BajaNomad

Ensenada to Puerto Penasco best motorhome route

bajajohn - 5-3-2014 at 08:37 AM

What is the best route from Ensenada to Puerto Penasco in a 38' motorhome towing a dingy?

Route

bajaguy - 5-3-2014 at 08:56 AM

Unless you want to cross into the US, I believe the easiest and quickest way.........Hwy 3 from Ensenada to the 2 in Tecate, take the 2 east to Sonoyta, then the 8 south.

durrelllrobert - 5-3-2014 at 09:11 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
Unless you want to cross into the US, I believe the easiest and quickest way.........Hwy 3 from Ensenada to the 2 in Tecate, take the 2 east to Sonoyta, then the 8 south.


...however taking 2 to Sonota and then 8 south to Puerto Penasco adds at least 1 hour to total trip time from Ensenada. The NEW and shortest route is to take 2 from Tecate to 2D exit at bottom of Rumorosa grade and following that to San Luis Rio Colorado. On the east end of SLRC there is a new toll road (3D? -look for sign) that goes directly to Puerto Penasco. Total drive time from Ensenada via Tecate was 6 hours for me.

[Edited on 5-3-2014 by durrelllrobert]

Udo - 5-3-2014 at 12:50 PM

WE did the run that Robert suggested last year at this time. I was a noticeably time saver.
I used to take the country roads from Mex 3 toward San Luis. But the new toll road is a dream drive!

RenoJoe - 5-3-2014 at 12:58 PM

Udo is right. I've taken the same route twice in march & april. Saves a lot of time and is a nice drive.

David K - 5-3-2014 at 02:16 PM

Instead of going north Hwy. 3 (to Tecate) than east and down the Rumorosa Grade on Hwy. 2: how about Hwy. 3 (San Felipe route) east to Hwy. 5 then north to BC 4 and across the Colorado and use the new highway from El Golfo to Puerto Peņasco?

Bob, this toll road to Puerto Peņasco from San Luis... is this involve the El Golfo to Puerto Peņasco highway built a few years ago... and was a free road?



[Edited on 5-3-2014 by David K]

durrelllrobert - 5-3-2014 at 04:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Instead of going north Hwy. 3 (to Tecate) than east and down the Rumorosa Grade on Hwy. 2: how about Hwy. 3 (San Felipe route) east to Hwy. 5 then north to BC 4 and across the Colorado and use the new highway from El Golfo to Puerto Peņasco?

Bob, this toll road to Puerto Peņasco from San Luis... is this involve the El Golfo to Puerto Peņasco highway built a few years ago... and was a free road?





[Edited on 5-3-2014 by David K]


It's not free anymore but the 100 peso (I think) toll keeps all the commercial traffic except busses off of it.

JZ - 5-4-2014 at 04:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajajohn
What is the best route from Ensenada to Puerto Penasco in a 38' motorhome towing a dingy?


Skip PP and continue on to San Carlos, catch up with the 15 at Santa Ana.

SC is 5x better than PP. Thank me later OP.

daveB - 5-4-2014 at 09:34 PM

How about east from Ensenada, catch the No. 5 north, but cut off to the east again, short of Mexicali and get into Sonora at Sanchez. Turn south towards El Gulfo but take the bypass and do the Altair desert road into Rocky Point. That was our route last year except we began at San Felipe, not Ensenada. Got ourselves lost in Sanchez but found an escort into Sonora (across the rail tracks and then pointed in the correct path). No tolls on this route. Likely not the fastest, but interesting. As JZ says head up to Caborca, get your TIPs 12 km east of there and head south. San Carlos is fine as long as its not Spring break (for both Mexicans and Americans) or Semana Santa.

MICK - 5-5-2014 at 06:55 AM

One of my neighbors lives is ensenada and drives over every weekend and he says that the fastest way is thru tecate. Remember he is driving a 38 foot motorhome and even having to go down Hwy2 I think he is better off taking the toll road route. It will be costly but driving down 3 to 5 is not that great of road and finding your way from across the 4 takes you thru some small towns and it is easy to get lost in Coahuila. If you miss the turn over the train tracks he may never get turned around.
Take it from someone who lives here, take durrellroberts route.
Have a great time
Mick

David K - 5-5-2014 at 07:41 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by daveB
How about east from Ensenada, catch the No. 5 north, but cut off to the east again, short of Mexicali and get into Sonora at Sanchez. Turn south towards El Gulfo but take the bypass and do the Altair desert road into Rocky Point. That was our route last year except we began at San Felipe, not Ensenada. Got ourselves lost in Sanchez but found an escort into Sonora (across the rail tracks and then pointed in the correct path). No tolls on this route. Likely not the fastest, but interesting. As JZ says head up to Caborca, get your TIPs 12 km east of there and head south. San Carlos is fine as long as its not Spring break (for both Mexicans and Americans) or Semana Santa.


Is there an echo in the room? :lol: