BajaNomad

San Evaristo from Hwy 1

elfbrewery - 12-8-2009 at 04:14 PM

Does anyone know how to get from Hwy 1 to San Evaristo via Mision San Luis Gonzaga? Is it worth the effort to go this way?

David K - 12-8-2009 at 04:58 PM

You need the Baja Almanac! It has pretty much most all the dirt roads in the peninsula.


Just be sure to correct the latitude numbers on Map 18 if you are using it with a GPS! Available in San Diego at Discover Baja Travel Club. http://baja-almanac.com

I haven't been to that mission (yet)... here are some notes on the road:

Leave Hwy. 1 about 10 miles south of Cd. Constitucion on the straight graded road to S. L. Gonzaga via the Presa Ihuagil (dam) road. Go 13 miles east, then take the right fork for 11 miles to the mission village. The AAA guide says there is a camping area, small store and even gs from barrels available there.

From San Luis Gonzaga to San Evaristo, best to have the Almanac to double check the roads to use... a GPS with the topo maps installed would be killer to have in that area! You are also inthe area of the two Dolores mission sites (Los Dolores Apate near the coast and the last site at La Pasion (near Rancho La Presa at La Capilla). See Jack Swords' photos of La Presa at http://vivabaja.com/swords .

Search Nomad (top left of the page) for all posts containing San Evaristo and maybe La Soledad (along the road above San Evaristo)?

[Edited on 12-9-2009 by David K]

TMW - 12-8-2009 at 05:04 PM

Always remember the people you meet along the way are always helpful. We came out from Evaristo to hwy 1 at Las Pocitas a couple of years ago, when in from La Paz, and we met a couple of cowboys on horseback. We gave them a cold one and they let us set on their horses for pictures.

Jack Swords - 12-8-2009 at 05:56 PM

David's advice is righton. There is a mission sign just south of Constitucion and you turn east and the road to the mission is evident. Going east to Evaristo you will encounter many branches of roads with noone to ask directions. The atlas will help. From the top down to Evaristo is sometimes a challenge. The race Dos Mares uses it. Wonderful area, lots of water, great people. It's like stepping back 200 years. We do it from Pocitas on the highway, but have done the Gonzaga mission too. We camp midway as it can be a long trip. The road from Evaristo to San Juan de la Costa (La Paz) is maddening due to permanentes (washboard). Fast/slow it is crazy. Suggest asking along the way if the road is passable by a gringo after Segunda Bosque. You do have 4WD?

monoloco - 12-8-2009 at 09:17 PM

The road from El Bosque to the coast can be pretty bad, you will want to know the condition before you try the Las Positas route. Usually the San Juan de La Costa route is maintained for the fish buyers' trucks who travel to La Paz and back a few times a week.

MAPS TO ASSIST

David K - 12-9-2009 at 09:23 AM

Here is a view of the area... the 2007 AAA map and 2003 Baja topo (blue hi-lightiner line connects the two Dolores mission locations (see my Baja Missions web site for photos at both sites)...



Zoom in for mileage details...



Both Dolores mission sites (Apate, and Chilla at La Pasion)

Thanks for the info

elfbrewery - 12-9-2009 at 05:01 PM

Yes, I am looking forward to devouring the new "Almanac" when I receive my copy in the new year. And, yes, we do have 4wd and will be travelling with others. Just don't want my desire to travel new roads (for me) to bug my fellow travellers.
Are the ruined missions worth the visit?
Thanks for your help.

monoloco - 12-9-2009 at 05:07 PM

There is no drivable road to Los Dolores.

David K - 12-9-2009 at 05:10 PM

Depends what is interesting to you... this part of California history is vanishing in our lifetime... The Mexican historic preservation lacks funds to properly preserve all the old California missions... Dolores and La Pasion have had no restoration or protectionthat I am aware of... see them before they are gone forever!

Dolores del Sur (both sites), below Guadalupe del Sur on this page: http://www.vivabaja.com/missions1/page5.html

San Luis Gonzaga, at the bottom of this page: http://www.vivabaja.com/missions1/page6.html

David K - 12-9-2009 at 05:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by monoloco
There is no drivable road to Los Dolores.


