BajaNomad - Trail Riding near Ensenada Dirt Bikes

Trail Riding near Ensenada Dirt Bikes

Proper - 11-30-2017 at 10:10 AM

Hello!
I'm in search of dirt biking trails near Ensenada or on the North Western side of Baja. My Girlfriend and I are planning our first trip to Baja and are eager to get some riding in while we are there.

We're beginner/intermediate riders and will be bringing our bikes with us as opposed to riding down from SoCal.

Any ideas would be much appreciated! Looking forward to our first visit! :yes:

ehall - 11-30-2017 at 10:23 AM

You would have better luck a little east of Tecate at Rancho Santa Veronica. Lots of trails start right at the hotel. Big race this weekend so trails should be very easy to locate after that. Touchy area, don't trespass and please leave the gates as you found them. Probably be able to hook up with some other riders also.

David K - 11-30-2017 at 11:29 AM

Do you have a map or an idea of how far out you want to ride? Most roads in Baja are dirt roads.

Going east from Ensenada, explore roads off Hwy 3 to San Felipe and see gold mines, hot springs, pine forests...

Going south from Ensenada take roads west from Hwy 1 on the way to San Quintin and follow the Pacific Coast. Maybe stay at Coyote Cals near Ejido Eréndira?

Need maps?

[Edited on 11-30-2017 by David K]

Proper - 11-30-2017 at 12:16 PM

Quote:

You would have better luck a little east of Tecate at Rancho Santa Veronica. Lots of trails start right at the hotel. Big race this weekend so trails should be very easy to locate after that. Touchy area, don't trespass and please leave the gates as you found them. Probably be able to hook up with some other riders also.

Thanks Ehall. Any idea if it is okay to ride CA Green Sticker (non plated) bike in these areas legally?

Proper - 11-30-2017 at 12:20 PM

Thanks for the reply David.

Quote:

Do you have a map or an idea of how far out you want to ride? Most roads in Baja are dirt roads.

We don't have maps yet. I'm hoping to find this info on this forum

Quote:

Going east from Ensenada, explore roads off Hwy 3 to San Felipe and see gold mines, hot springs, pine forests...

This sounds incredible! We're used to riding trails in California with clear signage etc, so I'm a bit concerned about getting lost while exploring. I'm very interested in any maps you can point to or other advice/info experienced riders of the area have.

Thank you

Proper - 11-30-2017 at 12:24 PM

Quote:

how far out you want to ride?

We need to stick to rides that don't require oversized gas tanks, as our bikes are not equipped with that. Ideally, we'd like to be able to ride out and back in a couple hours, though if there are places to get petrol along the way, a full day of riding isn't out of the question.

David K - 11-30-2017 at 12:46 PM

OK, amigo... petrol is called gasolina in Mexico, unlike Spain.
Roads are not well signed... some are, but you do not rely on signs for navigation on dirt roads in Baja.

You must get a GPS device with Baja topo maps loaded on, there is just no question of that being what you want to do. There are a few different choices here is one map that can be downloaded into a GPS: http://www.lbmaps.com/

For a general visual of the road network out from Ensenada:

The 2010 Auto Club map is easy to use and has mileages along every road on the map... they just don't show all the roads...

Close up:

DanO - 11-30-2017 at 03:49 PM

You will find no signage offroad, but you should have no issues getting lost if you just stick with the graded dirt roads shown on the maps David posted. GPS is still a good idea and pretty cheap these days. Not sure what your fuel range is, but south of Ensenada the roads from Santo Tomas to La Bocana or to Punta San Jose/Punta Cabras are fun and easy rides. Watch for oncoming vehicles, farm equipment, livestock, and dogs (some of them love to chase bikes), and be careful around blind corners.

Proper - 11-30-2017 at 03:54 PM

David K, thanks for the info!

Where can we ride a non-plated dirt bike?

David K - 11-30-2017 at 04:04 PM

Where-ever you want and not mess with locked gates.

Closed gates are okay to open (and reclose behind you) as they are for livestock control. Only if it is posted to keep out (No Hay Paso) are you not welcome.

Driving to Mission Guadalupe (west of Mulegé), I had to open and close 4 gates... twice (going in and coming out).

Proper - 11-30-2017 at 04:06 PM

Quote:

You will find no signage offroad, but you should have no issues getting lost if you just stick with the graded dirt roads shown on the maps David posted. GPS is still a good idea and pretty cheap these days. Not sure what your fuel range is, but south of Ensenada the roads from Santo Tomas to La Bocana or to Punta San Jose/Punta Cabras are fun and easy rides. Watch for oncoming vehicles, farm equipment, livestock, and dogs (some of them love to chase bikes), and be careful around blind corners.

Thanks DanO. I appreciate the info. I have a stock 2 gallon tank. Will look into a GPS and get those maps. Any other recommendations are welcome.

JZ - 11-30-2017 at 05:07 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Proper

David K, thanks for the info!

Where can we ride a non-plated dirt bike?

Yes, you can run a non-plated dirt bike. You need the registration when you cross. They will check it against your vin.

Run a GPS app on your phone. They have all the bigger dirt roads already and you can add custom ones you make from Google Earth or someone gives you.

Back Country Navigator is the best, but only works on Android. MotionX is very good and works on Apple.

