BajaNomad - Rancho Nuevo Mazatlan camping

Rancho Nuevo Mazatlan camping

bajamary1952 - 1-13-2018 at 05:33 PM

Was in San Felipe last Monday and the wind nearly blew my tent over at Campo Turistico No. 1 so headed farther south. Camped here in my tent with my dog for 3 nights. Nice large property with pine trees everywhere so plenty of shade. There was only 1 truck camper during my stay. The beach is O.K. but very soft sand so need 4WD to get close to the shore.
I would have stayed another couple of days but felt the 300 mxn/day was overpriced considering there were no amenities other than non-potable water and run-down bathroom/showers(cold).
Best suited for ATVer's as there are sand dunes on the property.

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David K - 1-13-2018 at 06:03 PM

Thanks for the report.

Nuevo Mazatlan is about the oldest 'campground' between San Felipe and Puertecitos. The camp was established and named in the mid-1960s by Luis Castellanos Moreno. It had been known as Agua de Chale until then, for a well and a goat ranch run by "Charley the Chinaman" (or in Spanish "Chale el Chino"). This was around 1918.

We camped there often in the 1960s and 70s. Luis planted those trees about 1969 and hand watered them until they were established, and they grew fast! They are usually called Salt Cedars as they like salty water.
Following Nuevo Mazatlan, around 1969 came nearby Bahia Santa Maria and La Roca. Soon many many more camps would spring up, but instead of seeking campers, they wanted to lease lots to Americans and Canadians to build homes on them.

Luis had a drinking problem and eventually lost his camp and all his efforts to Javier, who has been running the camp and delivering well water to area residents since the 1980s.

My wife and I camped there last in 2015.
Here is a web page I made about 15 years ago for the place: http://vivabaja.com/nm

bajamary1952 - 1-14-2018 at 11:40 AM

Thanks for the info, David.
Almost all the places I've stayed esp. in areas with a lot of space everyone thinks they can sell their lots at exhorbitant prices to foreigners. The same is evident on the mainland coast from Michoacan to Sinaloa where I traveled before coming to Baja. I don't think most Mexicans realize that Americans don't have the $$$ they had before the 2008 Recession and they still think everyone has a lot of money.

David K - 1-14-2018 at 12:05 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajamary1952

Thanks for the info, David.
Almost all the places I've stayed esp. in areas with a lot of space everyone thinks they can sell their lots at exhorbitant prices to foreigners. The same is evident on the mainland coast from Michoacan to Sinaloa where I traveled before coming to Baja. I don't think most Mexicans realize that Americans don't have the $$$ they had before the 2008 Recession and they still think everyone has a lot of money.

Exactly true, but that we (some of us) can go on vacations instead of working every day does look like we are still in better economic shape than many of them.

If you decide to lease a lot with a home on it already, make sure you do the research and talk to others with homes in that campo! I have friends who have homes in different campos and they are all happy because they did the background check and have secure leases. However, they all know it is only as good as long as the owner is alive or the Mexican army doesn't need the land for a base (ja ja).

Camping prices were all over the map, too... from $40 US to $10 for just a beach spot and maybe a palapa. Javier at Nuevo Mazatlan has negotiated with customers for better prices depending on the group or days you stay.

He has a few lots with homes on each side of the arroyo, but mostly it is the campground and his well water that keeps him busy.

[Edited on 1-14-2018 by David K]