We were staying in Loretto and took a day trip to Mission San Javier. It's easily done in any type of vehicle with no worries about the 20 something
miles of dirt road.
It's steep and narrow in plenty of sections, but we never had to use 4-wheel-drive, and were actually passed by plenty of locals in small passenger
cars. Sorry, we try and not drive too fast, especially over such long stretches of washboard.
We opted to drive up on a weekend, so the construction was stopped, and we could drive along the new secton they are paving. I guess during the week,
you are detoured through the arroyo?
We stopped at the Oasis to see some rock paintings, and let the dogs cool off in the fresh water that trickles down the side of the mountains, saw a
few burros out in the road, and took a short hike ourselves.
Once at the mission, we spent a few hours paying our respects to the missionaries who did some amazing work building this beautiful structure.
The little town is very quaint and we tried to help the local economy by knocking back a few cervezas at the little restaurant across the street
Funny thing happened while we were up there. A few taxis pulled up with some people that were staying in our RV Park back in town.
When they went to leave, the taxi driver couldnt get his rig started. I loaned him and a few of the other taxi drivers some tools and they worked on
it for a few minutes before they decided it was a bad starter.
So we piled the fellow travelers in our vehicles and gave them a lift back to the campground.
On the way back down, we stopped to check out the little chapel on the side of the mountain which looks like it would hold under 10 parisioners.
We just love how you'll find cool looking sights like this around every turn in the road.
At one point, the view stretches all the way out to the water, which was just jaw dropping! Imagine what the road must have been like when they built
the Mission so many years ago!
Great day trip for anyone who is traveling through Baja and staying in Loretto. I wouldnt recommend it for anyone who is traveling in a RV, unless
you are towing a smaller vehicle behind you. Some of the turns are 180 degrees and very narrow in spots.
If you stop in Loretto, the people we met who took the cab ride up, said he charged them $100 for about 3 hours, split between 5 people, that isnt bad
at all. It's an option if you only have a Class-C or larger Class-A which wouldnt be able to take these roads.
Great little day trip though, and the Mission is worth the drive
[Edited on 1-02-2008 by EMAM]DianaT - 4-6-2008 at 08:34 AM
Thanks for the story and the photos. San Javier is one of our very favorite places and as you say, the road is not bad. I drove on the way up and I
am the chicken driver, so it really is fine.
It will change, however, when they complete the paving.
Diane
P.S. If you are still in the Loreto area, you might think about taking a day drive out to Agua Verde----
[Edited on 4-6-2008 by jdtrotter]rts551 - 4-6-2008 at 09:01 AM
EMAM
When was your trip? I was there the third week of March and a taxi had the exact same problem (same week?) I came in the back way San Ignacio - San
Jaunico - La Purisima - Zaragoza - San Javier.
La Purisima
Road from Zaragoza
lots of water along the way
[Edited on 4-7-2008 by rts551]DianaT - 4-6-2008 at 09:07 AM
RTS
Still want to see the route you took----want to go back to La Purisima and think the road out to Highway is the one you took----but others have said
that it is really washed out?
EMAM
How far has the paving gone? Did you have any problems getting around where they are paving?
Thanks
DianeEMAM - 4-6-2008 at 10:43 AM
The day we drove out there was the Thursday before Good Friday, which we were told started the Easter holiday, so there was no construction going on.
The paved section was about the first 7-10 miles of the road, and was smooth sailing. I cant imagine them paving all the way to the mission Some of those sections just look too narrow for them to get all that big equipment
up to.
How long did it take you to come in from La Parisima? That would be one heck of a drive, and I bet it's beautiful! That'll have to be next time we
come back.
How was the road that way?rts551 - 4-6-2008 at 11:16 AM
The road from La Purisima is washed out and the locals recommended not taking it. There is another road from Zaragoza that was washed out in numerous
places but repaired enough to get through. This is the one we took.
I think we were there the same day and saw the same taxi. We spent the night there and left on friday.
Diane... I know. Will get it to you soon. I down loaded the GPS. but need to transpose it to a baja map.
Edited for spelling
[Edited on 4-7-2008 by rts551]BAJACAT - 4-6-2008 at 07:00 PM
sorry guys but it's not la Parisima is la Purisima.Great postPaula - 4-6-2008 at 07:55 PM
"At one point, the view stretches all the way out to the water, which was just jaw dropping! Imagine what the road must have been like when they built
the Mission so many years ago!"
EMAM,
A bit of trivia for you-- the road to San Javier that you drove is not the original, but was built in the 1950's I think. Near the chapel at rancho
Las Parras in your photo you can look across the drainage and see the old road, as you can here and there along the present way.
Don and I drove from Hwy 1, north of Loreto by about 25 miles, to San Ysidro and La Purisima recently. We took the pickup, and I was glad we weren't
in our Honda CRV. It's a 60-some km trip, and the driving is tedious in places that are storm damaged. Other parts have serious washboard. The
scenery is nice, but less spectacular than I had hoped for until you are close to San Ysidro. Both towns are charming.
I've heard from two sources that the road from rancho El Horno near San Javier to San Jose de Comondu has been graded since hte baja 1000, and is an
easy and safe(r) drive now. I thought it was one of the prettiest I've ever seen when we traveled it a few years ago, but it had treacherous spots
along the way.elgatoloco - 4-6-2008 at 09:06 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by BAJACAT
sorry guys but it's not la Parisima is la Purisima.Great post
La Purisima
Loreto
Both beautiful places to visit. Thanks for the fotos. David K - 4-8-2008 at 06:01 PM
Be careful Gato... some here are very sensitive about learning how to spell place names... lately!
But, I thank you for taking the time! David K - 4-8-2008 at 06:02 PM
EMAM, more great photos... just love them! Did the camera get repaired or was this before the sea water test?
Some of those sections just look too narrow for them to get all that big equipment
up to.
