BOLA

Here is a fun day trip. Drive back about 12 miles towards MX 1, turn North and go up through the Agua Amarga dry lake. You'll connect with the Window Rock trail and can take it East to Ensenada Alcatraz. It's a pretty nice bay.

About 25 miles in the dirt one way. Some deep sand here and there, but nothing too bad.

Punta La Gringa is north 7 miles; the museum in town (behind the train engine plaza); Las Flores (where the train engine came from) is south 10 miles; Mission San Borja is 22 miles south of Km. 45, 13 miles from town.

I made a list of links to photos of interesting sites here: https://vivabaja.com/tours/

These are photo links on that page:

Bahia de los Angeles Area

Tinaja de Yubay
Punta Candeleros & Remedios (Bahia Guadalupe)
El Toro Copper Mine
Camp Gecko cabin, turtle research station, & La Gringa
Bahia de los Angeles highway, Pemex, etc. ’05
Bahia de los Angeles Museum
Misión San Borja
Misión San Borja (inside)
Old San Gregorio
Santa Ana, San Ignacito
Montevideo Pictographs 2005
Montevideo Pictographs 2017
Las Tinajitas Petroglyphs
Camp Gecko ’03
Las Flores
Los Paredones, La Bocana, Bahia San Rafael
Las Flores Railroad and Tramway
Rock Palm Hill (near Yubay)
Bahia las Animas 2004
Bahía las Animas 2017
Punta La Gringa
Mysterious Ruins/ Lost Mission Site?

Note that Montevideo has a locked gate, halfway in. Daggett's has the key... it is well worth the effort.
My photos there: https://vivabaja.com/montevideo/




[Edited on 6-14-2024 by David K]

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

If you have a decent 4x4, I recommend that you check out Bahia Las Animas. It is about 40 miles south of town to the turn off, and probably another 15 miles to the bay, but I think it is worth the trip! If you have a kayak or paddle board it is a good place to play with it.

This is a GREAT day trip. It's not quite that far. About 25 miles to the turn off and 10 miles to the bay. So 35-40 miles one way.

Another option is to go there via boat. It's only about 19 miles on the water.




[Edited on 6-14-2024 by JZ]

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

If you have a decent 4x4, I recommend that you check out Bahia Las Animas. It is about 40 miles south of town to the turn off, and probably another 15 miles to the bay, but I think it is worth the trip! If you have a kayak or paddle board it is a good place to play with it.

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Here is a fun day trip. Drive back about 12 miles towards MX 1, turn North and go up through the Agua Amarga dry lake. You'll connect with the Window Rock trail and can take it East to Ensenada Alcatraz. It's a pretty nice bay. About 25 miles in the dirt one way. Some deep sand here and there, but nothing too bad.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Punta La Gringa is north 7 miles; the museum in town (behind the train engine plaza); Las Flores (where the train engine came from) is south 10 miles; Mission San Borja is 22 miles south of Km. 45, 13 miles from town. I made a list of links to photos of interesting sites here: https://vivabaja.com/tours/ These are photo links on that page: Bahia de los Angeles Area Tinaja de Yubay Punta Candeleros & Remedios (Bahia Guadalupe) El Toro Copper Mine Camp Gecko cabin, turtle research station, & La Gringa Bahia de los Angeles highway, Pemex, etc. ’05 Bahia de los Angeles Museum Misión San Borja Misión San Borja (inside) Old San Gregorio Santa Ana, San Ignacito Montevideo Pictographs 2005 Montevideo Pictographs 2017 Las Tinajitas Petroglyphs Camp Gecko ’03 Las Flores Los Paredones, La Bocana, Bahia San Rafael Las Flores Railroad and Tramway Rock Palm Hill (near Yubay) Bahia las Animas 2004 Bahía las Animas 2017 Punta La Gringa Mysterious Ruins/ Lost Mission Site? Note that Montevideo has a locked gate, halfway in. Daggett's has the key... it is well worth the effort. My photos there: https://vivabaja.com/montevideo/ [Edited on 6-14-2024 by David K]

That's just not right!!

Quote: Originally posted by David K

The museum is a must see. Open limited hours, so check and come back. It is a block behind the plaza where the train is on display. You know going to Baja without four-wheel-drive is like consuming soup with a fork! It can be done but takes away from the maximum experience. 😎

Well, I wasn't speaking of Off Road Racing. I am talking about camping and exploring. You don't need 4WD to go to La Gringa or most ANY Baja location... but if you are solo, don't want to be stuck, or deprived of going on a questionable road, then a 4x4 is a must... and let's include dune buggies, Baja Bug VWs, and those side-by-side things everyone likes now.

My first Baja vehicle was a modified VW dune buggy. It drove over the Gonzaga Grades twice in the 70s, with ease. Of course the driver and big tires were part of that!



Me and my Baja vehicle, on the road to El Mármol, 1975.

Quote: Originally posted by Alm

I recall Villa Bahia was badly damaged a year ago, might not be in the top shape. It's tough booking in summer, but there is always something. Try Daggets maybe. He's expanded the hotels, built a few more cabanas.

I mostly agree with Bajarunner.....

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

In fact, I did not need 4x4 driving into Las Animas in late October of 2022, but my Trooper is an excellent off-road vehicle in 2wd! Beside that, I learned to drive in a 2wd pickup with a stick shift long before I was allowed to drive on pavement. Reading the "road" is a big deal! I recommended 4x4 as a matter of insurance against being stuck overnight on what was meant to be a day trip. I sure would not advise someone in a Honda Civic to check out the bay. A Baja rancher would probably be OK, but one storm could put even their chances off the chart. By the way, on that trip the place was deserted! No banjos, no people, just a coyote that seemed to follow me and my dog while I was driving around!

Thank god there were no banjos!!!!

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo   If you have a decent 4x4, I recommend that you check out Bahia Las Animas. It is about 40 miles south of town to the turn off, and probably another 15 miles to the bay, but I think it is worth the trip! If you have a kayak or paddle board it is a good place to play with it. This is a GREAT day trip. It's not quite that far. About 25 miles to the turn off and 10 miles to the bay. So 35-40 miles one way. Another option is to go there via boat. It's only about 19 miles on the water. [Edited on 6-14-2024 by JZ]

Ensenada Alcatraz
(March 2023)

Bahia Las Animas
March 2019







There is an active fishing camp at the point there, but it can be avoided.

I know Stuck!