BajaNomad

Caleta San Juanico: Camping Conditions?

Con Kso - 12-12-2018 at 09:47 PM

Has anybody camped here? Usually we stop at Requeson but this time I'd like to try something new - flipped open to Page 17 in the Almanac and I see that I had written "Good Swimming, Camping?" right there on the Sea of Cortez side of the map.

If anybody has any knowledge of this spot, I'd really appreciate some info.

I'm traveling in a very capable 4x4 with locking diff and FWC on a flatbed. How's the road in?

Thanks a bunch ahead of time.

David K - 12-13-2018 at 12:58 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Con Kso  
Has anybody camped here? Usually we stop at Requeson but this time I'd like to try something new - flipped open to Page 17 in the Almanac and I see that I had written "Good Swimming, Camping?" right there on the Sea of Cortez side of the map.

If anybody has any knowledge of this spot, I'd really appreciate some info.

I'm traveling in a very capable 4x4 with locking diff and FWC on a flatbed. How's the road in?

Thanks a bunch ahead of time.


From 2017:

Here are my trip notes and photos for the three beach roads I checked out: San Nicolas, San Juanico, and San Basilio:

Heading south, I wanted to see San Nicolas. Heard lots about it and seen Nomad photos in the past... Nomad 'Vgabndo' (Perry) used to have a place there. He gave Baja Nomad the term "Peace, Love, and Fish Tacos" as our motto.



The junction for San Nicolas is just past the Rosarito restaurant and along the runway built during the construction of Hwy. 1 through here about 1970-1971. It is just south of Km. 62.









Flash flood(s) have really cut through here in the recent past.
It is 10.6 miles to the beach from Hwy. 1 on fairly good graded road, complete with highway signs and kilometer posts. A 'Chuy's Sportfishing' sign is in the village area. Nothing looked like a camping area or any rooms (or at least signs), so back out to the highway.

At Km. 59+ is the graded road west to San Isidro and La Purísima. This road I will be traveling in a few more days is NOT maintained and should be avoided by most, only trucks and SUVs, as it is very rough. Only a few miles near Hwy. 1 (here) are smooth and fast. Flash floods and rain of the past couple of years has been hard on the roads in Baja Sur.

The next coastal area I wanted to see was San Juanico and San Basilio. There are two roads in. The first is unsigned at Km. 48.5 and the second has a big sign (Km. 40) the reads to NOT use this road, go north to Km. 49.
I would see later that this Km. 40 road is chained closed on the east end and is for the use of the property owner of San Basilio, all are welcome to San Basilio, but use the natural arroyo road at Km. 48.5. So back north I go up Hwy. 1, 5 miles...





There is an unsigned fork at Mile 6.8. The left fork goes 2.4 miles more to the fishing village of San Juanico. No camping facility or rooms were seen.



Back to the fork, and going on the right fork (and keep right in 1 mile at another fork) in just 1.5 miles met up with the graded road from Km. 40, and was chained closed. A San Basilio property guard met me where these burros were and told me I could camp ahead, no problema.



3.3 miles from the fork, or 10 miles from Hwy. 1 is a cattle guard crossing and a fork. I could see many campers to the right, so I first went left about 1/2 mile to a deserted beach:


San Basilio north beach.


The left end after the sand part.

The road to this beach continues up a hill to the private home area. I went back to see the other beach, on the bay with yachts offshore. It is 1/2 mile from the cattle guard fork to the south beach.










San Basilio south beach.
I took photos and made a U-turn and left. Other vehicles were on the beach, note tracks.

Back out to the highway and southbound again.





Con Kso - 12-13-2018 at 09:38 PM

Thank you very much for that information David K. I have read through all of your reports (which I enjoyed very much) but did not recall reading that you had been out to San Juanico.

Looking at the photo you posted, San Juanico doesn't seem to spectacular compared to San Basillio - I thought I had heard somewhere that San Basillio is now completely closed down to camping.

Any ideas what the current situation is now as far as camping out there?

