BajaNomad

Primitive Camping down the Peninsula

katblue - 12-4-2016 at 08:26 AM

Hello everyone. I am glad I found this site.

I am thinking about heading down the Baja Peninsula and primitive camping along the way. I am in my 4wd truck with full solar, etc. I don't need hookups so I'm looking for interesting camping areas to visit. I want to take my time going down and don't mind heading off in new directions for a few days or more. I have no time-set for getting down to the East Cape area or Todos Santos nor when to return. I speak Spanish.

Oh my. I forgot the most important thing. I need to have cell service because I work on the road off of a hotspot. I hope this is possible.

Any advice/locations are appreciated.

Thank you


[Edited on 12-4-2016 by katblue]

mtgoat666 - 12-4-2016 at 08:44 AM

Quote: Originally posted by katblue  
Hello everyone. I am glad I found this site.

I am thinking about heading down the Baja Peninsula and primitive camping along the way. I am in my 4wd truck with full solar, etc. I don't need hookups so I'm looking for interesting camping areas to visit. I want to take my time going down and don't mind heading off in new directions for a few days or more. I have no time-set for getting down to the East Cape area or Todos Santos nor when to return. I speak Spanish.

Oh my. I forgot the most important thing. I need to have cell service because I work on the road off of a hotspot. I hope this is possible.

Any advice/locations are appreciated.

Thank you


[Edited on 12-4-2016 by katblue]


I can't think of any good primitive camping spots with cell phone coverage. To get cell phone signal you need to be in or very near towns.

There are rv parks and pay-campsites that offer free wifi or are in/near towns with cell coverage.



katblue - 12-4-2016 at 08:53 AM

Thank you. Hopefully someone knows of some places? Do you know if Santispec beach in Mulege has cell service or around Luigi? Maybe BOLA? or near Shari? etc??

rts551 - 12-4-2016 at 08:58 AM

Maybe eliminate the word "primitive". There is camping on the beach around the towns of La Bocana and Asuncion or most other towns that will have cell service. BOLA did not last we were there.

katblue - 12-4-2016 at 09:09 AM

Oh - Thank you!!

I SO appreciate that information.

David K - 12-4-2016 at 09:09 AM

Asunción, yes.
Most of Baja, where you can primitive camp away from people, no.
Your option is satellite Internet if you must stay connected to civilization.

pacificobob - 12-4-2016 at 09:15 AM

i met a guy several years camping on a remote beach doing day trading with a sat/internet setup.

katblue - 12-4-2016 at 09:16 AM

Thank you David. I don't have to be away from people, I just don't particularly want to be in a park. I prefer the beach but open desert is ok, too. My first priority is the adventure of it all and beside that is that I really must work on the road.

Of course safety is a big factor as well. As of right now, I will be on my own with my dog.

rts551 - 12-4-2016 at 09:18 AM

Your biggest problem is the wide open spaces in between El Rosario and Guerrero Negro.

katblue - 12-4-2016 at 09:23 AM

I do believe I can cross that area in one day and I can go a day or two without working and be fine. Going 3 or 4 days in a row offline is not an option. I could camp overnight in one area and then during the day go to another to get online for the day (i have my own hotspot so all I need is a cell signal).

I really appreciate everyones input. Thank you.

ehall - 12-4-2016 at 09:51 AM

Have you used your cell phone in Baja before? Make sure you have the right plan/service or you will have nothing but trouble.

katblue - 12-4-2016 at 09:55 AM

Yes, I have a phone and hotspot that work on 3g systems so they should be good to go. I did use them in Algodones recently.

Gulliver - 12-4-2016 at 01:12 PM

I think that having to be online every few days and camping in Baja are quite mutually exclusive not only technically but philosophically.

Bringing all that stuff to the wilderness is, well, bringing it to the wilderness. I think you are going to have to decide whether the wilds of Starbucks are what you want. It doesn't exist down here.

katblue - 12-4-2016 at 01:43 PM

Thank you Gulliver but I've never been in a Starbucks and have no intention to start now. I live full time on the road and camping and I love the wilds of the US as well as in Mexico. I have been there before. I'm no newbie when it comes to living light, free and FREE. I live this way by choice, just like a WHOLE lot of others.

I'm sitting in a desert in Arizona right now. As long as I have a cell signal, I'm good to go.

