BajaNomad - Best route from Tucson AZ?

Best route from Tucson AZ?

pepegaspar - 11-6-2014 at 08:54 PM

Headed to Todos Santos eventually. Traveling in small RV on 6 mo tourist pass. Seems one has to pass through Ensenada (?) What's common border crossing for Arizonians? San Luis or Mexicali? Thinking hiway 5 out of Mexicali then back up 3 to Ensenada. Where does one get the tourist pass?

I might add that I like older scenic hiways, especially since it will be my first time, and I can do w/o paying tolls, but realize it's getting harder to do so.

Any good info / help appreciated Amigos! :cool:

[Edited on 11-7-2014 by pepegaspar]

[Edited on 11-7-2014 by pepegaspar]

bbbait - 11-6-2014 at 10:34 PM

When are you going? I am heading down next Thursday and you can tag along if you would like.. Headed to Puertecitos, and can direct you from there.. reseach it and see if you want to deal with the race traffic and bad road etc. from there... I will be leaving from Blythe, Thursday morning........

[Edited on 11/7/2014 by bbbait]

bajabuddha - 11-6-2014 at 11:51 PM

Whoo boy, you got a good attitude! Take your time, see it all. I'd suggest first time, go south through Tecate; you can get your 'stuff' at the border there, then south to Ensenada and down Hwy 1, 4 to 6 hours a day with layovers to 'decompress' for first-time. Be sure to stay at camps that are frequented by travelers, and learn by asking and sharing, and be open for any and all possibilities, with no specific itinerary........ THAT'S Espiritu Baja.

The Crossing at Mexicali is a possible, I wouldn't advise your first trip to be anywhere farther east/south (Yuma, Sonoita, or Nogales) until you become more accustomed to customs and traffic. Mexicali is a very large city and can be a little more confusing first headed south, but doable if you choose. The road from the Mexicali/Ensenada (in my opinion) is best traveled west to east, but to each their own....... I usually do it coming back northward. Time difference is longer if you cross Mexicali/San Luis (Yuma) as opposed to Tecate to Ensenada by 3-4 hours longer.

T'was me from AZ, I'd hit I-8 in the wee-hours, plan on Tecate about 8-ish (10-ish?) and then south to San Quintin if possible, unless you plan to do time in Ensenada.... but either way, that would be my suggestion.

I love the highway from Sonoita to San Luis, but would rather do I-8 to Tecate southbound, and then on the way home run the low-road back to Sonoita as a 'dessert-desert-run' and then up through Organ Pipe. In the Olden Daze camped quite a bit down on El Pinacate area, but it's no-man's land now, like Organ Pipe.

Ahhh, first trip down Baja...... Buena Suerte, y que le via bien! May your first trip be the worst of the rest! Believe me, it only gets better, but be forewarned; it can prove habit-forming.......... welcome down.

Fatboy - 11-7-2014 at 05:55 AM

Having crossed at Tijuana, San Ysidro, Tecate, Mexicali and San Luis they all have their advantages depending on what you like.

While living in Phoenix I crossed at San Luis 5 or 6 times in 2012/2013 and here is what I like about it.

The wait going in to Mexico is short. Even on a 3 day weekend it was only 20 minutes or so. Now coming back into the US has not been as nice. 3 times to secondary and once kicked out of the US and told to go back to Mexico.

It is really easy to get out of San Luis. After crossing the border you go 1 block to the next road and that is Mex 2. Turn right and you are on your way. There is a Pemex station right down the hill on the right so you can fill up if you want. Of course with US gas cheaper it wouldn't make sense now. There is 1 toll both though right out of San Luis.

Then I like to get off the main highways so I follow the numbers. Take Mex 2 to 3, follow 3 to 4 and then follow 4 to 5. Then it is 5 to points south.

Part of this route follows narrow winding levee roads so hauling a trailer might make it a little more worrisome. The traffic has always been light and the roads in good shape though. You go through many small towns with plenty of places to eat and it is a good experience.

Personally I do not like crossing at Mexicali. It is just stressful finding your way through town in all the traffic.

Tecate is nice. Not as stressful to leave town and the drive to Ensenada is very nice.

If my goal was Baja from Tucson then San Luis and Mexicali are your real options. I couldn't see me driving all the to Tecate unless there was some other reason for crossing there.

Between 2011 and 2013 I went to Baja 7 times, the first 2 times I crossed at Mexicali and the last 5 were all at San Luis it was just that much nicer.

You have lots of options. Read all your responses here and just go for it. I believe all the crossings have their good points and bad so don't worry about it too much.

pepegaspar - 11-7-2014 at 07:02 AM

Good info, friends. Much appreciated. Not ready, bbbait but thanx for offer. I recently completed a big move from CA and I'm going to relax some for a while b4 I hit the road again.

