RogerMears
Junior Nomad
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Registered: 3-7-2014
Location: Bahia de Los Angeles
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Hwy. 3 from Ensenada to San Felipe
Has anyone traveled Hwy. 3 from Ensenada to San Felipe lately? Would like to know the road condition, potholes etc. Thanks if anyone can answer my
question.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64490
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Hi Roger, I drove it all about 3 months ago. It was is great shape and they were repaving a section in San Matias Pass. Go Jeep Honcho Go!
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Pacifico
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Hey Roger,
I just asked my Mexican friend who travels it all the time and he says "No problems, highway is good, no washouts. Couple holes, no big deal."
Buena Suerte!
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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bajaric
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Drove it a couple of times last year in a pickup. Easy. I have seen reports that its a bit bumpy in a low clearance passenger car. The one issue I
have with that road is that leaving Ensenada eastbound the road is the typical narrow Baja highway, with the same truck traffic and lead foot local
drivers, only instead of a soft carpet of sand on either side you have a flimsy looking guard rail and a sheer drop off a cliff...
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
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I drove it a few weeks ago and it's still a Mexican highway.
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3687
Registered: 9-8-2003
Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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Mood: muy amable
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In a pickup it is a smooth and fast track
Some months back we drove the little missus' Mercedes across there and those low profile tires were not so happy in some ragged stretches where the
F150 would have walked across without a ripple.
Actually, the worst roads are in Ensenada proper. Getting into town, after dark those cement streets have some grim sections for a low clearance car-
again just a walkover in a proper Baja rig.
Are you still living down on the beach next door to old "Double Nothing"?? Lots of fun times racing with him back in the old West Coast late model
days.
Fun bumping bumpers with you a couple times in the 500, too.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64490
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I think Roger holds the record for speed between Xitlali and Camp Gecko!
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RogerMears
Junior Nomad
Posts: 30
Registered: 3-7-2014
Location: Bahia de Los Angeles
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Thanks for all the posts. Our kids are coming down from Bako and they want to avoid TJ going home. They will travel TJ, Hwy. 1 going south. We are
looking at Hwy. 1 to Hwy. 3 to Hwy. 5 cross at Mexicali when they leave. It has been years since I traveled 3, used to do it all the time. The trip
will be a bit longer for them but better route. I would send them down Hwy. 5 thru Puertocitos/Gonzaga/to Hwy. 1 but they are driving a 38' motorhome
towing a 20+foot trailer loaded down. Just think w/the recent Hurricane Rosa saga it would be a miserable trip for them. Thanks again for letting us
know about Hwy. 3.
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HeyMulegeScott
Senior Nomad
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We did it in our 36ft motorhome towing a Jeep this past spring. It's a bit twisty and congested when you drop into Ensenada. They might be better off
crossing at Otay Mesa. We went back through Tecate which would be tight for their rig and trailer but an easy crossing.
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Highway 3 Road Log (2018)
Highway #3 Ensenada to San Felipe section:
Go east from the street along the harbor at the signed road for Ojos Negros. One more gas station is along this route before leaving the city.
Km. 6 This kilometer marker is about 8.5 kilometers from the harborside street. The highway has many curves over the hills east of Ensenada.
Km. 9.5 The Horsepower Ranch driveway to the south. A resort dedicated to the sport of off-road racing.
Km. 26 Agua Caliente road, south. A hot spring resort 5 miles into the canyon, below. A locked gate will be opened by security guard after honking.
Km. 39 Gas station and a military checkpoint. These inspections are making sure illegal items are not in transit. Illegal drugs, marijuana, guns, and
ammo are not permitted. You may be asked where you are coming from and where you are going. It is possible you will be asked to exit your car while
soldiers perform a search.
Km. 39.5 Paved road north to Ojos Negros, 1.2 miles. Services include stores and a hotel.
Km. 54.5 Dirt road north to the Parque Nacional Constitución de 1857, Laguna Hanson, and the Sierra de Juárez.
Km. 85.5 Unsigned road west to El Alamo goes 9 miles to a nearly abandoned town that was home to 5,000 people during the gold rush that began in 1889.
In 2018, several kilometer markers were missing in this section of the highway.
Km. 91+ (3.5 miles from the El Alamo road) is Ejido de los Héroes de la Independencía, a farming center. A concrete road goes east from Highway 3
for 4.7 miles and an unpaved road continues on through the village of Santa Catarina. Follow the powerline down past the large church (4.9 miles from
Highway #3) and then north over a low rise to the cemetery. On the small mesa above the cemetery was the 1797-1839 mission of Santa Catalina, 5.5
miles from Highway #3. The final Spanish mission founded in Baja California would be Santa Catalina. Up to 600 Native Indians were part of the mission
at one time before an attack by multiple tribes destroyed the fort-like mission.
Km. 109 Road east to Ejido Jamau, 8 km. A motorcycle rider resort, Jamau Outpost, is advertised at the junction.
The highway will soon begin a gradual drop down into the large valley called Trinidad.
Km. 117.5 The old pre-highway road into the valley junctions here. Now known as the “goat trail” it is used as the course for the Baja off-road
races.
Km. 120+ Paved road south for Valle de Trinidad, A large farming supply town with two gas stations, motels, and restaurants. From here a dirt road can
be traveled west to Highway #1 near San Vicente.
Km. 130+ El Oasis Orphanage Supported by motorcycle racing legend Malcolm Smith and featured in the film Dust to Glory.
Km. 137.5 Graded dirt road south 20 miles to Mike’s Sky Rancho, a resort motel with a pool and bar, food served, camping along the San Rafael River.
A poor 4WD road in questionable condition goes over the mountain south to Rancho El Coyote, another guest ranch with cabins and camping and a pool. El
Coyote is easily reached from the paved observatory road, 5 miles beyond.
Km. 141 San Matias a small town with several restaurants.
Km. 151 San Matias Pass. The division between the Sierra Juárez, to the north, and the Sierra San Pedro Mártir, to the south. Highway enters the San
Felipe Desert.
Km. 162.5/Km. 163 Road south to Diablo Dry Lake, signed for Colonia San Pedro Mártir.
Km. 179.5 Borrego Pit. A popular off-road race pit team location during these events. Three major off-road races (the Baja 1000, Baja 500, and San
Felipe 250) often cross Highway 3 here.
Km. 195 Military checkpoint, just west of Highway 5. These inspections are making sure illegal items are not in transit. Illegal drugs, marijuana,
guns, and ammo are not permitted. You may be asked where you are coming from and where you are going. It is possible you will be asked to exit your
car while soldiers perform a search.
Km. 196 Junction with Highway 5. San Felipe is 31 miles south and Mexicali is 87 miles north.
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RogerMears
Junior Nomad
Posts: 30
Registered: 3-7-2014
Location: Bahia de Los Angeles
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Hwy. 3 from Ensenada to San Felipe
Great info David K!! We have printed this for our kids!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64490
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Sounds great, Roger!
I have kilometer based road logs of all the highways in Baja and in the Road Guide (where this log came from) are photos, too. The unpaved roads
without kilometer posts have mileage figures.
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