My (31) 2018-2021 Series BAJA CALIFORNIA MAPS

Without expensive software or professional IT assistance but great help from a couple of Baja Nomads with their knowledge and skills (John M & Taco Felix)... I produced these maps to help the reader of the Baja Bound Book orient himself/herself to the surrounding area as they are using the kilometer by kilometer or mile by mile road logs... or just to be inspired to see more of this magnificent peninsula.

The maps are all handmade using computer-aided drawing, as I have described in the other threads I posted to while making these. There is some consistency in style and use of symbols but as each map was made individually, there are some differences. My idea was to make it a casual but accurate map. One that shows only the places logged or visited in 2017 and just a few additional roads if they were mentioned in the road log. Not too much stuff that wouldn't help with using the log, which has great details in it.

The base map is a terrain relief map based on actual satellite imagery. The base map only shows coastlines and mountains plus some of the federal highways at the scale size I am using. Other paved roads and highways on the map (drawn in black) I added. All dirt roads and many paved roads were drawn by me, tracing over satellite images so I am placing the roads I traveled accurately ... other than some jiggles from hand drawing them.

Icons for the map (highway signs, airplanes, gas pumps, mission churches, mine symbols, etc. were all created by John. Taco Felix helped with an improved compass rose and the scale bar. Squares and circles are from me using the software in Word.

The base map is from a company that has this program for exactly this kind of map making, ArcGIS. These maps are for education and enlightenment and discussion and enjoyment. They are here, free for your enjoyment. I have not been paid to make them... I made them on faith.

I will post them here from north to south, and where the peninsula is wider, from west to east. Not all areas of Baja have maps showing them. I concentrated on areas that would benefit readers the most from these maps. One map is a larger scale than the rest (Gonzaga Bay Area) and the others have been sized to fit the page/screen. So, while the rest may have all been drawn at the same scale, sizing them may have 1" being different amounts of kilometers. The scale bar is in kilometers, showing 5, 10, 15, and most cases also 20. Rounded to the nearest mile, that is 3, 6, 9, and 12 miles (3.1, 6.2, 9.3, 12.4 to be more exact).

Maybe in the future, They can be made universal and can fit together... make a wall map with them?

I have asked for your help to spot typos or corrections when I was making these, and you have, thanks. I imagine some of you will find more, and I welcome the message. Maybe u2u or email me your findings?

In the (near) future, I would like to amend these maps with mileages placed along the side roads that lack kilometer posts. This may make them even more fun to use or check out against your odometer?
With no AAA map since 2010 and no Almanac editions since 2009, a map with our favorite roads and sites in Baja seems like a great idea! If anyone wants to contact me to produce more Baja maps, I am available!

I am just in need of a break now that I reached this point!

Would you like to have me plan a trip or advise on the roads I traveled the past couple of years, maybe have me lead a tour or just buy a copy of my book on the history of the Spanish colonization of the Peninsula of California? See the link at the bottom of my posts for books.

BAJA CALIFORNIA (NORTE) Maps 1-15:

Map 1


Map 2


Map 3


Map 4


Map 5


Map 6


Map 7


Map 8


Map 9


Map 10


Map 11


Map 12


Map 13 (2021)


Map 14


Map 15


Map 16


Baja California Sur, Maps 17-31

Map 17


Map 18


Map 19


Map 20


Map 21


Map 22


Map 23


Map 24


Map 25


Map 26


Map 27


Map 28


Map 29


Map 30


Map 31









[Edited on 6-21-2021 by David K]

You left out Santa Rosa, Ca. How do expect me to get home from Mulege?

Thanks for all the maps! Now I wont need to buy the book!

Black & White

Here are a couple of B&W views of one of the maps (Gonzaga Bay Area):







[Edited on 1-24-2018 by David K]

Mileages

OK, I took the Dolores/San Evaristo map and added mileages along roads I drove. I found that at the map scale I am using mostly, anything less than 5 miles is too small to insert a number (a number that is big enough to see). So, I combined numbers for a section of road such as both sides of the LaPasión mission site. Also, with the mountain terrain, it was very difficult to read the numbers, so I highlighted them.
I am not sure if this works or looks well???

Quote: Originally posted by Jack Swords

Very nice David. Are you publishing the map collection? Also are some maps able to be connected together? Again, great job!

David, sorry I didn't notice this earlier but on Map14 the mine off the Bahia de los Angeles highway is Luz de Mexico and not Lux. Here's one of the claim markers from the site.

Thank you for your hard work, David. I just color printed the route I've decided to take to Loreto this weekend. I want to avoid the horrible potholes, so I've decided to cross at Tecate and take 2D to 5 to Mex 1.

Your excellent map series is stapled together and in my pack.

