BajaNomad - Los Naranjos Ranch road between hwy 1 and hwy 19

Los Naranjos Ranch road between hwy 1 and hwy 19

AKgringo - 10-14-2022 at 10:59 AM

I drove the road before, and it is one of my favorite scenic routes. In the past, you could drive anything on the eastern side of the divide, but the west slope was a fun, rugged two wheel drive road. The flats were great dirt roads on both sides, and the challenge was incrementally increased on the steeper sections.

I decided to check things out starting at the junction near Rancho Nuevo on hwy 19. I spent two hours trying to stay on the main road, but there are so many Y intersections that I followed several to dead end ranch roads (which showed more signs of traffic than the main road).

I did find what I thought wa a familiar road, based on buildings that looked familiar, but there were few tracks, and vegetation was reclaiming territory. It eventually transitioned to bare bedrock and rubble choked washes as the grade increased.

I gave up, turned around and found my way back to hwy 19 in the center of Pescadero. I headed to Cabo for a Costco visit, gassed up, did some shopping and headed for another run at Los Naranjos from the hwy 1 side.

The access that I used was from about km 54 and is a great dirt road for about five miles, then gets progressively more damaged as you climb the grade. It was apparent that some emergency repairs had been done in a few spots (probably by the ranchers that use the road). It was a much slower road than before, but any capable 2wd would have no problem.

By the time I got to the pass, the sun was going down, so I found a spot that I could tuck into for the night and continue on the next morning. It was beautiful! The nearly full moon rose over the range to my east, and my dog and I were serenaded by cow bells all night! She pay much attention to them until a couple of them got within ten or twenty feet of the Trooper.

I continued on the next morning, and the road got progressively worse as we headed west, but nothing that I needed to use 4wd for. That lasted until approximately km 26, where the road is caver out of the side of a cliff!

I came upon a rock fall that I probably could have crawled over in 4x4 low range, possibly having to stack some large rocks to keep from high centering.

Since I was alone (with dog) I decided to walk a 1/4 mile or so to see what was ahead. I did not find another hazard like that one, but the only tracks I found were from what must have been a fat tire mountain bike, and a quad running knobby tires.

I am pretty sure that I was within a couple of miles of where I searched for the road from the other side, and I remembered the next couple of miles as being a challenge when the rest of the road was in great shape.

I backed up the grade until I could turn around and enjoyed another hour and a half of spectacular scenery driving back the way I came in! I don't regret a minute of my dead-end journey!

I do regret a little slip I made on the way back out though. I stopped at a pool of clean mountain water crossing the road so my dog could drink, play and stretch her legs a bit. I stretched my legs too, but it was on extremely slick algae growing on the concrete Vado, and I fell hard on my right side!

What I didn't pull in the stretch, is painful enough that I think I am done checking out roads to bounce over, looking for a place to get stuck. I don't think I did serious damage to my ribs, but coughing or sneezing is something I dread right now!

David K - 10-14-2022 at 02:20 PM

Wow, thank you for exploring the route... You showed a lot of great perseverance! BRAVO!!
:light:

Any photos?
I can help.

chippy - 10-14-2022 at 03:54 PM

I did that road last Feb. and it was freshly graded and a prius could have driven it.

I got turned around on a few routes this trip. That hurricane did alot of damage! Oh well the fishing was good!

Ferry mañana and home :bounce:

David K - 10-14-2022 at 04:22 PM

The road first appeared on an Auto Club map in 1989:

Here is how it looked on their final Baja map, 2010:

[Edited on 10-14-2022 by David K]

4x4abc - 10-14-2022 at 06:47 PM

no pictures?

TMW - 10-15-2022 at 12:06 PM

Thanks AK, it's a road I've wanted to do for sometime. Back in 1992 I crashed on my MC and broke all my ribs on my left side and you are right, you find a whole other way to cough and sneeze.

El Jefe - 10-15-2022 at 04:15 PM

I love that road. Always something interesting to see and the views are great. My only question is did your Costco ice cream melt?

AKgringo - 10-17-2022 at 02:01 PM

All I bought at Costco was gasoline, and two hot dogs. No relish for the dogs, but they did have chopped onions, mustard and mayonnaise, which I think is weird on a hot dog.

