I'm headed south in about two weeks for an 11 day trip to Baja. I'm thinking about camping in Catavina on the first night. I've done this before by
taking one of the many side roads and driving around until I feel comfortable with the surroundings.
Does anyone have a KM marker for a good site? Also, besides walking up the wash to the paintings, are there any things I should check out nearby?
I'll be heading south to Playa San Rafael for two nights. Then, it's on to Agua Verde for Christmas. After that...who knows...maybe La Bocana and up
to Bahia Asuncion.
Thanks for your input-
zacNeal Johns - 12-2-2005 at 08:59 PM
Bajaboy,
About 7.5 miles north of Catavina, take the dirt road that crosses Hwy. 1, go right, north, for about two miles where it joins the Old Main Road. A
few hundred yards further north and you will come to the original La Virgin Shrine.
From La Virgin, continue north on the Old Main Road about 3.8 miles, cross a rocky, narrow, little pass, (a two track at the south base goes left to
Hwy. 1) and take the next right turn (bottom of slight grade) for a couple of tenths and you will be at Agua Dulce, a spring and lone palm on the El
Camino Real mule/people trail.
About 0.4 tenths north of La Virgin is a faint track right, east, that goes along the south edge of Arroyo Guillermo about four miles to end where the
rocky Arroyo goes through the mountains. Hike up 0.2 miles to the many palms.
Is that enough?bajaandy - 12-3-2005 at 07:59 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Neal Johns
the El Camino Real mule/people trail.
AH HA! Evidence that the mule/people really DO exist!
Seriously though, those are great instructions for finding Auga Dulce, a place I'll now have to visit. (And look for the mule/people.)elgatoloco - 12-3-2005 at 10:02 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Neal Johns
Bajaboy,
About 7.5 miles north of Catavina, take the dirt road that crosses Hwy. 1, go right, north, for about two miles where it joins the Old Main
Road...........
Neal, these instructions are when you are headed north on Hwy. 1?
....go right,north, for about two miles.......TMW - 12-3-2005 at 10:25 AM
At Rancho Santa Ines there is an area on the left coming in near the buildings that people camp. I don't think they charge anything, but not sure.Neal Johns - 12-3-2005 at 12:32 PM
Yes, elgatoloco, starting at Catavina, start north on Hwy. 1, then right onto dirt and continue north.
TW, camping there is a few bucks - a great place to camp is up the arroyo a ways - anywhere. A little too sandy for two wheelers (pun). Bajaboy - 12-3-2005 at 01:33 PM
Thanks Neal for the info...if you've got nothing to do on 12/20 and feel like leading the way, I'll have a couple of WIW with me.
EGL-I was wondering the same thing last night (wait, how do I go north if I'm turning right?)...thanks for asking.
Zac
[Edited on 12-3-2005 by Bajaboy]Neal Johns - 12-3-2005 at 03:04 PM
OK, you north seeking people, here is how you turn right and go north.
AD=Agua Dulse
EM=El Marmol
G=Guillermo
2=To
The track going up off the top goes to El Marmol
Agua Dulce
David K - 12-3-2005 at 04:26 PM
Photo looking south on the original transpeninsular road (pre Dec. '73). My Tacoma is on the access road coming from Hwy. 1 (between Km. 160-161) 1.4
mi. west.
On Neal's map this point is 'Rd. 2 Hwy. 1'
The old road continues on to La Virgen and joins Hwy. 1 just north of the Catavina cave art parking spot (as Neal says and shows on his map).
[Edited on 12-3-2005 by David K]
Agua Dulce (historic spring): 29?52.97'/ 114?49.38'
David K - 12-3-2005 at 04:27 PM
Here is the spring, in a gully, below the parking/ camping spot. GPS is at map datum NAD27 Mexico.
[Edited on 12-3-2005 by David K]
Agua Dulce
David K - 12-3-2005 at 04:28 PM
Here is where you would park/ camp... See the lone blue palm tree? It is growning down near the spring, in the gully.