Diane

The six mini-guides (in addition to the full guide) are completed. However, if needed, they (and the maps) can be edited. It just takes a bit of work with the maps... but Baja is worth it!

The mini-guides are just a little different than I had envisioned earlier.

Baja Norte has :
1) Tijuana to San Quintin (+ Hwy. 3 and San Pedro Martir road logs).
2) Mexicali to Laguna Chapala (+ Hwy. 2; Across Baja via Valle de Trinidad; to Valle Chico/Matomí/Sulfur Mine).
3) San Quintin to Guerrero Negro (+ 'Distant Pacific' Coast Road; to L.A. Bay and Punta San Francisquito).

Baja Sur has:
4) Guerrero Negro to San Ignacio (+ to El Arco and El Barril; Vizcaino to Tortugas area; to Abreojos and on to Asuncion; San Ignacio to San Juanico, and on to Insurgentes, and Lopez Mateos).
5) San Ignacio to Loreto (+ Mulege to Mission Guadalupe; Loreto to San Javier/Comondu/La Purisima).
6) Loreto to La Paz and both highways to Cabo San Lucas (+ Puerto San Carlos; to Mission San Luis Gonzaga, La Pasion, Los Dolores, San Evaristo; to Ensenada de los Muertos/La Ventana; to Tecolote).

Here are a couple sample pages:

(South of Ensenada)


(South of San Felipe)


(Sideroad, south of Constitución)

Quote: Originally posted by Three2tango

Looks like some great info. I like the format of the guides.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck   Hi Dave! I am back on the boardwalk in Newps. I will travel to San Diego soon to fly my Baja plane a bit to prep for my Jun 1 BOLA trip.If you can break away from your cartography for a moment I'll stop by and by you lunch. Speaking of my BOLA trip. Are there any adventuros BajaNomads out there who want to fly with me to BOLA. I guarantee you a yellowtail or two and a good sunburn. The airplane ride will be fast, interesting, and routine. I flown in there a bunch. We can split a nice boat. I can carry all rodes and coolers. 4 people max besides the pilot. The are a few 30 ft pangas that can take 5 anglers easy. Sounds like fun. I will u2u you my phone number... text ok.

Yep

These are so helpful-- Thanks DK

Quote: Originally posted by roktaxi

Great detail! I didn't see the section showing below Conception Bay to Loreto. Did I miss it somehow?

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Nope, I didn't travel Parque Constitucion 1857 until last August and these maps I produced after my 2017 trips. If and when I make another to include the Laguna Hanson roads, I will add it to this page. I am just low on energy for such work at the moment... It takes a lot of work to make these maps!

Quote: Originally posted by msulkers

Quote: Originally posted by David K   Nope, I didn't travel Parque Constitucion 1857 until last August and these maps I produced after my 2017 trips. If and when I make another to include the Laguna Hanson roads, I will add it to this page. I am just low on energy for such work at the moment... It takes a lot of work to make these maps! We travelled this route, from La Rumarosa to Rancho la Ponderosa and then south to Laguna Hanson and then Ojos Negros from October 15-17th, 2019. Road to Rancho la Ponderosa is good 2wd; the rancho is no longer open, but makes a good camp spot. The road from RLP south is generally good 2WD, but when one comes to an obvious three way "Y", the centre route is signed as the route to Rancho El Topo and Parque Nacional Constitucion 1857. This is not the most direct route, and involves a higher clearance, narrow alternative with some water damage that brings one out to Rancho El Topo. At RET, we turned east to gain the original left fork and continued on good 2WD to Laguna Hanson. We did not encounter a single vehicle in over 70km of backroad... The park was deserted, but relatively well maintained. The parqueguardes didn't have annual passes available and no longer sell one night passes, so we had to pay for three days (250$M) to stay for one night. There is water available at the parqueguarde camp, but it must be boiled... Road out to Ojos Negros was solid, sporty washboard and took more than an hour in our loaded truck. Can't wait for your guidebook, David K!

Thanks... that belongs in a trip report here!

I traveled the main Laguna Hanson road from Hwy. 3 to Hwy. 2/ La Rumorosa in August 2018. This was after I made my 30 maps and I didn't know I was going to be able to get Laguna Hanson into the road guide before that trip... so no map was created for the Sierra Juarez.

Here is my road log:

Mile 0.0 Highway 3 (Km. 54.5)

Mile 2.7 Fork left.

Mile 3.8 Fork right.

Mile 4.8 Oak trees.

Mile 5.2 Fork left. Elev. 4,000’.

Mile 11.2 Pine trees begin. Elev. 5,000’.

Mile 13.7 Rancho El Rayo.

Mile 15.1 Road southeast to Rancho La Botella. Cattle Guard crossing.

Mile 16.2 Aserradero an abandoned sawmill town with some tourist services. Food.

Mile 17.5 Cabins, market, food.

