BajaNomad

Road to San Javier paved?

preston - 9-28-2011 at 10:23 AM

Hi:

I last visited the Mission in San Javier about 5+ years ago and the road was pretty bad ... so I took a local taxi (out of Loreto) up rather that risk my truck.

I just saw something on the Internet which said the road up to the Mission is now paved. Is this true?

Thanks,

Preston

David K - 9-28-2011 at 10:32 AM

In 2009, it was paved just over half of the 20 some miles... the rest was good graded. A recent post I read said only a couple more miles have been paved...

preston - 9-28-2011 at 10:52 AM

David:

Thanks. I just found your post from back in January with this information. I'll be making a post in the next coupe of days about a "bucket list" trip my wife and I are making the full length of the peninsula (and back) .... over 8 weeks!! The 8 weeks will give us the time to really enjoy places. My normal trip is a 5 day loop trip. Our trip will start October 5th or 6th and end in early December.

You and many other nomads have been part of my inspiration for this trip.

More later.

Thanks again,

Preston

tripledigitken - 9-28-2011 at 10:58 AM

Preston,

This is typical of the graded portion of the road we experienced in Feb of 2010.

Ken




one of the gems of Baja


preston - 9-28-2011 at 11:02 AM

Thanks. Seems like it is much better that it was 5+ years ago.

David K - 9-28-2011 at 11:31 AM

San Javier is one of Baja's gems!

Marc - 9-28-2011 at 07:11 PM

It's a no sweat ride nowadays. I kinda miss the adventure.;);)

Paulina - 9-28-2011 at 08:08 PM

We drove up to San Javier this past summer. The road is paved up to the last 6 mi. before town. The dirt road is graded and nicely kept, even with white painted rocks along the sides of the road.

When you see this guy you're almost there!



P>*)))>{

GrOUper-GAr - 9-29-2011 at 12:43 AM

quiet & beautiful...

San-Javier-Mission.jpg - 47kB

GrOUper-GAr - 9-29-2011 at 12:58 AM

...but what are the DeAd aNiMaLs in the trees trying to say?

HuNG-oWL-b.jpg - 46kB

Marc - 9-29-2011 at 06:26 AM

Dead animals in trees; natives say go no farther!:O:O:O

ncampion - 9-29-2011 at 07:34 AM

Just drove up there yesterday. The last section on unpaved road is 4.5 miles and well graded as mentioned above with white painted rocks. I agree that I miss the adventure, but it makes bringing guests up there a lot easier - and quieter!!

wilderone - 9-29-2011 at 08:02 AM

"It's a no sweat ride nowadays. I kinda miss the adventure"
I hear ya - I did the drive in a rented VW bug once. The road had been graded periodically, so not that bad. Worst of it was a large stretch where a water pool flowed across and appeared dicey, but the sand was firm enough for no problemos. I spent the night off the side of the road before I got to the mission village - one of the coldest nights of my life. I got out of my tent and "slept" (how well can you sleep in a VW bug) in the car. Couldn't wait for the sun to come up. Marc, if we're lucky, in time the asphalt will crumble and deteriorate into potholes - we'll get some adventure back! What's it like past the mission - road to La Presa, Agua Escondido, La Poza de Gonzales, etc. (as I see on my map)? Is it good all the way to La Purisima? Camping en route?

LaTijereta - 9-29-2011 at 10:18 AM

The old road back in 1980 was always an adventure, with nice vistas along the way...



Now days the road is paved to the top, and very "do-able" ..



You just have to watch out for the road kill along the way:o



BajaBlanca - 9-29-2011 at 10:40 AM

when we did the trip about 4.5 years ago, the road was so narrow and in such precarious condition that I did not know if I wanted to go on or turn around and go back (which was NOT an option since there was no place to turn around). Once at the village though, so worth the struggle...so beautiful....so charming....so remote.

There is a cave where Baja Indians used to stay - near a stream if I remember correctly ...

