TINAJA DE YUBAY (photos, directions, satellite images, old maps))

The historic water hole is along the Camino Real between San Borja and Calamajue. Today access is from the Bahia de los Angeles highway, just over 7 miles east of Hwy. 1.


From the VivaBaja GPS web page:

Side trip to Tinaja de Yubay (map datum NAD 27 Mexico) WGS84 waypoints are below the photos....

Turn north off L.A. Bay Hwy. (7 mi. E of Hwy. 1, near Km.11), signed Rcho. San Luis: 29°04.30'/ 114°02.37'

Jcn. with old L.A. Bay road, go left/ west: 29°06.34'/ 114°01.25'

Jcn. with Yubay road (right/ N), ahead/ west to Desengaño: 29°06.83'/ 114°01.61'

Desengaño mine ruins (on old L.A. Bay road): 29°06.97'/ 114°01.83'

Jcn. (on Yubay road), turn right/ east to Yubay: 29°09.16'/ 114°01.36' (road ahead goes several miles north)

Yubay parking/ trail head (north, uphill, out of arroyo): 29°10.28'/ 113°59.62'

El Camino Real to south: 29°10.58'/ 113°59.21'

El Camino Real, above arroyo: 29°10.54'/ 113°59.19'

TINAJA DE YUBAY historic water hole: 29°10.68'/ 113°59.22'




On the trail to the historic water hole of Yubay, which is in the canyon ahead. It was very hot and dry, the (less than a) mile hike to Yubay was undertaken by most of our group.

Tinaja de Yubay 7-2-01 :



Possibly the lowest level this water hole has been in some time. GPS: N29°10.69' W113°59.26' (WGS 84) elev. 2,059'. A fig tree grows from the cliff just to my right.




At Yubay, we take a rest as El Camote videos us. But wait....where's Debra???

Another victim of the trail to Yubay! :



Debra's cell phone is useless in this remote desert. Perhaps the well placed Viva Baja sticker will bring assistance! Very funny Debra!




Happy to get out of Yubay alive, David K kisses a boojum!

CERRO LA PALMITA:



The cone shaped hill, as viewed on the return (southboud) trip from Yubay. The desert garden here is incredible!

GPS DIRECTIONS TO YUBAY (WGS 84)

JCN. hwy.1 & L.A. Bay hwy. N29°02.76' W114°09.17' 0.0 mi.

TURN NORTH onto dirt road N29°04.31' W114°02.41' 7.0 mi.

FORK right (left is Desengano, 0.3 mi.) N29°06.84' W114°01.65' 10.0 mi.

JCN. go right (ahead to rock palm hill, 4.2 mi.) N29°09.17' W114°01.40' 12.8 mi.

RIDGE TOP, 4WD only beyond N29°10.19' W113°59.77' 14.8 mi.

END OF ROAD in arroyo/TRAIL is straight across N29°10.29' W113°59.65' 14.9 mi.

TINAJA DE YUBAY N29°10.69' W113°59.26' 15.5 mi.

note: milages are direct, not road miles.

FROM SPACE:

L.A. Bay Hwy to Yubay...



Turn north from pavement. 7 miles east of Mex. 1/ Parador Punta Prieta.



Keep left at junction with old L.A. Bay road.



Fork right for Yubay... Desengaño mine is just ahead (worth a side trip)... old L.A. Bay road continues to Mex. 1 at Km. 270.



Turn sharp right for Yubay (towards La Palmita peak). Road ahead goes several miles passing 'Rock Palm Hill' where blue palms grow out of granite rock on the side of hills and cliffs.



End of road in sandy arroyo... 2WD should park on hill above arroyo. Trail goes directly across arroyo to short-cut to Yubay arroyo.



Tinaja de Yubay.



High view of area.



Topo map of area. Yubay is msm-13. The other arroyos point to where the Camino Real can be seen from space. See my El Camino Real from space series. Link at http://vivabaja.com/bajamissions

Beautiful Tinaja de Yubay photos from Neal Johns at http://vivabaja.com/neal2

Tinaja was overflowing with water that trip!

Here's one from Neal's web page (see the others!):



A bit closer... note the wild fig tree growing on the cliff side(left).
This is the clue you have arrived at the true Tinaja de Yubay,
less than a mile up a canyon where those traveling the El Camino Real would stop, between the mission of San Borja and Calamajue.






[Edited on 10-10-2012 by David K]

May 4, 1961 photos from Howard Gulick

The tinaja water was below the sand...





Note the fig tree growing out of the rock... In wet weather there are other tinajas before you reach the true Yubay. The fig tree is the sign you are at the true Yubay.

1974 Harry Crosby Book

In 'The King's Highway in Baja California', Harry Crosby includes this photo of Yubay taken from the rocks above the water hole. The fig tree is on the right, washed out by sunlight.

Jack Swords Photos

A few years ago, Nomad Jack Swords took these two photos near the tinaja...




Rock art at Tinaja de Yubay





This puma foot print was seen at Tinaja de Yubay. The cat was following Jack, as its tracks were on top of Jack's!

More of Jack's Baja photos at http://vivabaja.com/swords

YUBAY ON MAPS

Between Calamajue and San Borja...

1888 Map:




1919 Map (1905 research):




1930 Map:




1941 Map: ('Y' blotched out)




1962 Map: (first 'accurate' map)




1975 Map:



[Edited on 2-5-2010 by David K]

Thanks that is really pretty neat.. something like that (water) out in the middle of that area is just plain amazing.. can't image folks making their way around out there 2,3,4 hundred years ago.. thanks for all the work.. enjoyed it..

1905 North Expedition

From Camp and Camino in Lower California...

1907 Map

Here is the map in Arthur North's book zoomed in on Yubay and the surrounding region. North spelled Yubay as Youbai. North traveled the El Camino Real much of his trip and the x's on the map are his routes.

From north to south: Agua Dulce, Santa Maria, Calamajue, Yubay, San Borja, Bahia de los Angeles, Las Flores. South of Las Flores North rejoined the Camino Real east branch, known as the 'Golfo Camino Real' at Tinaja de Santa Maria and followed it to Santa Gertrudis.

Any new photos of Yubay this year?

In Feb. 2003, Neal and Marian Johns found a very full tinaja at Yubay!:

Just a bump looking for more Tinaja de Yubay photos...

Quote:

Originally posted by David K Just a bump looking for more Tinaja de Yubay photos...

Neal sent me some .kmz files of this region earlier this week. I need to give the guy a call.