Neal's Photo of Aguaje Guillermo
David K - 12-3-2005 at 04:35 PM
This oasis was likely the spring known as Agua Escondida on the El Camino Real!
Over 100 blue and fan palms were found by Neal and Marian
after a mile hike from the road end.
The unmapped road is 0.4 mile north of La Virgen, and then a 4.4 mile drive east.elgatoloco - 12-4-2005 at 11:20 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Bajaboy
Thanks Neal for the info...if you've got nothing to do on 12/20 and feel like leading the way, I'll have a couple of WIW with me.
EGL-I was wondering the same thing last night (wait, how do I go north if I'm turning right?)...thanks for asking.
Zac
[Edited on 12-3-2005 by Bajaboy]
Zac - have a great time. We envy you guys. You said you were heading SOUTH and since they removed the cloverleaf overpass exit to La Virgen Original,
I knew you could not turn 'right' and head 'north' while driving south and not wanting to appear arrogant and expose a incredibly minor oversight by
my favorite aridologist I asked the question so he could clarify his directions. This is one of our favorite areas to camp and explore. Cold at night
this time of year.
Neal- You are the man!! Thanks for the cool maps!elgatoloco - 12-4-2005 at 11:21 AM
Catavi?a sunset February 1996.wilderone - 12-5-2005 at 10:52 AM
If you turn right (as you're heading south on Mex. 1) at the road to La Bocana, there are several other side roads where you can find good camping
spots among the boulders. I stayed in the area last week to get out of the cold and WIND (!), and would further advise that you get far enough from
the highway so that you don't hear the truck traffic all night. I was surprised at the amount of traffic all night. And as a comment to a post above
- camping at Santa Ines is $5. I had a nice breakfast there.Cincodemayo - 12-5-2005 at 10:58 AM
David..
Have you ever seen ripe seed on the Brahea armata palms? (Blues)zforbes - 12-5-2005 at 11:01 AM
Quote:
Quote:
... Cold at night this time of year....
How about the daytime temperature? Will it be shorts and sun top weather (like Baja Angel is dressed) or will it be long sleeve weather? ZoeNeal Johns - 12-5-2005 at 02:06 PM
Bajaboy, thanks for the invite but have to spend xmas with two rotten kids and my current WiW.
Blues seeding
Cincodemayo - 12-5-2005 at 02:21 PM
Great way to have fun and germinate palms...the seed have to turn brownish color to be ripe and viable but germinated Butia go for upwards of 5 bucks
and higher. One inflorescence will have a thousand seed or more.David K - 12-5-2005 at 05:52 PM
Dress for cold, but have cool stuff too... Here in San Diego we are having awesome weather!!! Baja is only better!
Yes... I have seen seeds as you photographed them on the blue palms...Bajaboy - 12-6-2005 at 05:33 PM
Thanks everyone...I think I found my camp site for the first night.
ZacBajaboy - 1-25-2006 at 09:47 PM
Neal, DK, and others,
Thanks for all the ideas. We ended up camping at Aguaje Guillermo. My wife and I hiked up the canyon about a half mile to find 50-100 palms lining
the canyon. I decided to take a picture because it was so beautiful. Unfortunately, my batteries were dead. No problem, I thought, as I had picked
up a couple before we left. As my luck would have it, I bought the wrong sized lithium batteries. Go figure.
Anyways, thanks for the great spot. I'd definately recommend the area to others...Just not too many.
zac
[Edited on 1-26-2006 by Bajaboy]Bruce R Leech - 1-26-2006 at 09:36 AM
Aguaje Guillermo is a beautiful place to campBob H - 1-26-2006 at 01:06 PM
We just pull our cabover camper behind the motel there, have a couple of margaritas at the bar and then bed down for the night (for free).
Bob H
[Edited on 1-26-2006 by Bob H]Bajaboy - 3-3-2006 at 10:25 AM
Bajaboy and his mother Zoe at Guillermo WashNeal Johns - 3-3-2006 at 07:12 PM