Marc - 9-29-2011 at 05:39 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by wilderone
"It's a no sweat ride nowadays. I kinda miss the adventure"
I hear ya - I did the drive in a rented VW bug once. The road had been graded periodically, so not that bad. Worst of it was a large stretch where a water pool flowed across and appeared dicey, but the sand was firm enough for no problemos. I spent the night off the side of the road before I got to the mission village - one of the coldest nights of my life. I got out of my tent and "slept" (how well can you sleep in a VW bug) in the car. Couldn't wait for the sun to come up. Marc, if we're lucky, in time the asphalt will crumble and deteriorate into potholes - we'll get some adventure back! What's it like past the mission - road to La Presa, Agua Escondido, La Poza de Gonzales, etc. (as I see on my map)? Is it good all the way to La Purisima? Camping en route?


The drive along the riverbed was no problemo for my Toy.

David K - 9-29-2011 at 06:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by LaTijereta
The old road back in 1980 was always an adventure, with nice vistas along the way...



Now days the road is paved to the top, and very "do-able" ..



You just have to watch out for the road kill along the way:o


Wow Kris, I almost thought you got a photo of me... I drove my Jeep Cherokee Chief to San Javier in 1976... looks like the one in the photo, almost!

Pescador - 9-30-2011 at 05:45 AM

I agree that it is a great destination, but you need to think twice about going for Fiesta San Javier. The last time we went there were close to 2500 hundred people jammed into the little valley. Dances that went all hours of the night. Horse races that roared right next to the camp grounds, c-ck Fights that brought people from all over the peninsula, people selling goats out of the back of their pickups which were promptly roasted over the campfires, a butcher who was selling a cut up beef out of the back of his pickup (which got pretty ripe by the end of fiesta), but the worst part of the whole affair was that there were very limited bathrooms and almost no Port-a-Potties, so every bush in the entire valley became an instant bathroom.
The final blow was the blanket salesman auctioneer who was open very close to our tent. He hawked his wares, with amplification, in a monotone and singsong voice till the wee hours of the morning.

Paulina - 9-30-2011 at 07:13 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
I agree that it is a great destination, but you need to think twice about going for Fiesta San Javier. The last time we went there were close to 2500 hundred people jammed into the little valley. Dances that went all hours of the night. Horse races that roared right next to the camp grounds, c-ck Fights that brought people from all over the peninsula, people selling goats out of the back of their pickups which were promptly roasted over the campfires, a butcher who was selling a cut up beef out of the back of his pickup (which got pretty ripe by the end of fiesta), but the worst part of the whole affair was that there were very limited bathrooms and almost no Port-a-Potties, so every bush in the entire valley became an instant bathroom.
The final blow was the blanket salesman auctioneer who was open very close to our tent. He hawked his wares, with amplification, in a monotone and singsong voice till the wee hours of the morning.


That kinda makes me want to go. I'd take my lugable loo, of course. :yes:

P>*)))>{

LaTijereta - 9-30-2011 at 07:21 AM

Quote:
Quote:
Originally posted by David K


Wow Kris, I almost thought you got a photo of me... I drove my Jeep Cherokee Chief to San Javier in 1976... looks like the one in the photo, almost!


David,
That was our old 1978 Cherokee..Photo was taken at spot about halfway up to the mission back in 1980.. It was later retired to one of the ranches just south of Loreto around 1998..
Good Times:cool:

David K - 9-30-2011 at 08:48 AM

Quote:
Quote:
Originally posted by LaTijereta
Quote:
Originally posted by David K


Wow Kris, I almost thought you got a photo of me... I drove my Jeep Cherokee Chief to San Javier in 1976... looks like the one in the photo, almost!


David,
That was our old 1978 Cherokee..Photo was taken at spot about halfway up to the mission back in 1980.. It was later retired to one of the ranches just south of Loreto around 1998..
Good Times:cool:


Yah... mine was a 1975.5 (when they were first introduced with the Chief package) before it legally could be called a 1976 model.

Mine was red with a tire/ jerry can rack added... Quadra Trac, 401 V-8...



On the road between Diablo Dry Lake and San Felipe, 1975 Baja 1000.

wilderone - 9-30-2011 at 11:09 AM

This shallow drainage IS the road:



Nice camping along the way:

David K - 9-30-2011 at 10:56 PM

Beautiful are the Baja canyons!