TMW - 12-4-2016 at 04:22 PM

If you plan accordingly you can camp in some great places then the next day go into a town with cell service. Most of the towns of size have cell service. As was said above the longest section without service is from El Rosario to GN. BOLA does not have cell service. Another option is to rent a satellite phone.

katblue - 12-4-2016 at 04:43 PM

Thank you TMW, that is what I will do.

Skipjack Joe - 12-4-2016 at 06:21 PM

Telcel, like ATT up north, provides networks in most urban areas, but they're only fast enough to do internet work in the large cities. That's been my experience. In order to get good bandwidth I connect to wifi of restaurants and hotels around towns. Telcel is fine for telephone calls but data streaming crawls.

If your trip is dependent on good connectivity you should really test them out to your satisfaction. It's very different down there than in the states. Under the best conditions connectivity and speed is sporadic. Be prepared to have different bandwidth at different times of the day.

BooJumMan - 12-5-2016 at 07:28 AM

I would recommend you stop by Satmodo in San Diego before you head down. They will rent you satellite equipment. I've heard good things about Iridium Go (just a hotspot that connects to Iridium satellites). You will most likely buy data and just use it when you need it.

I think a lot of us do remote camping... I 99% of the time am going solo and end up renting a satellite phone for emergencies...as cell service really isn't that good in most of the open areas of Baja.

ligui - 12-5-2016 at 07:35 AM

Ligui as cell phone service now .

Recommend Satmodo

John M - 12-5-2016 at 03:47 PM

We've rented a number of times from Satmodo - good guys. It's not especially inexpensive but we've always had reception everywhere we went.

We only used the telephone aspect so I don't know about data, text, internet or whatever else you'd need from it.

Mike is the fellow we've dealt with.

John

TecateRay - 12-5-2016 at 03:52 PM

Camp along the shore anywhere between Punta Cabra and Erendira. Good cell service, surfing and fishing.

AKgringo - 12-5-2016 at 07:36 PM

I was at Tecolote beach yesterday (north and east of La Paz) but did not check to see if I had cell coverage there.

I intend to check out some of the beaches on the west side of Bahia de La Paz tomorrow, some of them may have line of site reception from the city.

I am at Campestre Maranatha right now, and they have improved their WIFI since I last stayed here. Excellent coffee shop (Café Exquisite), that has added breakfast and other items to their baked goods.

katblue - 12-6-2016 at 07:56 AM

Thank you to everyone who has replied. I most appreciate it. I will check into the Sat phone. I also have the mobile version of DISH Satellite so I am going to check with them about their internet service as well.

I also have a mifi that has unlimited data that is supposed to work on the 3g system of Mexico but I haven't tried it out yet. Can't beat it for $15 a month.

edm1 - 12-7-2016 at 06:46 AM

The very first time I went camping and exploring Baja, I rented a satellite phone., really over-prepared with most gadgets an urban person would. I had to use the phone a few times. I went into the deep where the few would go.

The next several times, I did NOT bring a satelite phone. As long as you keep moving/driving, you won't be out of cell phone signal for more than a day, if not 5 hours. My basis is when my wife and I drove around the peninsula in a span of 3 weeks. And yes we spent a couple of nights at Santispac, but I don't remember if there was cell signal or not. If you keep moving on, for me, cell signal won't be an issue.

Edit: one of my complaints was dropped connections. There's a signal/connection but it gets dropped before you're done wih your call or text. That might be an issue for you. But it was quite a few years ago, things might be better now.

[Edited on 12-7-2016 by edm1]

tiotomasbcs - 12-7-2016 at 07:17 AM

First time visit? Don't over prepare as your world will unfold as you travel. Like others have noted most areas have Cell Towers/internet . Asuncion has service and lots of outback camping. Bahia Concepcion is very beautiful for camping but most people do internet in Mulege, I believe. Weather has been an issue lately with cold winds and nightime offshores. Old campground in Pescadero open for camping but no bathrooms, etc. On the beach. Lots of Surfers. Fun in the Sun. Come on down! Tomas

[Edited on 12-7-2016 by tiotomasbcs]

shari - 12-7-2016 at 08:10 AM

I think you might like San Roque beach...it is only 15 minutes from Bahia Asuncion so you can come in for supplies and have the worlds best shrimp tacos with us on the weekends!
San Roque is beautiful with usually only some fishermen going to and from work and there is very good cell reception...I check my email, facebook, Nomads etc on my phone from there.

chuckie - 12-7-2016 at 08:50 AM

OOOOOOOOOH Shari......SIGH!

katblue - 12-8-2016 at 10:25 AM

Thank you to everyone. I will be heading down very soon.

