Wilbur4s - 11-15-2013 at 12:35 AM
From which town is it best to visit the cave paintings in central baja?
bajabuddha - 11-15-2013 at 01:36 AM
Several sites to choose from, best is San Ignacio north, ask for guide svc there. Some more west of Mulege, also guides available. Even right at El
Burro beach are some great petroglyphs less than 100 ft. from the highway, worth a whole afternoon looking at.
All depend on how much time/money you want to spend, from 1-2 days hiking to 3-5 days by mule/horseback.
Neal Johns - 11-15-2013 at 08:26 AM
The cave paintings (Pictographs) are just NE of San Ignacio as bajabuddha posts. I have been to the cave painting twice. You are
required to hire guides by INAH (Mexican government agency) and they also send one or two of their "watchers" to make sure the paintings are not
screwed up.
You start by going to the INAH office next to the Church in the square in San Ignacio and they will assign you a guide.
The trip will start in the very small mountain towns of San Francisco or Santa Marta and the guide will arrange for mules or burros and handlers.
You are expected to feed the guides, and mule/burro handlers (To carry the gear).
There are companies that will organize trips but with minor effort you can save money by doing it yourself as outlined above. The total cost is minor
and a tip at the end of the trip is appreciated.
There is much information on the web and a great book is Harry Crosby's "Cave Painting of Baja" 2nd Edition.
[Edited on 11-15-2013 by Neal Johns]
nandopedal - 11-15-2013 at 08:32 AM
If you are going to the Sierra de San Francisco; 1.- Prearrange by phone a guide up in the Sierra and stay in Vizcaino or Guerrero Negro if you need
before and after. 2.- If you do not have arrangements ahead of time for a guide then maybe San Ignacio will be the place because there is more than
one outfit in town that will do it all for you, hope that helps and by the way if you call ahead of time for a guide ask for Ramon Arce he sure is
entertaining.
shari - 11-15-2013 at 09:14 AM
It depends on how much time you have and how fit you are for reaching the paintings. I enjoyed the paintings in Sta.Marta because we only had a day to
do it and they are pretty spectacular for a day trip. Drive to the ranch very early and it's a 2 hour hie or burro ride to the caves.
mtnpop - 11-15-2013 at 10:42 AM
Wed. 11/13,, we took a jeep caravan out to San Borijtas petragliffs (sp)
11 if us,,, you go off mex 1 at Palo Verde about 31 km to the trailhead.
the first 6 km is good, then the next 25 is in the washes and arroyos..
a good 2 hour drive... then about 1/4 mile hike up the canyon to the cave..
you pay 100 pesos per person at the office and 20 pesos each for the guide.
anyway that is what the charge was this week...
not a lot of paintings but interesting on the ceiling of the cave..
best in a truck with high clearance some spots almost 4x4 but never used it... take water, beer, lunch, good hiking shoes..
our thoughts....
have fun
David K - 11-15-2013 at 11:05 AM
Here is a post I made showing petroglyphs and pictographs you can drive to with little hiking needed: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=36856
wilderone - 12-2-2013 at 05:54 PM
Someone at the San Borja mission will take you to see the San Borjitas pictographs. A relatively short drive from there. No set fee - up for
negotiation.
[Edited on 12-3-2013 by wilderone]
David K - 12-2-2013 at 06:02 PM
'San Borjitas' cave are site is near Mulege, despite it sounding like San Borja. The cave art near San Borja is Las Tinajitas.