Mile 19.8 Laguna Hanson: park headquarters, cabins, daily use fee 64 pesos. Elev. 5,300’.

Road heads north passing by the lake which is shallow and often empty.
Mile 20.5 A Kilometer 60 sign facing north.

Mile 22.1 Road east to Rancho San Luis.

Mile 24.6 Rodeo del Rey, an abandoned hotel.

Mile 25.0 Road west to Rancho Bajío Largo.

Mile 35.6 Road west to Rancho El Topo.

Mile 40.4 Former mining area of La Milla.

Mile 41.4 Road northwest to El Condor. Elev. 4,900’

Mile 42.7 Road junction southwest from Las Margaritas.

Mile 45.6 Rancho Ponderosa road east. Tourist services offered.

Mile 48.7 Rancho Nuevo road east.

Mile 53.1 Inspection station.

Mile 55.1 Blacktop paved road.

Mile 55.4 Parques Los Potrillos and El Tesoro campgrounds.

Mile 57.5 Highway #2 (Km. 72), La Rumorosa. Mexicali is east and Tecate is west. The toll highway, Mexico 2-D can be accessed by turned west for a short distance on Highway #2.

I have photos to go with the road log. You can see them in the Trip Reports section in TRIP #8.

Here are AAA and Baja Almanac maps covering that road:





New:


[Edited on 11-23-2020 by David K]

Quote: Originally posted by msulkers

Perfect! On the AAA map, just south of Rancho la Ponderosa, the three way "Y" is indicated. From Las Margaritas to Rancho El Topo, the middle road is single width and has some water damage. There would be passing points in some of the arroyos. Faster route would be the more easterly option, but the middle one was very scenic...

Quote: Originally posted by Barry A.

This is really great, David. Probably because you have not explored the area yet, I did notice that a map of the east coast south of El Barril down to Santa Rosalia appears to be missing. Some incredible country and coast along that stretch, and there are rudimentary "roads" accessing much of it. That area has been hit with devastating flash-floods which have altered or destroyed many of the previous roads in this area.

Quote: Originally posted by Ken Cooke

Will these maps be published? I saw me too of a Baja Bound Map? Is this the title of a book?

Thanks for answering my questions. One of which I did not ask correctly due to auto correction having it's own input.

This will be helpful as Baja has gone through some changes since the days of the Baja Almanac. I also prefer a printed, non-virtual medium as a counterpart to the ubiquitous Gaia that I hope to one day also run alongside my Android apps.

Quote: Originally posted by MontyF

thank you David for all the work and enthusiasm you have committed. I know I will use these maps in the future and would definitely be interested in a published version.

do it every day
keep finding great stuff

found the Enterprise



Attachment: MESA ENTERPRISE.kmz (814B)
This file has been downloaded 323 times

My 31 Baja Maps hosted on PostImages.org

Map 1


Map 2 (new)


Map 3


Map 4


Map 5


Map 6


Map 7


Map 8


Map 9


Map 10


Map 11


Map 12


Map 13


Map 13-A (kilometer markers added)


Map 14


Map 15


Map 16


Map 17


Map 18


Map 19


Map 20


Map 21


Map 22


Map 23


Map 24


Map 25


Map 26


Map 27


Map 28


Map 29


Map 30


Map 31





[Edited on 12-1-2020 by David K]

[Edited on 1-28-2021 by David K]

I love your maps, David! I decided I want to print them as a big wall map so I can highlight where I've been and see where I need to explore.

Here is a combo map I stitched together with all 30 of your maps, as well as an index with your map numbers. Click for big versions.

WOW!!!

Thanks, so cool!

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Indeed a lot of work from Geoff! The problem with stitching the maps together is that each map was made to show a certain region, independently... While the scale is the same for several, some were more detailed (larger scale) such as around Gonzaga Bay. To match up with the smaller scale maps, the larger ones needed to shrink in size. That is why the text at Gonzaga Bay is so reduced compared to the other maps. I was going to produce the map for the Sierra Juárez (Laguna Hanson roads)... but I just got exhausted and took a break. Now, unless I find the base map I started, my map source (Arc GIS) no longer offers the same base map!

Quote: Originally posted by Mr. Bills

So cool in fact that I'd love a copy of the files if available. I tried "stitching" David's maps together and failed miserably.

Quote: Originally posted by Mr. Bills

Do you have a url for the image with the map numbers?

This is the large image with page numbers: http://octopup.org/img/misc/forums/bajanomad/maps/o/Baja--Da...

And here is a version I tried with boxes around the maps too (Generated with OziExplorer), but the boxes didn't turn out perfect: http://octopup.org/img/misc/forums/bajanomad/maps/o/Baja--Da...

Quote: Originally posted by David K

The base layer I originally used is no longer offered. The remaining base maps are all full of place names that don't compute and/or don't show topography as well. I am very fussy when it comes to maps!