The gasoline was 21.4 pesos per liter for 87 octane and is self-serve. You swipe your membership card, run your card yourself, and pump your own fuel. I don't know if there is an option for cash payments.

David K - 10-17-2022 at 03:17 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

All I bought at Costco was gasoline, and two hot dogs. No relish for the dogs, but they did have chopped onions, mustard and mayonnaise, which I think is weird on a hot dog.

The gasoline was 21.4 pesos per liter for 87 octane and is self-serve. You swipe your membership card, run your card yourself, and pump your own fuel. I don't know if there is an option for cash payments.

That is how Costco gas stations are here, in Alta California (or at least San Diego County). No cash, as there are no cash registers! Just one or two attendents for the handicapped and pump issues... and people who say they 'forgot their Costco cards'!

John Harper - 10-18-2022 at 04:23 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TMW

Thanks AK, it's a road I've wanted to do for sometime. Back in 1992 I crashed on my MC and broke all my ribs on my left side and you are right, you find a whole other way to cough and sneeze.

I got hit by a car on my Harley in 1994, broke 3 ribs., collarbone, and cracked hip. Holy crap, the ribs were by far the worst. I tried to roll over in bed. Once.

Great stories about your trip AK, feel like I'm right there with the dog. Be careful on those slippery surfaces, I did about the same thing in Wyoming on some grease slick mud along a streambed.

John

[Edited on 10-18-2022 by John Harper]

volcano3 - 10-23-2022 at 07:46 AM

thank you...going to go up it soon from rt 1

KurtG - 10-23-2022 at 01:50 PM

It was back in the 90's that I last took that road. I went from east to west and it was a lovely drive going up with water crossings and great views. All was good until the very top where a small slide had narrowed the road at a point where a slip would send one over the side. We did a little shovel work and I decided it was doable for my 86 S10 4wd Blazer. My passenger got out to spot for me but I noticed he grabbed his day pack as he was exiting the vehicle. He saw me watching him and stated: "Well, there is no need for both of us to die up here!" Obviously I lived to tell the tale but there was a pretty good pucker factor.

volcano3 - 10-25-2022 at 01:10 PM

I was previewing the route from km54...going to be traveling in with 2 vehicles.....we are older types.(older folks with older rigs)..if one car breaks down...we have back up. Are there any really old maps with the old ranch names....usually still in existence? Also....Google Earth shows San Pedro de la Soledad....is that on the west side of the pass? and.......what about the Buddhist place? appreciate any details.....

David K - 10-25-2022 at 02:47 PM

Quote: Originally posted by volcano3

I was previewing the route from km54...going to be traveling in with 2 vehicles.....we are older types.(older folks with older rigs)..if one car breaks down...we have back up. Are there any really old maps with the old ranch names....usually still in existence? Also....Google Earth shows San Pedro de la Soledad....is that on the west side of the pass? and.......what about the Buddhist place? appreciate any details.....

Maps, did you say maps?? Old to New... look and see if you get the info you seek: www.vivabaja.com/maps

The 1989 Auto Club map is the first one I have uploaded to that page that shows the road. It is not on the '88 map.

[Edited on 10-25-2022 by David K]

4x4abc - 10-25-2022 at 05:39 PM

Quote: Originally posted by volcano3

here are ranchos with known names

Attachment: Ranchos Los Naranchos.kmz (6kB)
This file has been downloaded 167 times

Marty Mateo - 10-25-2022 at 07:47 PM

It’s about halfway to the summit coming from highway 1

https://www.tsegyalgar.org/localcenters/tsegyalgarwest/

volcano3 - 10-25-2022 at 08:09 PM

great resources, thanks to DK, 4x4, and MM appreciate all

4x4abc - 10-26-2022 at 10:13 AM

the retreat mentioned before is at the original site of Rancho Los Naranjos.

bajagregg - 11-11-2022 at 08:23 PM

The Los Naranjos road is a fantastic day adventure that will give you a real change from the hustle and bustle of Cabo and an inkling of rural life in Baja. As you head up towards the meditation center. there are a couple of roads on the right thea head up the canyons to some authentic old school ranchos.

David K - 11-12-2022 at 12:22 PM

Cool! Thanks bajagregg!