BajaNomad

Catavina Oasis

Stewwalker - 4-27-2019 at 07:02 PM

Has anyone been out to the oasis near catavina lately? Thinking about trying to make it on our dirt bike ride in 3 weeks.

The only intel I can get on the trail is from old videos and hikers. Not sure if its passable after the rains. Any info helps.

David K - 4-27-2019 at 07:07 PM

There are several. Are you looking near Cataviña or the popular one past Mission Santa María, which is closer to Gonzaga Bay?



[Edited on 4-28-2019 by David K]

Stewwalker - 4-27-2019 at 07:14 PM

Mission santa maria oasis / the good looking swimming hole.

Ken Cooke - 4-27-2019 at 10:51 PM

It was passable during the weeklong rains in February. You will have no problems. I was there - it was a little muddy. The mud is probably all gone by now.

geraldalexander7 - 4-28-2019 at 07:17 AM

Ken which direction did you approach the oasis, from the east or west?

4x4abc - 4-28-2019 at 07:57 AM

interesting how a place changes names (well, people botch names)
in the beginning it was the Santa Maria Pool
then it was the Square Pool
when tourism got involved it was renamed the Santa Maria Oasis (sounds so much more attractive)
now its the Catavina Oasis

once the first Cabo developer gets his helicopter there, we will see condo proposals
when your god is money everything is sacret

AZ7000 - 4-28-2019 at 08:14 AM

Gonna be hot in 3 weeks... really hot

David K - 4-28-2019 at 11:24 AM

The oasis I think stewwalker has seen photos of is the big pool down in the canyon that opens into the desert by Gonzaga Bay. It goes by another name, as well: Pozo la Escuadra

Video of a group who drove to the mission then hiked to the pool (oasis)... arriving at Minute 10:30. They explore the mission on the way back out at Minute 14:25...



This 6-minute video is just at the oasis:



If you have a good off road 4x4, you can drive the 14.5 miles from Rancho Santa Ynez to the mission, and even a mile+ beyond. Then you must hike!

Now here is a new video (2019) going to the oasis from the Gonzaga Bay side. They parked where the Las Palmitas road drops down into the arroyo valley then hiked up Arroyo Santa María into the canyon to the big pool. This is a very beautiful area of Baja:

advrider - 4-28-2019 at 04:41 PM

We rode bikes out to the mission/oasis last year from Catavina. It is a workout and there are several big drops/climbs you will have to make, lots of rocks, not a place to mess around. I would say you need to be a pretty good rider and make sure you take plenty of water. If I did it again I think I would ride out to a point and then hike or take a trials bike, jeep or SXS, can't say I will do it again on a moto.

[Edited on 4-28-2019 by advrider]

David K - 4-28-2019 at 04:49 PM

Just so the OP has the best info, while there is an oasis of palms and water near the mission, the one in the videos he is asking about cannot be reached by m/c... it is about 3 miles past the mission was way down below in the canyon.

If he wants an oasis he can drive or ride to, then the one less than a mile past the mission where we camped in 2007 is the ticket:

Photos from the camera of Roy "The squarecircle"





4x4abc - 4-28-2019 at 05:33 PM

there are a few more upstream from where David's pictures were taken

advrider - 4-28-2019 at 06:51 PM

Thanks David, that's the one I was talking about. Now I have a new one that I need to add to my backpacking list!

Ken Cooke - 4-28-2019 at 09:39 PM

Quote: Originally posted by geraldalexander7  
Ken which direction did you approach the oasis, from the east or west?


I entered from the West (traveling east). Hwy 1 to the Oasis should take you only 2 hours on a bike (each way).

David K - 4-28-2019 at 10:31 PM

You may get to the mission in 2 hours on a m/c, but the Oasis in the videos, is another hour+ hike, mostly on foot.

Stewwalker - 4-29-2019 at 03:09 PM

Thanks for the input. The ride doesn't look too tough, but I'm better on 2 wheels than on foot. Hiking another mile may kill me.

We've never ventured to a remote oasis / swimming hole before, but I know the're are many on the peninsula. Does anyone have a list of cool oasis's in Baja norte?

David K - 4-29-2019 at 04:11 PM

Matomi Canyon stands out... See it in my TRIP #3 report.

But most will require a good 4x4 or long hikes.

Pool of the Virgin in Guadalupe Canyon is a long hike. See geoffff's recent trip report for Palomar Canyon hot spring, south of Guadalupe.

The waterfall-fed pool near Santiago (south of La Paz) is another popular one.

AKgringo - 4-29-2019 at 04:57 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  


The waterfall-fed pool near Santiago (south of La Paz) is another popular one.


Plus the hot spring....but the day I was there it was more crowded than a hermit like me wanted to find!

[Edited on 4-30-2019 by AKgringo]

PaulW - 5-1-2019 at 08:04 AM

I would not get wet at Motomi. The low flow water in teh pool is almost stagnant with heavy moss. What is needed is a big rain to do the flush.
=== ===

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Matomi Canyon stands out... See it in my TRIP #3 report.

But most will require a good 4x4 or long hikes.

Pool of the Virgin in Guadalupe Canyon is a long hike. See geoffff's recent trip report for Palomar Canyon hot spring, south of Guadalupe.

The waterfall-fed pool near Santiago (south of La Paz) is another popular one.


[Edited on 5-1-2019 by PaulW]

JZ - 5-1-2019 at 11:44 AM

Anyone have GPS of the Oasis? Can you get there on a bike coming from the 5?




[Edited on 5-1-2019 by JZ]

David K - 5-1-2019 at 11:52 AM

JZ, no for the bike question. I did detail that above and you can see the video of them going over giant boulders. Use Google Earth to get the GPS.

David K - 5-1-2019 at 11:55 AM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW  
I would not get wet at Motomi. The low flow water in teh pool is almost stagnant with heavy moss. What is needed is a big rain to do the flush.
=== ===

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Matomi Canyon stands out... See it in my TRIP #3 report.

But most will require a good 4x4 or long hikes.

Pool of the Virgin in Guadalupe Canyon is a long hike. See geoffff's recent trip report for Palomar Canyon hot spring, south of Guadalupe.

The waterfall-fed pool near Santiago (south of La Paz) is another popular one.


[Edited on 5-1-2019 by PaulW]


Matomí, and the waterfall flow varies. It was never stagnant on my visits, water always moving. I have swam in it several times, very refreshing.

BajaMama - 5-5-2019 at 06:16 AM

David, are you working on assembling all your maps into a book? I hope so!

David K - 5-5-2019 at 09:34 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaMama  
David, are you working on assembling all your maps into a book? I hope so!


Thank you for your interest!!
Yes, Maps are major with me! I couldn't find any maps that were accurate enough or showed what my book describes without becoming confusing by showing too much. So, I made my own... it took a lot of my time and I am happy with the results.

Here are all the maps I made (30) which cover most of the peninsula that my guide covers except for the Sierra Juarez (Laguna Hanson) region: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=88771

I have two parts of my book posted in the Road Conditions forum here on Nomad so you can get a preview look. The book will be edited more, I plan on adding page numbers and contents, for example. In the end, it is up to Baja Bound to publish, as I made it for them.
Here are the sample pages of 2 of the 6 parts of the Road Guide:

Part 3 San Quintín to Guerrero Negro: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=91898

Part 4: Guerrero Negro to San Ignacio: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=92377