I'm headed down HWY 1 to Loreto in a few weeks and am a little bit concerned about my SUVs range. What's the farthest between gas stations? I've
driven as far as Ensenada/Valle de Guadalupe before and the roads were excellent, but i've heard they don't necessarily stay that way all the way
down.
My plan is to take the drive easy and go from LA to Valle de Guadalupe on day 1, then on to Guerrero Negro day 2, and finally hit Loreto day 3.
Any advice will be appreciated!
Thanks!
Chris chippy - 8-30-2018 at 01:32 PM
I believe the furthest between stations is from El Rosario to Jesus Maria about 200 miles. Just make sure you top up in El rosario and you should be
fine. I don´t know your range but surely it´s more than 300 miles?
Oh and welcome to the sand box.
[Edited on 8-30-2018 by chippy]David K - 8-30-2018 at 01:58 PM
Chippy is correct. Top your tank at El Rosario, km. 57.
Maps showing gasoline locations
David K - 8-30-2018 at 02:24 PM
My 2018 series of Baja maps have gasoline pump icons to show where you may find gasoline, outside of the bigger cities (which have many gas stations).
Point of concern, Driving from the Valle de G. all the way to GN with the road conditions and some construction would seem to be a pretty long
day...
I know it is done by many but you gotta enjoy not seeing the sights too much. Maybe leave at daylight.
Be safe..... bajaguy - 8-30-2018 at 03:15 PM
Road construction with delays south of Santo Tomas..........David K - 8-30-2018 at 03:33 PM
The drive through Ensenada, the construction zone near Santo Tomas, and all the farming towns and traffic before El Rosario will have you worn out!
The highway narrows to just 19 ft. wide south of San Quintín with no shoulder or pullouts very often. A couple of sections have been widened to the
new standard width, but most of the drive south is not any wider than when this highway was opened in 1973.
The Baja Cactus Motel (next to the gas station, Km. 57) is an oasis of comfort and inexpensive luxury if you are in need of a rest by then.
South of El Rosario is about 35 miles of twisty, dangerous, narrow road that will require every ounce of concentration. Stay well on your side of the
road because the semi trucks will be in your lane on curves!
The next possible hotel is the Misión Cataviña (Km. 179-180) and it is often filled at sundown. The other place, Cabanas Linda gets a pretty low
rating with most who have stayed there (sheets not washed after each use is the biggest complaint).
Take the advice given above, don't be in a hurry to pass through the best of Baja on your way south. Bahía de los Angeles and San Ignacio are worthy
of closer inspection. San Ignacio is only 2 miles off the highway, do not pass the paved road into the giant Spanish mission church and town plaza. An
excellent motel is just past the mission, the La Huerta! MMc - 8-30-2018 at 05:15 PM
I drove from Ensenada to Punta Abreojos on the 20th. It's no big deal. LAkingsFan, it your trip, do what you want. The delay was about 20 mins. Drive
to GN on day 2. You can see the mission at San Ignacio and still make Loreto that day very easily day 3.
Generally there are 2 types of people here, those that trips that are mostly driving/riding, and those that get someplace and post up for whatever
time they have. I am one of the latter. Those that drive seem to need some rest time at the end of the day.
Get gas at Los Pintos,El Pabelion or El Rosario. I prefer Los Pintos or El Pabelion because of the shorter lines.
Go and don't overthink this. You'll have a great timeLAKingsFan - 8-30-2018 at 05:40 PM
Wow, thanks for all the fast replies!
I can do 200 miles between fill-ups (as long as it is all 2WD) so that eases my mind.