A little about me: I've lived/visited off/on mainland Mexico since a teenager. My parents moved to MX in '64. I was last of 5 kids still living at home. I speak fluent Spanish. As with my folks, I'm happier & care free in MX than CA, the rat race. I sort of blew living there again the past couple years. Well, there WAS a special person involved...be glad to get back again. :bounce:

[Edited on 11-7-2014 by pepegaspar]

bajaguy - 11-7-2014 at 07:25 AM

Don't forget to get your FMM at Immigration, and your insurance at http://www.bajabound.com/

Take the car ferry?

Pompano - 11-7-2014 at 07:36 AM

Another option is to take the Guaymas/Sta. Rosalia ferry.

This was my route for many years. Pheonix to Tucson then south through cross the border at Nogales then continue south on Mex. Hwy. 15 to Guaymas, Sonora. From there I'd drive my pickup/camper and boat/trailer aboard the Guaymas/Sta. The price is more these days with the newer ownership, but it saved a few days of travel and hundreds of miles of driving for me. It's about 325 miles from Tucson to Guaymas/Sta. Rosalia via the ferry. It's over 1000 miles from Tucson to San Deigo to Sta. Rosalia. The ferry is a pleasant overnight trip usually, plus I got to relax and play poker aboard the ferry with comfy sleeping room, a restaurant, and a care-free view of the Cortez while crossing. Reservations and required documents beforehand are pretty much a must. Your choice and Buen Viaje.

[Edited on 11-7-2014 by Pompano]

pepegaspar - 11-7-2014 at 07:49 AM

Thought of it, Pompano. Been that mainland route SO MANY times! And there's the cost of the ferry. And I'm a landlubber. I would consider it if need to get from Baja to mainland.

[Edited on 11-7-2014 by pepegaspar]

[Edited on 11-7-2014 by pepegaspar]

Hook - 11-7-2014 at 09:26 AM

I live on the mainland, now. But when I lived in SoCal, I always dreaded the run from Maneadero, south to San Quintin. I havent done it in 7-8 years now, but from what I read on this board, it's gotten worse. Mostly it's slow vehicle traffic and a fair amount of hazards that keep you (or, at least ME) on edge. Dogs and pedestrians and lots of policia municipal, etc. It's also a fair amount of narrow winding road through mountains. I also find the route rather boring.

If it was me, I'd cross at San Luis and take the road past Gonzaga. You might not have another chance to see it before it all is paved. Half of it already is.

And the scenery is so much nicer, IMO.

Most people figure the remaining dirt section takes them about 2-3 hours to Hwy 1.

chuckie - 11-7-2014 at 09:58 AM

Roger? When was the last time you did that? Take the ferry?

Pompano - 11-7-2014 at 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by chuckie
Roger? When was the last time you did that? Take the ferry?

Hmm...my first reply was disconnected and vanished.

First trip around 1975. The last time I was on that ferry was in the winter of 1986, I believe. My folks were with us. 4 people, 2 rooms, 2 vehicles, 1 boat. Back then it was naturally a lot cheaper, hence why I mentioned the present rate increase. Okay...it's poor manners to be hijacking someone's thread, so will write another on ferry trips, etc.

Here's the ferry offices and view when arriving at Sta. Rosalia.

[Edited on 11-7-2014 by Pompano]

PaulW - 11-7-2014 at 11:08 AM

For Hwy 5/3 route - Cross at San Luis or Algodones and end up on the toll road. For Algodones there is a route that avoids the toll road, but it takes you to the airport road into the heart of Mexicali. Not good with a trailer
We don't use San Luis, but for Algodones just tell the guy at the gate you need an FMM and he will park you beside the road and show you where the migration office is.
Crossing at Mexicali East will work fine with no tolls. Enter the declare line and tell the guy you need an FMM and he will park you and send you to the Migration office. If you need driving directions from the border just ask. When I drag my trailer I prefer to take East Mexicali, however Algoodnes works with the toll road, but in town there are two hard turns to deal with. Directions are easy compared to Mexicali east.
No reason to drive to Mexicali main as it just adds miles and the traffic and directions are more compared to the east crossing.
Paul
===========

Quote:

Originally posted by pepegaspar
Headed to Todos Santos eventually. Traveling in small RV on 6 mo tourist pass. Seems one has to pass through Ensenada (?) What's common border crossing for Arizonians? San Luis or Mexicali? Thinking hiway 5 out of Mexicali then back up 3 to Ensenada. Where does one get the tourist pass?

