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khargis
Junior Nomad
Posts: 33
Registered: 5-31-2009
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camping in catavina
hello, can anyone recommend a good camping spot in catavina, we are in a vw bus, so it does not have to be a tent site. thanks kris
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Ken Cooke
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Location: Riverside, CA
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Rancho Santa Ines to Mission Santa Maria trail
Kris - If your VW Bus has 4WD, you can drive the first mile onto the Mission Santa Maria road from Hwy 1 and have soletude and access to Hwy 1.
Traveling South on Hwy 1
First landmark (that serves great food)
Great camping without the noise from Hwy 1
The road does become challenging. So, if you see this, you have gone too far.
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goldhuntress
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I agree it's a good place to camp but not about the food. I've eaten there a few times and don't recommend it. The people are really nice though and
if Ralph is around it's always fun to talk Baja with him, he's got some great stories.
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Diver
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Ken is right - Rancho Santa Ines is the place to camp in Catavinia.
As you head south, you will pass through the town of Catavinia (don't blink) and continue about 1/2 mile to the entry road on the left. Continue down
the entry road to the campground entrance on the left. Find a place to park and someone will visit to collect their fee.
Camping is in an open desert parking area with bathrooms and a small cantina with pretty good basic food.
The cactus and boulders make for great scenery.
Consider spending some time there to hike the surrounding rock piles.
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Baja12valve
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Location: Oak View
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Ralph, boy that guy saved me. I managed to punch a bunch of holes in may radiator with the engine fan. He had some epoxy and I was able to fix it.
Nice guy, I remember him well.
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Ken Cooke
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Ralph is a great guy!
Tinkering on Jeeps (in his garage) while his Thanksgiving meal was getting cold.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
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Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by khargis
hello, can anyone recommend a good camping spot in catavina, we are in a vw bus, so it does not have to be a tent site. thanks kris
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just north of town, a number of rudimentary dirt roads exit hwy and meander among the rock outcrops. many good spots there to car camp or sleep in
your van.
bring some fire wood, nights get cold, nice to have a fire.
also bring flashlights or headlamps, the outcrops are fun to climb at night so you get above the desert and can look down and watch/listen to night
desert, watch the stars overhead.
get there an hour or 2 before dark so you got time to explore and find camp site you like.
the offroad camping is pretty safe, have not heard of problems in catavina, but if you like you can camp in parking lots described by previous
posters.
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tiotomasbcs
Super Nomad
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Location: El Pescadero
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Amigos, most all roads leading off hwy into the desert are sandy but doable. Good test for your viaje! Pull at least 1 mile off into the boulders
and walk final site --in daylight! Some of the best camping in Baja. Talk with the Spirits of the Night! Smiles Tio
[Edited on 11-12-2011 by tiotomasbcs]
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Barry A.
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Location: Redding, Northern CA
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The Goat is right-------many fine camping places within a short distance of Catavina both north and south on side roads, and they are free and
spectacular. We always go to dinner at the Hotel, and then find a good spot to camp nearby and out of sight of the highway. Done it many times, but
once we did have a very aggressive coyote visit us and try to haul off one of our parties knapsacks from under his head (he was sleeping on the
ground) at about 3 am. We had a heck of a time getting the coyote to drop the bag and to get him to back off. We always suspected he was rabid, or
REALLY hungry---showed no fear at all. Very exciting!!!!!
Barry
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Bajahowodd
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I guess the decision as to where you might camp will involve just how bare-boned you are willing to handle.
The Rancho Santa Ynes provides a much more secure place to stay.
As for the food, gotta go with Barry on the idea of driving a mile or so and having dinner at the restaurant at the Mission Hotel ( formerly Desert
Inn, La Pinta, El Camino Real, Etc.
I've been told that they upgraded the food (brought in a new chef; not to mention that since the owners are the Los Pinos folks, who fundamentally own
agriculture in the San Quintin area, you can be pretty certain you'll find great veggies and salads). Same happened when these folks bought the hotel
in San Quintin.
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Santa Ynez (ranch way)
Santa Ines (map way)
They don't seem to care, as they sell shirts spelling it Ines. But, per the previous owner... YNEZ (see Ken's highway sign photo)
Nomad ways:
Santa Inez, Ynes, Innes, etc. etc.