Sounds as though making a 4 day road trip with stops in El Rosario and San Ignacio or thereabouts would have been easier, but I'm locked into my
departure from LA and arrival in Loreto so can't change much. I do have flexibility and extra time on the drive back home. The plan is to flag places
on way down that we want to spend more time exploring on the way home. I'll keep your suggestions in mind for that. Don't want to ruin a relaxed week
at the beach by stressing on the trip home (that will happen soon enough when I hit LA!).
woody with a view - 8-30-2018 at 06:39 PM
How far? Three beers and a stop to water the cactus! LOL
[Edited on 8-31-2018 by woody with a view]MMc - 8-30-2018 at 09:35 PM
For me, its 2 beers and 2 stops. LOLAlm - 8-31-2018 at 12:01 AM
Flying at 60 mph you won't get much chance to flag any places worth exploring, other than cactus-watering stops. I usually pick a place with few tall
Cardons to have some shade for this thing, and for a quick snack. IMO, exploring involves planning and research beforehand.
Roads condition... If you were OK with roads in Ensenada, you're good to go ...
LA to Loreto is 1 night + 2 long days. 2 nights and 3 days will be more relaxed and enjoyable.
Distance between gas stations on Hwy 1 ... there is no distance that would require more gas than a full tank of a car, - any car. El Rosario top-up is
a must.
The fastest way to get from LA to LTO is a commercial flight. Takes 2.5 hours and you arrive to LTO rested.
[Edited on 8-31-2018 by Alm]David K - 8-31-2018 at 12:45 AM
Exploring or knowing what you want to explore is what will take planning if you have time constraints.
Plenty of good reading available. Most books that contain interesting side trips are pretty well dated. My new guide is hopefully going to bridge the
two things together: the interesting places mentioned in the books of the 60s-90s with current or very recent road details, such as what kilometer
marker you need to leave the highway at to see that (mission, gold mine, Indian rock art site, natural spring, El Camino Real, palm canyon,
beautiful beach, etc.)
We don't know what you are driving, do we? Is this where we say you really should have a 4 wheel drive, with good all terrain tires, and a selection
of equipment like an electric tire pump, because deflating tires can keep you from getting stuck or get you out of a stuck.
Anyway, about what to study for off the beaten path ideas: There are a bunch of great old books, like The Baja Adventure Book by Walt Peterson, The
Baja California Guidebook by Walt Wheelock and Howard Gulick (or the older Lower California Guidebook by Gerhard and Gulick). The Moon and Lonely
Planet guidebooks have newer editions but mostly cater to the 2WD crowd in my opinion.
Now, for free, you can read here on Nomad my Trip Reports #1-8 that cover most of Baja's fun to drive and explore roads. Some of what I have posted is
a base for the road guide series I have written for Baja Bound Insurance. I am adding to it with my trip this month. See if the photos and details of
any place is something you want to see in person. Let me know, and you can get a PDF of that part of the guide to TEST it out on your trip and then
let me know how it worked for you. That will help me tailor it to work best. I have been reading and navigating by Baja guidebooks my entire life
since I was elected navigator in my dad's Jeep on our 1966 trip to the tip of Baja, when 800 miles of the 1,000 were not paved and most not graded or
improved. FUN TIMES! Viva Baja!!ehall - 8-31-2018 at 04:51 AM
How far? Three beers and a stop to water the cactus! LOL
[Edited on 8-31-2018 by woody with a view][/rquote
I can still do a 6 pack before the first stop but after that its 1 for 1
David K - 8-31-2018 at 09:11 AM
Other long stretches are Mulegé to Loreto, Loreto to Insurgentes, Constitucion to Las Pocitas, and Las Pocitas to the La Paz area.
On other highways and dirt roads are long sections, as well. Vizcaino to Tortugas being one. L.A. Bay south to Vizcaino or Guerrero Negro being
another. The Seven Sisters road between El Rosario Pemex and Villa Jesus María Pemex or gas cans at Santa Rosalillita is a dry stretch and when I was
doing research there last year, requiring driving over a road twice to get both choices covered, I not only used the extra 5 gallons I brought but was
lucky to get 20 liters at Santa Rosalillita to get to Villa Jesus María comfortably.Alm - 8-31-2018 at 10:33 AM
If LA bay is in the itinerary, then El Rosario to Bay of LA shrinks to 180 miles. Bay of LA to Guerrero Negro is under 150 miles.