That is correct, despite what the Baja Almanac shows, that is a mission trail to Los Dolores near the coast, not an automobile or Jeep road!

La Pasion is on the road, however... as is San Luis Gonzaga.

You can see Dolores if you hike from the Los Burros/Ensenada de Cortez road to the ridge of the canyon (see Jack Swords photo)

SAN EVARISTO/LOS BURROS

rob - 12-10-2009 at 03:51 PM

What Dave says . .. the road from La Soledad down into San Evaristo is totally beautiful - we camped at the top of the pass (photo).

At San Luis Gonzaga my old Lance camper did its usual party trick of tearing an overhead line down (was being rigged for the big Saturday dance and VERY low over the road) - it was the same thing I was arrested for in Guerrero Negro where Shari saved us.

san-evaristo-pass.jpg - 17kB

LOS BURROS

rob - 12-10-2009 at 03:55 PM

On Dave's third map you will see a trail headed down to Los Burros (See photo). Nor for the faint of heart but perfectly drivable. Super fisherfolk who made us feel right at home. I drove (boat) up there from San Evaristo, just around the corner.

Los Dolores is actually a ranch where the welcome was lukewarm. When last visited (2003) it was being foreclosed by a Texas bank, no idea of current status.

000803-Los-burros-jpg.jpg - 30kB

LOS BURROS

rob - 12-10-2009 at 03:58 PM

On Dave's third map you will see a trail headed down to Los Burros (See photo). Nor for the faint of heart but perfectly drivable. Super fisherfolk who made us feel right at home. I drove (boat) up there from San Evaristo, just around the corner.

Los Dolores is actually a ranch where the welcome was lukewarm. When last visited (2003) it was being foreclosed by a Texas bank, no idea of current status.

[Edited on 12-10-2009 by rob]

000803-Los-burros-jpg.jpg - 30kB

monoloco - 12-10-2009 at 04:35 PM

Rob, Did you take your Lance camper into Los Burros?

wilderone - 12-11-2009 at 09:01 AM

"The road from Evaristo to San Juan de la Costa (La Paz) is maddening due to permanentes (washboard). Fast/slow it is crazy. Suggest asking along the way if the road is passable by a gringo after Segunda Bosque."

Si - but accessible by kayak/boat. Hire someone to panga you along the coast. What an adventure! (Can "panga" be a verb?)

rob - 12-11-2009 at 09:30 AM

Hi monoloco - I did indeed take my Lance 8' down to Los Burros (and to Batopilas in Barranca del Cobre - but that's another story!). It's not a great Baja choice - finally sold it and bought a Northstar pop top.

Highly recommended.

monoloco - 12-11-2009 at 10:02 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by rob
Hi monoloco - I did indeed take my Lance 8' down to Los Burros (and to Batopilas in Barranca del Cobre - but that's another story!). It's not a great Baja choice - finally sold it and bought a Northstar pop top.

Highly recommended.
Nice photos. That is a great section of coastline from Evaristo to Los Burros. Great people, great fishing, islands, it's pretty much got it all except for great roads, but of course that's why it is still nice there. I can't imagine going into Los Burros with a cabover camper, it takes me 2 hours to go the 15k into San Nicolas with mine and that's a relatively good road compared to Los Burros.

Campers and roads

rob - 12-11-2009 at 11:17 AM

I couldn't resist it - the off-topic police will get me, but that's life!

Here is a shot of a road that makes the Los Burros hairpins look rather tame - it is the road to Batopilas in Barranca del Cobre. 6,700 almost vertical feet of hairpins - and single lane at that! This is why I don't think the Lance is a good exploring camper - even for my F350 diesel, it was just too heavy.

49-barranca-batopilas.jpg - 41kB

monoloco - 12-11-2009 at 11:43 AM

Yikes!

elfbrewery - 12-11-2009 at 11:45 AM

Can you give me an idea of how many hours of driving it would take to get from Constitucion to La Paz via the San Luis Gonzaga - San Evaristo - San Juan de la Costa route? This looks like a great camping/kayaking adventure.
Thanks!

monoloco - 12-11-2009 at 12:02 PM

Depending on the condition of the road you could probably do it in a day of driving, but I would allow 3-4 days to make it a worthwhile trip.