We'd just be doing an overnight (coming from Abreojos). I think I may have stated that we usually just stay a Requeson - but I'm thinking Caleta San Juanico might give us a bit of a leg up on our next day of driving (out to Punta Conejo) since it's just a bit further South. Maybe you have a recommendation for something better in the neighborhood?

I was considering Agua Verde (I've been in there twice once on moto which was awesome because I got to ride the backdoor road out and up over to Ciudad Corrupcion) but it's a bit of jaunt off the highway and my girlfriend has a fear of heights... and a couple of the turns in the road down to San Cosme would probably get me banned for life.

David K - 12-14-2018 at 03:35 AM

Ya, don't take her down that Agua Verde cliff road!

I didn't drive into San Sebastian (east from the bottom of Bahía Concepción) so that may be some new territory to check out? There is a coastal road between it and San Nicolas that may pass some places?

San Juanico is tiny but maybe that long beach north from there may be something to check out?

Yes, I read somewhere about San Basilio being closed. There will be a lot of unhappy 4x4 Canadians this winter! The rest, with 2WD, all seemed to be at Concepción and others at Rattlesnake Beach by Puerto Escondido!

Hopefully, other Nomads will pop in to give you newer updates than my 2017 observations! I look forward to reading (and seeing) how it was for you.

bajarich - 12-14-2018 at 05:11 PM

We are looking to go in to San Juanico this year to see if it is open or not. Last March we stayed there, then spent a couple of weeks in Loreto and then on to Ray's in Mulege. There we met a couple who had just come from San Juanico who said that the beach had been locked off to camping, along with the north facing beach up over the hill from there. They said you could still camp behind the cables, but not out on the beach. Like I say, we want to check it out, but won't be down until mid January.

David K - 12-14-2018 at 05:19 PM

That would be San Basilio, Rich. San Juanico is a tiny fishing village. San Baslio is where there is the fancy home and a guard booth before the coast... two beaches, the north one and the south one.

JZ - 12-14-2018 at 05:38 PM

Have taken my boat there 5-6 times. One of the best bays in all of the SoC. You can spend all day riding around in a Zodiac in the cove.

The shot in this video was riding through canyon coming back from the bay. About 3 miles from MX 1.

https://youtu.be/4VNTIhRa6q0?t=20


[Edited on 12-15-2018 by JZ]

bajarich - 12-14-2018 at 09:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
That would be San Basilio, Rich. San Juanico is a tiny fishing village. San Baslio is where there is the fancy home and a guard booth before the coast... two beaches, the north one and the south one.


You're right David. It is San Basilio that was cabled off. San Juanico is the fishcamp.

BTW, Our first time in to San Basilio was 1996 in a 2WD Volkswagen Vanagon, on the km 40 road. It was before they built any of the houses. The next time was 1998 and the first house had been built. Now the whole property (out to the highway) is owned by someone who has divided it up into several rancho's. At some point the owner who had it after the original house was built wanted to subdivide it. The current owner who established the ranchos really loves the place and kept it from being subdivided. I had heard that the original house was built by a person from the Spanish royal family.

[Edited on 12-15-2018 by bajarich]

JZ - 12-14-2018 at 11:53 PM

We did 3 or 4 rides into the bay last year. The first trip I rode with my two kids. My friend drove the truck.

We got to the beach a little before sunset. And straight away we fly down the beach. Towards the North end, near the house there is a big rock. I decided to jump off it, about a 5 foot drop.

Hit it badly and crashed onto the sand below. Knocked the wind out of me and I was down on all 4's for a couple mins. Got up to my feet and a quad came down from the house asking if all was "ok." Gave them a good laugh at the dumb Gringo I'd imagine.



[Edited on 12-15-2018 by JZ]

bajarich - 12-28-2018 at 11:00 AM

I just got a pm from a friend who is in Baja. He told me that the beach at San Basilio is still closed off camping.

We are headed down in a couple of weeks. 24 degrees this morning!

David K - 12-28-2018 at 11:09 AM

Have fun Rich!