Top-up in any major town if planning isn't your thing. There is no stretch too long when your tank is full, this is not some African desert.
[Edited on 8-31-2018 by Alm]TMW - 8-31-2018 at 10:46 AM
Don't forget there is gas out of cans (not gas stations) at Catavina and the LA Bay turnoff. It cost a little more but as they say when you need it
you gotta have it.
Chris your plan is good, have fun and be safe.DaliDali - 8-31-2018 at 11:45 AM
Other long stretches are Mulegé to Loreto, Loreto to Insurgentes,
Mulege to Loreto is a short hop of <80> miles
Loreto to Insurgentes is a short hop of <80> milesbajaric - 8-31-2018 at 01:52 PM
My plan is to take the drive easy and go from LA to Valle de Guadalupe on day 1, then on to Guerrero Negro day 2, and finally hit Loreto day 3.
Any advice will be appreciated!
Thanks!
Chris enjoy your newbie status until you get in a head on collision, better to take it slow and avoid accidents! David K - 8-31-2018 at 04:07 PM
"Long" compared to other sections. La Puerta to San Felipe is another.
Yes, TW, gas out of cans is in many locations. In Baja Sur, they cannot put out signs advertising as the state government there has some kind of thing
for independent dealers.
I have seen or bought gas out of cans at:
Cataviña
L.A. Bay Hwy. Jcn.
Punta Prieta
Santa Rosalillita
Rancho Piedra Blanca (Punta San Francisquito/El Arco road)
El Barril
El Datil
San Isidro (next to La Purísima)
San Miguel Comondú
Rancho Las Paredes (near La Soledad, San Evaristo road)
While I did not see it, San Juanico is supposed have gas too.Sr.vienes - 8-31-2018 at 04:35 PM
The greatest distance between gas stations in Baja is the twenty miles when you realize you only have enough for ten.Alm - 9-1-2018 at 10:49 AM
My plan is to take the drive easy and go from LA to Valle de Guadalupe on day 1, then on to Guerrero Negro day 2, and finally hit Loreto day 3.
Through Guadalupe and Hwy 3, or through San Ysidro and toll Hwy 1, it's 3 days and 2 nights. 1st day LA to Ensenada-ish, 2nd day to GN and so on.
1st day I just stop in one of cheap hotels on the main drag in the South end of Ensenada near Cipres military airbase, not any further, because my 1st
day begins a little North of LA. You could make it to Santo Tomas.
GN is "the town of hotels", plenty to choose from.motoged - 9-1-2018 at 11:42 AM
A good idea is always keep top half of gas tank full....no need to wait until close to "E" SFandH - 9-1-2018 at 11:45 AM
I've never done the border to Guerrero Negro. I know people do but it's too much for me. It takes me 8 hours to get to Catavina, usually my first
stop.
And it will probably take longer this fall because of the major road work south of Santo Tomas.
[Edited on 9-1-2018 by SFandH]thebajarunner - 9-1-2018 at 05:07 PM
I've never done the border to Guerrero Negro. I know people do but it's too much for me. It takes me 8 hours to get to Catavina, usually my first
stop.
And it will probably take longer this fall because of the major road work south of Santo Tomas.
[Edited on 9-1-2018 by SFandH]
The first year that the total carreterra was completed we did a pre-run on the southern half of the course, spent the night in La Paz and drove
straight home to Modesto. Breakfast at the Perla and next morning breakfast at home.
When my daughter and I went down to the eclipse in 1991 we headed home, spent the night in Guerrero Negro and then drove straight home. Best part was
we were going through LA in the wee hours. LA is much worse than San Quintin.David K - 9-2-2018 at 12:27 PM
Oh, to be that young!
In 2007, Elizabeth and I drove from Bahía Concepción (Playa Requesón) back home (Oceanside, then)... and stopped to tour Mission Mulegé and the
old salt loading pier at Guerrero Negro that day. I think we were thinking of staying at Baja Cactus (wish we did). It was crazy... got home about 2
am, I think!
...