I might add that I like older scenic hiways, especially since it will be my first time, and I can do w/o paying tolls, but realize it's getting harder to do so.

Any good info / help appreciated Amigos! :cool:

[Edited on 11-7-2014 by pepegaspar]

[Edited on 11-7-2014 by pepegaspar]

rts551 - 11-7-2014 at 11:54 AM

as you can see there is no best route. If we have our trailer we go through Tecate and spend the night in San Quintin. If not We go through Algadones, sometimes taking the farm roads, sometimes the toll road. The road is paved to Gnzaga/Rancho Grande. The balance, 30 miles or so, to Chapala has been beaten up by cars, rains, and now the Baja 1000...so expect very slow going.

We like all the routes and change are route depending how we feel at the time.

pepegaspar - 11-7-2014 at 06:11 PM

Hook, could you be more specific on where the dirt road begins & ends? Perhaps a link to a map. I can't seem to find locate on what i have.

thanks!

bajabuddha - 11-7-2014 at 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pepegaspar
Hook, could you be more specific on where the dirt road begins & ends? Perhaps a link to a map. I can't seem to find locate on what i have.

thanks!

Pepe, Sr. Hook is referring to what we used to call 'The Road From Hell', which they said would be paved when hell froze over; it's now paved 3/4's of the way from San Felipe to Gonzaga Bay. However, if you have ANY kind of tow-rig behind you, you don't want to do the last 26 miles with it, or anything other than a single vehicle. When they say it takes 2-3 hours do 26 miles, they ain't whistlin' Mexican Dixie.

The drive from Maneadero to San Quintin, actually all the way to El Rosario has changed dramatically and tremendously in the last 8 years. It is mostly a wide-laned, even multi-laned smooth drive with occasional expansion/construction zones. Just the last few years has decreased the drive-time by 2 - 4 hours, depending on what stretch is now being refurbished. That is mostly speaking, there are still some spots that have a high sphincter-factor, but nothing like 10+ years ago.

The road south of El Rosario to Bahia LA Jct. is the only vestige of 'the Old Highway' with narrow lanes, potholes (with old Volkswagons as fill-dirt {o/j}) and white-knuckle stretches left in most of Baja, a few short stretches as exemptions. When the last stretch gets paved to Hwy 1 from Gonzaga to Laguna Chapala, i'll be doing that route exclusively with my 5th wheel, but not now.

The ferry from Guaymas is a LITTLE BOAT, not a big ship. If you too are a land-lubber and predisposed to chumming, ain't worth it. Too spendy as well. With the economic boom of Santa Rosalia I have been hoping for a larger vessel to be instated, but no such luck; otherwise I'd do that in a heartbeat instead of the 'long way around' down the upper peninsula. I'm just 4 hours east of you in the US.... it's a looooooonnnnnnng drive.

Pescador - 11-8-2014 at 07:05 AM

If you decide to enter at San Luis or any of the other port of entries in Arizona, I prefer the four lane road that starts at San Luis, Hwy 2 which is a no brainer to get past Mexicali as it skirts the south side. Just after Mexicali, it turns into a toll road and there are, I think, 2 toll booths on the road to Tecate. You do go up the La Rumarosa Grade but it is not actually much steeper than the same grade on Highway 8. The views are nothing short of spectacular between Mexicali and La Rumarosa. I have pulled this with a boat and slide in Camper and had no problems as long as I downshifted. Then you can either exit at Tecate and go through the wine country or continue on the toll road and take Avenida 2000 to Puerto Nuevo. I much prefer the wine country route and this time of the year there are lots of things going on with harvest and events. I have only done Mex 3 one time several years ago, but it was slow and not a lot of fun with a vehicle in tow.
Some complain of the route from Ensenada to El Rosario but it somehow sets the stage for coming to the Baja which probably does not exist until one gets past El Rosario. But there are some great places to see and experience in that route and until such time as they build a 4 lane to bypass that part of the road, it is just part of getting you into the baja mood.

Hook - 11-8-2014 at 08:48 AM

To the OP, if you are towing anything, I would not recommend the Gonzaga route. I missed that, if you mentioned it.

David K - 11-8-2014 at 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajabuddha

Quote:

Originally posted by pepegaspar
Hook, could you be more specific on where the dirt road begins & ends? Perhaps a link to a map. I can't seem to find locate on what i have.

thanks!

Pepe, Sr. Hook is referring to what we used to call 'The Road From Hell', which they said would be paved when hell froze over; it's now paved 3/4's of the way from San Felipe to Gonzaga Bay]. However, if you have ANY kind of tow-rig behind you, you don't want to do the last 26 miles with it, or anything other than a single vehicle. When they say it takes 2-3 hours do 26 miles, they ain't whistlin' Mexican Dixie.