4x4abc - 12-28-2018 at 12:03 PM

not surprised the owners closed San Basilio (Caleta San Basilio)
illegal camping on private property even after fencing
a disgusting amount of trash left behind

in the past the employees have always been very friendly and willing to open the gate(s) when necessary


is the road closed at the first guard house?
or the second guard house?
or the road from 2nd guard house to the south beaches (Rancho Santa Ana)?

bajamary1952 - 12-28-2018 at 05:56 PM

If you are going in the near future say January you need to check WIND REPORTS. I'm in La Paz now and strong winds are forecasted for all this week as well as low temps making it impossible to get out on the Sea of Cortez. Also...all of Bahia Concepcion can be affected by winds as well. I had to leave Playa Requeson in late November due to high winds.

bajarich - 12-28-2018 at 07:49 PM

I think there is camping behind the beach, just can't drive out and camp on the beach. The last time I was there, the beach was open and there were at least 16 camps on the beach, and up over the hill at the north beach there were 5 more. That was March, 2017. They put the cables up just after that.

David K - 12-28-2018 at 08:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajarich  
I think there is camping behind the beach, just can't drive out and camp on the beach. The last time I was there, the beach was open and there were at least 16 camps on the beach, and up over the hill at the north beach there were 5 more. That was March, 2017. They put the cables up just after that.


I was there a month before you and nobody was on the north facing beach as the wind was just too strong but the bigger south beach where all the yachts are anchored offshore had some campers, mostly Canadians. The guard at the house, a mile from the beach, was very friendly and waved you in.

4x4abc - 12-28-2018 at 08:32 PM

you can camp on the beach - Federal Zone
you can NOT camp behind the beach - private property
posts, cables and fences should be an indication

4x4abc - 12-28-2018 at 08:36 PM

and please DO NOT leave your trash behind

David K - 12-28-2018 at 08:36 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
you can camp on the beach - Federal Zone
you can NOT camp behind the beach - private property
posts, cables and fences should be an indication


How does one get to the "Federal Zone" to camp if the only road to it is gated closed?

JZ - 12-28-2018 at 08:39 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  

How does one get to the "Federal Zone" to camp if the only road to it is gated closed?


Pull in on your boat.





[Edited on 12-29-2018 by JZ]

David K - 12-28-2018 at 08:48 PM

If I have a boat/yacht, I won't need a beach to camp on. I am seriously asking Harald a question for us with four wheel drive (and never leave trash at our campsites).

mtgoat666 - 12-28-2018 at 08:57 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ  
Quote: Originally posted by David K  

How does one get to the "Federal Zone" to camp if the only road to it is gated closed?


Pull in on your boat.

[Edited on 12-29-2018 by JZ]



Quote: Originally posted by David K  
If I have a boat/yacht, I won't need a beach to camp on. I am seriously asking Harald a question for us with four wheel drive (and never leave trash at our campsites).


The answers are (1) buy a boat, or (2) buy the land.

4x4abc - 12-28-2018 at 09:03 PM

good question David
capitalism works only for a few of us

JZ - 12-28-2018 at 09:08 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  


The answers are (1) buy a boat, or (2) buy the land.



(3) bribe the guy at the gate.

jaymtb - 12-31-2018 at 10:35 PM

On 4/19/18 the San Basilio Beach was fenced and posted with new signs prohibiting driving on beach, jet skis, etc. The signs cited a beach concession on the federal zone.

MikeBiggers - 2-27-2019 at 05:21 AM

If you want u can use this service for rent a boat https://2yachts.com/ I use sometimes it before holidays when we with family want to make a short boat trip.

Desertbull - 2-27-2019 at 11:06 AM

You can camp behind the blocked off beach. They actually made camp spots with lined white rocks for each camp spot. I was there last week Feb 2019 and saw it with my own eyes. It's sad that times change so much and people fawk it all up with trash. We took out 4 big 50 gallon bags of peoples trash in our overnight there ... it was mid week and no one else was there. Change is abound everywhere.