. Mexicans are modest and churches are scacred places. I always walk down to the town square after dinner and sit on the park benches and watch the locals. In the summer time the evenings are warm and pleasent.The locals come down and visit. TV is just begining to show up here and most people cant afford it. It must have been much the same one hundred years ago. This is the soul of Baja. Enjoy it.
The Sea of Cortez is just over the next hill and like all travelers you will feel the excitment as you anticpate your first view of the desert sea. But there are many things to see as you drive the 39 miles to Santa Rosalia and the Sea of Cortez. Look for a large volcano about twenty miles east of San Ignacio. " El Vulcan" is a high cinder cone, (5000 feet) that dominates the horizon as the road winds through the lava flows at the base of the mountian. There is a mircowave relay station named Las Almas as you crest the last hill and get your first look at the Sea of Cortez. Las Almas means " The Clams" in Spanish and marks what has to be the steepest road in Baja. Pull over to the side of the road. If your in a RV or towing a trailer put your vehical in LOW gear and go slowly. Be on the look out for other slow vehicals going up and down the steep grade. You drop 3000 feet in about two miles. Wow! Stop at one of the turn outs and admire the view. If you look closely at the rocks in this area you will notice they are all fossalized sea shells. Yes, this mountian used to be under water at one time. Upon reaching the bottom of the hill the road rises again to another "Baja" original.
You are entering the town of Santa Rosalia via the city dump. Highway one winds through the city dump and turns south again at the Sea of Cortez. No beautiful beaches here, Santa Rosealia is a industrial town. The dirt airstrip is on the beach as you turn south. Houses start to pop up around the highway when Santa Rosalia offers yet another surprise. The road now travels through the center of the copper smelter that was for many years the main industry in Santa Rosalia. Rusting conveyor equipment and metal buildings, now deserted, suround you on both sides. My first trip to Baja the smelter was still in operation and it was a adventure just to travel through the many moving conveor belts and furnace's. The smokestake for the smelter is a quarter mile long tunnel that is covered by rocks and runs up the the hill side to spue its noxious fumes over the catus. Santa Rosalia is also a major ferry port with the car and truck ferry running accross the Sea of Cortez to Topolombambo the port for Guymas. Although its only a 15 hour crossing, when the wind is blowing out of the North, the ferry rolls from side to side making even seasoned sailors green.
The center of town is marked by a traffic circle if you turn to the right you will head into the center of town. Head straight, and you will be on your way to Mulaje about 40 miles south. As you head West into town the Mesa on your right is called the French Mesa, and the Mesa on your left is called the Mexican Mesa. The French Mesa was where all the French managers for the smelter lived and worked. The old Hotel Francesas, (French Hotel) is still in operation although pretty run down the last time I stopped by. A short distance into town and you will notice a steel church designed by Mr. Effel of Effel town fame. Rumors abound that it was shipped to Santa Rosalia by accident, but that is not the case. It was a cheap, prefab steel building and was ordered by the mine company. There are several Hotels in Santa Rosalia, The Hotel Francesas, The City Hotel on the main street and the Hotel ?, on Highway one just South of town. These are Baja hotels, no heat, no TV but if your lucky hot water. OK in a pinch but better is to be found in Mulaje a short drive south. I really enjoy walking around Santa Rosalia. No tourist in this town, but a few nice resturants, and interesting shopping if you broke something along the way. The Pemex gas station on Highway one almost always has gas, so I top off the tank before heading south. There are immigration and customs at the port captains office by the ferry dock. At the traffic circle head inland about two blocks and you will find the famous steel church. There are a few Mexician Super Markets in town and you can normaly find most basic foods, along with ice and bottled water.
Heading south from the traffic circle the road rises and heads quickly out of town. Over the first hill is the new prison which replaced the more comical version in Mulaje. The Mulaje prison was famous for letting the prisoners out at 6am to go to breakfest and work and required them to be back before dark. There was no place to escape too, so it worked out pretty well for all concerened. With the competion of Highway One, a more serious prison was build just south of Santa Rosalia. This one is the Alcataz of Baja. Big, Square, with four gun towers, it is a nasty place. I watched it being built for several years before the big outside walls went up. Inside is a square building that serves as a dormitory and nothing else. Just dirt and heat. It must be 130F inside during the summer months. Mexico belives prisons should be punishment so dont look for the tennis courts. If you pay, (Yes thats legal) you can get into a better prison. Yippie. Another good reason to obey the Mexican laws.
Highway one runs down the coast about a mile from the sea of Cortez the short 40 miles to Mulaje. There are several small comunities doting the shore but not much of interest unless your into camping. A word about Mexican beaches. All beaches in Mexico are public,just like in the US. Access may be difficult but the beach is public. Organized camp grounds charge a daily fee of a few dollars. No formal paper work just a Mexican kid who stops by now and then and collects the camp fees. MULAJE is a unique Baja town. The Mulaje river is the only year round river in Baja. It starts at a rocky headland known as "El Sombrero" with many sand bars blocking the entrance. Local fisherman go in and out all the time in shallow draft fishing boats, with tourist not far behind looking for the deeper water across the sand bar. The river goes inland about a mile, surrounded by thousands of palm trees. It peters out after going under the Highway one bridge but serves as the main drainage for the area and fresh water fills up the gullys that feed the river every time it rains.
Mulaje is one of my favorite Baja towns and the gateway to beauiful " Bahia Concepcion" or in English, Conception Bay. You enter the town itself after winding down the side of the hills on Highway one. The signage is poor but take the first major left turn at the bottom of the hill and you bump into down town Mulaje. Many of the streets have been made one way which is confusing due to lack of signs, and if your driving a large motor home or have a big trailer you will not want to drive the narrow streets of Mulaje. Park where you can and walk into town. The road into town continues about two blocks with two way traffic then bends to the right and becomes oneway. This narrow road if taken to the end will follow the river all the way to the sea by El Sombrero about a mile away. Most of the trailer parks and camp grounds are on the other side of the river. Cross over the river useing the bridge and you will see the various signs on the left. Dirt roads connect the various camps and many are full during the winter tourist season. ( work in progress )