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
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Check Out The photo
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Santa Ynez (ranch way)
Santa Ines (map way)
They don't seem to care, as they sell shirts spelling it Ines. But, per the previous owner... YNEZ (see Ken's highway sign photo)
Nomad ways:
Santa Inez, Ynes, Innes, etc. etc. |
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norte
Super Nomad
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Registered: 10-8-2008
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Santa Ynez (ranch way)
Santa Ines (map way)
They don't seem to care, as they sell shirts spelling it Ines. But, per the previous owner... YNEZ (see Ken's highway sign photo)
Nomad ways:
Santa Inez, Ynes, Innes, etc. etc. |
Real important info I see.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
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Location: Bahia Asuncion
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Maybe this is obvious, but ...
Make sure you get to the camping area before sundown. We're always trying to stretch our vacations by driving until dark. That's a bad idea if you're
camping because those roads that lead off into the boulder fields are really hard to figure out in the dark. Some, in fact most, leave the highway and
follow it about 20 yards away and then come back again. Others can end up taking you to somebody's doorstep.
I always drive far enough away from the highway so that the camper can't be spotted. Usually over a ridge or behind a large boulder. It just gives me
peace of mind and more restful sleep. Listening for suspicious sounds is no way to spend the night. At Santa Ynez there are no such concerns.
Camping along the highway isn't like it used to be 20-30 years ago. ... Or maybe it is ... and I have changed.
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mojo_norte
Senior Nomad
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Registered: 2-14-2006
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Maybe this is obvious, but ...
Make sure you get to the camping area before sundown. We're always trying to stretch our vacations by driving until dark. That's a bad idea if you're
camping because those roads that lead off into the boulder fields are really hard to figure out in the dark. Some, in fact most, leave the highway and
follow it about 20 yards away and then come back again. Others can end up taking you to somebody's doorstep.
I always drive far enough away from the highway so that the camper can't be spotted. Usually over a ridge or behind a large boulder. It just gives me
peace of mind and more restful sleep. Listening for suspicious sounds is no way to spend the night. At Santa Ynez there are no such concerns.
Camping along the highway isn't like it used to be 20-30 years ago. ... Or maybe it is ... and I have changed. |
Well said - most of those roads don't go that far in off the highway. Main thing is that your lights can't be seen from the road - nix the fires.
Having said that there are some good spots and I love camping there. Arrive early to drive around to find a safe spot . otherwise - camp at Santa Y'
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woody with a view
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and realize that those are still ROADS, not just trails to campsites!
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windgrrl
Super Nomad
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Nov. 2011 - Camping at Rancho Santa Inez is $7 USD/night with access to flush toilets. Someone ay come to collect, or if you can pay at the ranch
house when someone is there. Amazing place.
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
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Location: Riverside, CA
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I camped at the campground in Nov. 2005, and the noise from the 18 wheelers jack brakes made it difficult to get to sleep. Further away from Hwy 1,
it wasn't noisy, nor where there lights from Hwy 1. If the VW Van has 4WD, I would drive past Rancho Santa Ynez, and camp out Baja style.
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acadist
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
I've been told that they upgraded the food (brought in a new chef; not to mention that since the owners are the Los Pinos folks, who fundamentally own
agriculture in the San Quintin area, you can be pretty certain you'll find great veggies and salads). Same happened when these folks bought the hotel
in San Quintin. |
It's not the 'vegetables' we all read about a few months ago
Dave
I moved to CO and they made me buy a little rod to make it feel like a real fish
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Alan
Super Nomad
Posts: 1617
Registered: 4-6-2005
Location: Yucaipa, CA/La Paz
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
I camped at the campground in Nov. 2005, and the noise from the 18 wheelers jack brakes made it difficult to get to sleep. Further away from Hwy 1,
it wasn't noisy, nor where there lights from Hwy 1. If the VW Van has 4WD, I would drive past Rancho Santa Ynez, and camp out Baja style.
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We spent one night in that abandoned campground just north of the Desert Inn back in the 80's. We only
needed a place to sleep for the night so we just threw down some cots. We were awakened about midnight to find ourselves in the middle of a huge herd
of cattle
We pulled the sleeping bags over our heads and slept right through the jake brakes but around 3 am someone in the area decided it was time to work on
their offroad racer. We'd hear him wind it out down the highway (uncorked), return to do some adjustments then go wind it out again. We eventually
gave up trying to get back to sleep and we just got back on the road.
[Edited on 11-12-2011 by Alan]
In Memory of E-57
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