Geoff, any hope here...?

So, I found the two maps I had captured to make the Sierra Juárez/ Laguna Hanson regional map. This was the one map that is missing from my series to cover the majority of roads.

Looks like I began working on them by adding the main dirt roads.
Two captures, labeled Sierra Juárez and Hwy. 3...







With just these saved images can I wonder if make the set complete? I used ArcGIS to draw in dirt roads by flipping to satellite image and back to the base map. Maybe I have enough dirt roads?

I use Word to add place names and symbols.

==============================================================================
Here are some of the steps I made to create a map with editing out and adding to, using the El Arco map:

This is what I start with, only Hwy. 1 is shown, few or no names:


Using satellite image flipping to and drawing over, I add dirt roads I want to include.


Pasting onto a Word page, I add names and symbols...


I then changed the kilometer scale and added Hwy. 1 logos, gas pumps, airplanes, mine symbols, mission symbols, etc. I also enhanced the image color with a feature on Photobucket, (that is no longer the same)!

Tah dah...

First draft 2020 Map #31 Sierra Juárez Region

Well, blowing the dust off my map work station and with support from geoffff for his knowledge of getting back a layer that had been removed from the ArcGIS menu, I just been working the past 6 hours and think I may close...
Now, geoffff can enhance the image from this so it will resemble the other 30 maps.

Pre-enhancing version for your viewing entertainment!:




Enhanced by geoffff:





[Edited on 6-21-2021 by David K]

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW

David, you need to mark a lock gate between Jamau and the junction of the old poll line track. The only access is for races, and then for that limited time. And for Mano there are two gates at a ranch, but most of the time they are unlocked. I suggest just showing "gate". [Edited on 11-21-2020 by PaulW]

Thank you Paul...
The maps reflect roads I have traveled or that I mentioned in the guide to give guide users some orientation as to where these roads are in relation to where they are.
The Pole line road gate was driven around on our 2015 trip after you or someone reported a go around, which is the line. I fear gates will continue to be an issue preventing enjoyment of vast open lands and corralling people into tourist area, which is not healthy with Covid!
Since I elected to not include road logs for the dirt roads with gates you mentioned, I am not sure if adding them is needed?
Do you have the GPS for gates you think should be included? Maybe geoffff can help me add them?

Here is the enhanced map from geoffff... I may try and improve the line for Hwy. 3 :

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW

David, you need to mark a lock gate between Jamau and the junction of the old poll line track. The only access is for races, and then for that limited time. And for Mano there are two gates at a ranch, but most of the time they are unlocked. I suggest just showing "gate". [Edited on 11-21-2020 by PaulW]

Gate symbols added plus Highway 3 darkened, etc.
Thanks Geoffff.

NOMADS: Feedback on the gates (Paul?)... please.

Paul, should the gate shown at the bottom of the Summit grade be on the road heading to Pole Line Road area rather than be on the road heading to Cohabuzo Jcn.?
In 2015, there was a cattle gate we went through nearing the bottom of the summit as we were driving south from Cohabuzo Jcn. then the impassable iron gate on the Pole Line Road at Arroyo Saiz requiring that detour.

Thanks!

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Gate symbols added plus Highway 3 darkened, etc. Thanks Geoffff. NOMADS: Feedback on the gates (Paul?)... please. Paul, should the gate shown at the bottom of the Summit grade be on the road heading to Pole Line Road area rather than be on the road heading to Cohabuzo Jcn.? In 2015, there was a cattle gate we went through nearing the bottom of the summit as we were driving south from Cohabuzo Jcn. then the impassable iron gate on the Pole Line Road at Arroyo Saiz requiring that detour. Thanks!

=== =
* Suggest moving the Iron PLR gate as shown in red
* Forget about the cable due to lack of detail in that area
* The cattle fence gate closer to Mano Jct is part of a fence line shown in red. In fact one has to pass thru two more fence gates along the ranchers fence line when driving from Mano Jct up the toward the summit. The coords for the fence gate is where we pass thru to head N/S to access Enmedio or Saiz the then to PLR.
* Is it possible to make the Mnao gate dashed or shaded to indicate it may be open as opposed to locked? Same comment about the fence gate just S of Mano Jct.

Regarding the Mano trail the common track passes thru Indepencia and past the mission to the track you show. I have not driven Mano from Hwy3 as you depict

Sierra Juárez Map (final edit)

With many thanks to geoffff... now featuring gates, the common way to Mano from Santa Catalina mission, and the "Compadre Trail"...



I will also renumber the maps so they make a logical key map. The newest map will be map 2, between 1 (Tijuana-Tecate) and 3 (Mexicali), rather than Map 31.

[Edited on 11-23-2020 by David K]