Udo - 12-8-2016 at 01:36 PM

It is still a problem...even with those of us who live here.
Quote: Originally posted by edm1  

Edit: one of my complaints was dropped connections. There's a signal/connection but it gets dropped before you're done wih your call or text. That might be an issue for you. But it was quite a few years ago, things might be better now.
[Edited on 12-7-2016 by edm1]

tiotomasbcs - 12-10-2016 at 07:29 AM

First time visit? Be sure to use Search to read up on previous travel posts. Lots of good books which could become your Bible. Let us know how your trip is unfolding once you start traveling. Suerte. Tomas

AKgringo - 12-10-2016 at 09:57 AM

I returned to Tecolote beach, and I got three bars, 4G service from Telcel. The ATT Gophone plan I use does not include data, but the cell signal is good there, as well as the other more protected beaches on the bay side of the peninsula.

I got no service on the Cortez side, such at Playa Coyote, and a beach just south of there.

I drove out through Centennario, to check the beaches on the west side of Bahia La Paz, and got mixed results. On the road out to the troubled development El Mogoto (two miles toward San Juan de la Costa) I found several places that would be good campsites, and several places that got a fair signal, but they were not the same spots. I would be very careful driving a heavy rig like yours on the loose sand off road there.

Twelve to thirteen miles out, are several nice beaches to set up on, and I got a fairly strong Telcel signal, but with an E by the three bars. I tried to place a call, but got a message (in English) stating emergency calls only! I have no idea if you would be able to use your WIFI hot spot there.

On the low ground below San Juan de la costa, I got a weak signal, but without the E in front of it. I did not check anything north of there, but I like that road, and suggest that you check it out on a day trip, and report back!

By the way, a 4x4 camper with solar, and probably a commode, is not primitive camping. A medium sized senior citizen, in a small SUV, with a large sized dog is getting close to primitive though. And then I ran into those folks on bicycles running the same roads I am!

mtgoat666 - 12-10-2016 at 10:23 AM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  

By the way, a 4x4 camper with solar, and probably a commode, is not primitive camping.


No, it's called "car camping" or "RV-ing."

I see a lot of people living out of their cars here in San Diego, we call them "homeless."

chuckie - 12-10-2016 at 12:45 PM

What? IN Paradise? Impossible....

geoffff - 12-10-2016 at 01:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  

By the way, a 4x4 camper with solar, and probably a commode, is not primitive camping.


I take "primitive" as referring to the campsite, not the camper. The ideal is having the fanciest toys at the most primitive campsites.

katblue - 12-12-2016 at 01:46 PM

You guys are so funny!!

Primitive to me means NOT in a campground. I don't need hookups. My commode is a 5gal bucket. My dog is BIG. My truck is well suited to being off road and so am I.

I will post updates. First stop will be San Felipe.

Bajaboi - 12-16-2016 at 10:02 AM

Hi Katblue,

If you are looking for something off the beaten path, you might be interested in making your way to Puerto San Francisquito; it's about 4 hours offroading and takes you from the Pacific side to the Sea of Cortez side. The turn-off from H1 is about 30 min south of Guerrero Negro. There are plenty of spots to primative camp along the way, and while there isn't cell phone signal in the region, there is satellite wi-fi available if you decide to go all the way to the end of the road to the camping section. Just don't camp in an arroyo in case of rain; the arroyos can flood easily.

Here is a link via Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/59ctD6f61xH2

David K - 12-16-2016 at 10:53 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Bajaboi  
Hi Katblue,

If you are looking for something off the beaten path, you might be interested in making your way to Puerto San Francisquito; it's about 4 hours offroading and takes you from the Pacific side to the Sea of Cortez side. The turn-off from H1 is about 30 min south of Guerrero Negro. There are plenty of spots to primative camp along the way, and while there isn't cell phone signal in the region, there is satellite wi-fi available if you decide to go all the way to the end of the road to the camping section. Just don't camp in an arroyo in case of rain; the arroyos can flood easily.

Here is a link via Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/59ctD6f61xH2


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