David K
Honored Nomad
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Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Guadalupe Canyon Hot Springs: A Look Back (Oct. 2008)
I think this was our last time camping there at Arturo's Campo #1. We had campsite La Jolla-B and Hotschott and Val were at La Paloma. Nobody else
there. Took some photos also of campsites La Jolla-A and San Marcos.
Very disappointing that these superb, private sites were not all maintained after Arturo Loya was "bought-out" following a lifetime of operating that
campground, established by his father. I think the new owner has a couple of them available. It would be nice to get a full report of the canyon's
three camp areas and their several campsites within.
Baja Nomad 'Hotschott' shows off the tub at La Paloma.
The palapa at La Paloma
The tub at La Jolla-A
The palapa at La Jolla-A
La Jolla-B has two palapas, this one is the dining room and kitchen!
This one is the bedroom at La Jolla-B!
Baja Angel really enjoyed camping here!
The hot tub was terrific!
Campsite San Marcos
La Jolla-B from the rocks around San Marcos (Laguna Salada in the distance)
The tub at San Marcos
In the San Marcos palapa
Maybe the only outhouse in Baja with a flushing toilet that flushes with hot water?!
The warm water swimming pool at Arturo's Campo #1.
Heading up the road towards Arturo's home.
One of the larger campsite's driveways. Ken Cooke's Jeep group used this one back in June 2003.
Arturo's dad saw the rock pinnacle to the left of the tall peak and it looks like Mexico's Virgen of Guadalupe.
What made Arturo's campground unique (besides the hot water tubs built into and with the natural rocks) was their privacy. Nearly all were totally
private using the boulders between and topography of the canyon.
The water was well over 100ºF, even though it was piped many hundreds of feet from the source spring. Each tub had a garden hose with a valve off the
main line to permit keeping the tub at a constant hot temperature. Spraying the water a bit in the air and letting the drops fall into the water,
cooled the tub if it was too hot.
More Guadalupe Canyon trip photos:
Jan. 2008: http://vivabaja.com/108/
Sept. 2006: http://vivabaja.com/906/
April 2005: http://vivabaja.com/405/
GPS (for Google Earth or driving):
GPS DIRECTIONS TO GUADALUPE (WGS84)
Graded Road at Mexico #2: N32°34.33' W115°47.40'
Dry Lake Road at Mexico #2: N32°34.57' W115°44.67'
Jcn. Graded and Dry Lake Roads: N32°13.06' W115°42.29'
Entrance Guadalupe Campo #1: N32°09.40' W115°47.33'
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
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Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Mood: happy - always
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never liked that site - bad vibes (whatever that is)
went there as early as 1986
I preferred El Palomar (even though I had to dig half a day to build a new pool)
Harald Pietschmann
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64479
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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In addition to Arturo's Campo #1 (photos above), his brother, Angel ran the camp above/past Arturo's and it (as well as the camp on the south side of
the canyon) had none of the privacy and ambiance of ARTURO'S private camp sites. To me, that made all the difference in the world. I once camped at
Angel's (Arturos's was full) and would not pay to camp there again... or even camp for free with the noise and lack of privacy.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
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Location: Riverside, CA
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Jeep club run to Baja Feb. 2005 [Guadalupe Canyon & Baja Pole Line Road]
February 2005 with the Rubicon Owners of California & JustRuns 4WDC of San Diego 
Unpacking at Guadalupe Canyon - February 2005
"HOLA!" from atop the white water tank
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64479
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Have any photos of the 2003 trip with my son and I going with you to the bottom of Mano Canyon?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64479
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Almost 8 years since we enjoyed camping at Guadalupe Canyon with Hotschott and Val.
It was a real great get-away, 3-4 hours from home, clean-hot spring water (no sulphur stink), and a great canyon campsite.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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I think the first of many multi-night visits to Guadalupe Canyon camp was in '59, and we thought it was a piece of Heaven. Even then the large
warm-water swimming hole was there, as well as several concrete-lined natural "hot tubs" near the actual springs, and we most often had the place to
ourselves other than the proprietor and his wife and kids. At least half the time nobody was there at all. We went in a 2-wheel drive '47 Chevy
pickup, and there were no problems with the road-in other than it being rocky and rough. Also, if you hiked up the canyon about a mile, or 2, there
was a beautiful waterfall with a swimming hole at it's base. What more could one ask for?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64479
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Quote: Originally posted by Barry A.  | | I think the first of many multi-night visits to Guadalupe Canyon camp was in '59, and we thought it was a piece of Heaven. Even then the large
warm-water swimming hole was there, as well as several concrete-lined natural "hot tubs" near the actual springs, and we most often had the place to
ourselves other than the proprietor and his wife and kids. At least half the time nobody was there at all. We went in a 2-wheel drive '47 Chevy
pickup, and there were no problems with the road-in other than it being rocky and rough. Also, if you hiked up the canyon about a mile, or 2, there
was a beautiful waterfall with a swimming hole at it's base. What more could one ask for? |
Do you have any photos from the old days?
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | | Quote: Originally posted by Barry A. | | I think the first of many multi-night visits to Guadalupe Canyon camp was in '59, and we thought it was a piece of Heaven. Even then the large
warm-water swimming hole was there, as well as several concrete-lined natural "hot tubs" near the actual springs, and we most often had the place to
ourselves other than the proprietor and his wife and kids. At least half the time nobody was there at all. We went in a 2-wheel drive '47 Chevy
pickup, and there were no problems with the road-in other than it being rocky and rough. Also, if you hiked up the canyon about a mile, or 2, there
was a beautiful waterfall with a swimming hole at it's base. What more could one ask for? |
Do you have any photos from the old days? |
Not that I remember, David. I was never much of a "photo-taker".
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64479
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Then you must continue to paint us pictures with your memories, please.
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