The drive from Maneadero to San Quintin, actually all the way to El Rosario has changed dramatically and tremendously in the last 8 years. It is mostly a wide-laned, even multi-laned smooth drive with occasional expansion/construction zones. Just the last few years has decreased the drive-time by 2 - 4 hours, depending on what stretch is now being refurbished. That is mostly speaking, there are still some spots that have a high sphincter-factor, but nothing like 10+ years ago.

The road south of El Rosario to Bahia LA Jct. is the only vestige of 'the Old Highway' with narrow lanes, potholes (with old Volkswagons as fill-dirt {o/j}) and white-knuckle stretches left in most of Baja, a few short stretches as exemptions. When the last stretch gets paved to Hwy 1 from Gonzaga to Laguna Chapala, i'll be doing that route exclusively with my 5th wheel, but not now.

The ferry from Guaymas is a LITTLE BOAT, not a big ship. If you too are a land-lubber and predisposed to chumming, ain't worth it. Too spendy as well. With the economic boom of Santa Rosalia I have been hoping for a larger vessel to be instated, but no such luck; otherwise I'd do that in a heartbeat instead of the 'long way around' down the upper peninsula. I'm just 4 hours east of you in the US.... it's a looooooonnnnnnng drive.

Umm... it is paved all the way to Gonzaga Bay and beyond... 2 miles beyond the Gonzaga Pemex with the next 6 miles soon to be paved.

A report just this week on Nomad says the road from the end of pavement to Coco's Corner (~22 miles) is good (it is a graded 2 lane wide dirt road).

The last section, over the mountain from Coco's Corner to Hwy. 1 at Laguna Chapala (13 miles) is also a graded 2 lane wide road, but has a rougher rocky surface. Large semi tractor trailer rigs are using it to avoid the extra 100-200 miles and multiple farm towns to drive through using Hwy. 1 via Ensenada.

If you can drive real slow to not shake apart your rig if it is not made for off road these last few miles, the Hwy. 5 route south is a real beauty of a drive.

Otherwise, RVs and trailers should AVOID it until the highway is done in a few more years! They are paving this section at the rate of 6 miles per year. That puts the completion date about 4-5 years from now, unless things are stepped up.

rts551 - 11-8-2014 at 10:49 AM

graded between coco's and Chapalas is a relative term. It has not been graded through the pass in at least 20 years.

bajabuddha - 11-8-2014 at 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K

Quote:

Originally posted by bajabuddha

Quote:

Originally posted by pepegaspar
Hook, could you be more specific on where the dirt road begins & ends? Perhaps a link to a map. I can't seem to find locate on what i have.

thanks!

Thank you for pointing out my faux pas of diction. It's paved from SF to Gonzaga, which is 3/4 OF THE WAY to Chapala. My bad for not clarifying.

The last stretch is still a biotch, anyway.

David K - 11-8-2014 at 11:13 AM

No insult intended amigo, I just help with details so the Baja visitor is armed with the facts. Thank you for your post.

moonraker1 - 11-8-2014 at 01:35 PM

I traveled the ferry from Guaymas to Santa Rosalia in November of last year. From my place near El Paso to Mulege, it is 652 miles of mostly pavement this way. Mostly 4 lane divided from Nogales to Guaymas. Travel at interstate speeds. The ferry is slow with 10-12 hours, but someone else is driving and burning fuel. Unless the law has changed you will not need the import permit to travel from Nogales to Guaymas. If you are towing a boat then you will need the import permit for the boat. If you want to save driving time, wear and tear on yourself and vehicle, then the ferry is a consideration. Nogales is just down the interstate from Tucson, but there is a nice new Motel 6 on the US side before you cross into Mexico. You will have to endure at least three inspections prior to boarding either in Santa Rosalia or Guaymas, and then when you depart the ferry again. Enjoy your travels.

BajaDanD - 11-9-2014 at 12:43 PM

Go through Tecate then down to Ensenada. Easiest way to go south if coming from AZ. Ive done it from Mexicali and TJ I like Tecate best. No toll roads either. If you want to shake your trailer apart then go Mex 5 to Mex 1 from Mexicali / Gonzaga/ Chapala. From Cocos to Chapala /Mex1 graded or not it is cut into the rocks and no amount of grading can smooth that out. If you go Tecate to Ensenada its a nice easy road. its the drivers in Ensenada that scare me the most. coming or going I cant wait to get past Ensenada. Butt puckerd the whole time. From Ensenada to El Rosario there are some areas that have a lot of traffic but its a 2 lane road all that traffic really does is slow you down that's all.