I have hundreds of miles of Baja mapped out in central and Southern Baja that I can share, but not where you are talking. Most of them I hand created by zooming into Google Earth. You should study the area you are going to ride on GE. Preferably with a large monitor.

I run Back Country Navigator on my phone and mount it on the handle bar. We just rode for 12 days from Loreto to La Paz. You want an app like this for sure.

[Edited on 12-1-2017 by JZ]

JZ - 11-30-2017 at 05:09 PM

Here is the mount I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HUEZ7SS/ref=od_aui_deta...

bajatrailrider - 11-30-2017 at 06:24 PM

Coyote Cals South of Ensenada on the beach good trails and dirt roads.

Proper - 12-1-2017 at 11:42 AM

Quote:

Thanks for all the info JZ!

Proper - 12-1-2017 at 05:56 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider

Coyote Cals South of Ensenada on the beach good trails and dirt roads.

Thanks for the recommendation!

Insurance

bajaguy - 12-1-2017 at 06:11 PM

If you don't have a SPOT, get one

https://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=100

JZ - 12-1-2017 at 06:21 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Proper

Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider

Coyote Cals South of Ensenada on the beach good trails and dirt roads.

Thanks for the recommendation!

This is where I would suggest you go. Looks like beautiful riding along the coast.

@bajatrailrider, can you ride along the coast from Ensenada all the way to Cals? Looks like it on GE.

[Edited on 12-2-2017 by JZ]

bajatrailrider - 12-1-2017 at 06:42 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Quote: Originally posted by Proper

Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider

Coyote Cals South of Ensenada on the beach good trails and dirt roads.

Thanks for the recommendation!

Only if you want to do missing link trail Expert only even then you may have to push bike JAAAAAA.

JZ - 12-1-2017 at 07:09 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider

Only if you want to do missing link trail Expert only even then you may have to push bike JAAAAAA.

Ok, I just read your September thread on that. Did you do the November ride?

Where can you jump down to the coast above Cals that avoids the really difficult stuff?

DanO - 12-1-2017 at 09:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider

Only if you want to do missing link trail Expert only even then you may have to push bike JAAAAAA.

Ok, I just read your September thread on that. Did you do the November ride?

Where can you jump down to the coast above Cals that avoids the really difficult stuff?

The most direct and reliable route is the road that heads west out of Santo Tomas to Punta San Jose/Punta Cabras. There is a way to get there that branches south from the La Bocana/Punta China road west of Santo Tomas, but I can't vouch for recent conditions, gates, etc.

JZ - 12-2-2017 at 02:51 PM

Thx.

bajatrailrider - 12-5-2017 at 09:52 AM

Quote: Originally posted by DanO

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider

Only if you want to do missing link trail Expert only even then you may have to push bike JAAAAAA.

Ok, I just read your September thread on that. Did you do the November ride? We did not return to Missing link trail Nov. Made new Trail called Ridge trail and Wilderness Trail but not that area. From Coyote Cal you can take dirt road North all the way to Punta China then out to pavement to bypass Missing link trail .Then to Ensenada I'm told more easy to do Missing Link trail. South To North but after going down it to Punta China does not look easy. Maybe if I can get guys to do it again this Dec.

Where can you jump down to the coast above Cals that avoids the really difficult stuff?

Proper - 12-31-2017 at 11:31 AM

Had a fantastic day of riding with Baja Trail Rider and Mike. Didn't have much time to take photos, was too busy riding!
Super big thanks to Baja Trail Rider for taking me out to the best riding I have ever done.

blackwolfmt - 12-31-2017 at 11:44 AM

looks like fun :cool:

JZ - 12-31-2017 at 01:01 PM

Good pics.

ehall - 12-31-2017 at 01:36 PM

Is that first pic the cattle tank at the start of Mary's trail? If so I bet that was fun to get around.

willardguy - 12-31-2017 at 01:38 PM

I recognize the dismount... :lol:

David K - 12-31-2017 at 02:01 PM

Awesome!!
Thanks for sharing the photos here!

BajaTed - 12-31-2017 at 06:14 PM

I have followed for a surprisingly long distance on my ATV the graded surface and service roads associated with the underground natural gas line from terminal port south of Bajamar to its border crossing point at Otay Mesa.

ehall - 1-1-2018 at 07:29 AM

Glad you got hooked up with Larry. Couldn't ask for a nicer guy or a better guide. Haven't met Mike yet but am looking forward to riding with him too. Glad you had a great time.

bajatrailrider - 1-1-2018 at 09:50 AM

This was Mr propers first ride in baja. We softened up his susp ,let his tires down to 5/6psi. Away he went 2012 250 Husky 4 stroke he give it hell wanted to try any hill climb on trail. As it turns out it has little low end its fast but needs to rev its brains out. A very hard bike to ride on hard trail. That did not stop him from having fun we did two loops east and west on beach side.

JZ - 1-1-2018 at 10:05 AM

5 psi, wow.

bajatrailrider - 1-1-2018 at 10:23 AM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

5 psi, wow.

I think he had the desert It tire in rear they don't work well on trail. Those are almost Ok with 2psi and 4mil thick tubes. Still hard as a rock with 2 psi. Most of us use 6psi front rear 4/6 psi with MT47 dirt bike trails tire.

JZ - 1-1-2018 at 11:25 AM

Hmm, we are running 10 to 12 psi.