Connection to La Bocana

Roads south

Write up & map

Roverdude - here is the write up I did in May 2006 with map attached. If the map is too blury send me a u2u message and I can email you a better resolution.

John M

Santo Tomas toward La Bocana then south to San Jose lighthouse

We turned west alongside the Santo Tomas river for almost 4 miles where we detoured to visit the site of the first Santo Tomas Dominican mission. We found it quite easily and then just west of the mission site a few hundred yards is this lovely campground setting. Oaks, flowing creek, perfect temps all caused us to make an early camp. c-cktail hour made its appearance right away.

Very comfortable night spent, next morning we moved along slowly to the beach at La Bocana. Horses, flowers, bee hives and farming was seen all along the way - even some folks harvesting callalillies. We turned back east looking for the road south and soon found it about 4 miles inland from the beach. There were some fresh appearing day-glow marks at the turn and we were to see more along the route over the next few days. Not Score markings we presume as many were not along the route of the upcoming Tecate Score Baja 500.

The gps at the turn out of the Santo Tomas Valley is at 31 33 12.7/116 55 38.8 (NAD 27) This is at "A" on the attached map.

We immediately began to climb a fairly long but not too difficult hill for maybe a mile or better, just a little rutted here and there. A few ranches along this road and not much chance to make a wrong turn yet.

We passed through a ranch fence line in 2.5 miles at gps 31 31 52.1/116 34 55.7 This is at "B" on the map.

Just beyond the fence there were several routes possible but it looks like they all converge back onto the main road south. Some were marked again with day glow paint and ribbon.

The next mile or so we passed a few ranches and came to a road intersection - " C " on the map - gps is 31 30 56.6/ 116 34 14.6 - this is 3.9 miles from the Santo Tomas Valley.

This is shown on the Baja Almanac page 7, very near what is called the Rancho Viejo. We continued straight, not taking the right turn which apparently leads to the coast via La Bocana de Viejo ranch.

This whole area is dotted with oaks and rolling ranch land, a very pretty area. Continuing along we came to a fairly steep downhill, rocky is spots, eventually bringing us, at mile 6.8 to a fence line corner, gps 31 28 51.2 / 116 34 14.6 - spot " D " on the map.

Shortly we came to the main coastal road and turned north 1.7 miles to get to the Punta San Jose lighthouse. See attached photo of the coastline near the lighthouse.

From there it was south on the primary road, following the coast from time to time, moving inland other times. Small ranchos and villages passed through, and we became complacent, losing (temporarily at least) our way.

Shortly we realized we had missed a turn to keep us along the coast toward Erendira and so we re-adjusted our route just before lunch found us at a lovely deserted cove, La Calavera on the map. See attached photo.

While we ate we noticed perhaps 15 buggies heading south along the coast. This was an organized desert buggy group, where the participants ante up good money to drive what appeared to be pretty well set-up buggies. Catered lunches, a chase buggy, rooms in nice hotels at night - and all this style for four days - seems like a dandy deal if you have the bucks.

So, then it was just a matter of driving back to highway 1 at San Vicente.