BajaNomad - Baja Divide Trail

Baja Divide Trail

bajajoaquin - 10-4-2021 at 06:52 PM

Is there any information out there about the Baja Divide Trail? I have the new Benchmark atlas and saw it there. I did a search here and just found a reference to it in a thread about a bicycle vid crossing it.

If someone can point me in the right direction that would be great. Or, if there isn’t a good place already, maybe this thread can be a place for it!

advrider - 10-4-2021 at 06:55 PM

Just Google Baja divide and it will take you to the sight. They have shareable GPS track of the whole route, we ride a lot of it on motos. Always have extra water and snacks for these hardcore soles.

windgrrl - 10-4-2021 at 07:13 PM

Ryan van Duzer video “Bike-packing the Baja Divide”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb-xF5rypkE

Baja Divide
https://bajadivide.com/

Enjoy!

bajajoaquin - 10-4-2021 at 07:24 PM

Lol. I never thought to simply Google it! Thanks!

4x4abc - 10-4-2021 at 08:25 PM

I love those brand new inventions - Google!

HeyMulegeScott - 10-4-2021 at 09:01 PM

I'm all for googling but it's nice when you can come to a place like this and help sort through a sea of information.

This is the main site -
https://bajadivide.com/

Another good one -
https://bikepacking.com/routes/baja-divide/

bajajoaquin - 10-4-2021 at 09:54 PM

I’m just so used to googling remote places in Baja and getting results for Costa Rica or Mainland that I stopped doing it.

advrider - 10-5-2021 at 02:55 PM

I stumbled across the site a few years ago Googling other Baja stuff. I had seen the bikes a few times but never realized they were using the same route more often then not. Read up on the fastest known time challenge, crazy.

AKgringo - 10-5-2021 at 03:10 PM

I have run into bikepackers on the Divide route quite a few times over the last few years, and many of them are European visitors.

I have a standing offer to my son in Anchorage to drive the "SAG wagon" if he and a couple of friends want to meet me in Baja. One of his friends is Lael Wilcox, who had the fastest time for the route for a couple of years.

John Harper - 10-5-2021 at 03:10 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

I love those brand new inventions - Google!

The Google machine is awesome, especially when connected to the internets.

John

David K - 10-5-2021 at 03:35 PM

Met a Canadian couple riding bikes on the Baja Divide route, in August, at Mission San Luis Gonzaga... They very much appreciated the cold bottles of water I gave them the two days I crossed their path between there and San Evaristo. We are now Facebook friends and their trip went all over Mainland Mexico, after Baja.

HeyMulegeScott - 10-5-2021 at 05:11 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Met a Canadian couple riding bikes on the Baja Divide route, in August, at Mission San Luis Gonzaga... They very much appreciated the cold bottles of water I gave them the two days I crossed their path between there and San Evaristo. We are now Facebook friends and their trip went all over Mainland Mexico, after Baja.

That's almost suicidal to do it in August.

bajatrailrider - 10-6-2021 at 08:09 AM

I ride parts of this route on moto have seen real nice people. Hiking and bicycles many not prepared to handle this route . Have had to double out many on moto . Bike broken or they have to push in too far. Hikers out of water had to give them our water . Then go back and check on them . All super cool and happy for the help.

AKgringo - 10-6-2021 at 08:22 AM

I picked up a young woman with a broken bike near San Evaristo last year. She was riding solo at the time, but was going to meet up with someone in La Paz, so I gave her a ride to town.

ehall - 10-6-2021 at 03:11 PM

Part of it south of Erindira uses part of the race course with 4 ft whoops and lots of rocks. Usually see them pushing the bicycles thru that part.

AKgringo - 10-6-2021 at 04:08 PM

The trail also heads east toward Mulege using the Arroyo San Raymundo. I encountered a couple on that section that was not enjoying the many water crossings with large, slick cobbles paving the drainage!

By the way, if you check the Elimaps Baja map (sold at Oxxo), it shows the arroyo as a highway. Don't believe it!

David K - 10-6-2021 at 04:32 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

The trail also heads east toward Mulege using the Arroyo San Raymundo. I encountered a couple on that section that was not enjoying the many water crossings with large, slick cobbles paving the drainage!

By the way, if you check the Elimaps Baja map (sold at Oxxo), it shows the arroyo as a highway. Don't believe it!

I am rarely impressed by maps produced in Mexico. It seems accuracy is not high on their list.
Get the Benchmark Road & Recreation Atlas, in 2021, at least for the latest road map. All maps have errors or get outdated, so if you know of any submit your findings for Benchmark's next edition. This is a company that wants to have a good product.

AKgringo - 10-6-2021 at 04:41 PM

David, I bought two! One for the road, and one as a spare when I wind up destroying the road atlas.

David K - 10-6-2021 at 04:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

David, I bought two! One for the road, and one as a spare when I wind up destroying the road atlas.

Good for you!

In 2009, when the last Baja Almanac was published, I bought three... one for the truck, one for the office, and one to sell on eBay when the price reached $900! LOL

Those Benchmark guys ruined my retirement plan! LOL :lol:

jwheel1970 - 10-6-2021 at 04:58 PM

Is the trail ok for vehicles too? 4x4... What a great trip

AKgringo - 10-6-2021 at 05:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by jwheel1970

Is the trail ok for vehicles too? 4x4... What a great trip

Probably most of it, but I don't know much about the norther portion of it. The original route involved hiring a boat in Mulege to get over to the peninsula on the east side of Bahia Conception. I guess riding down the highway is a work around for that stretch.

advrider - 10-6-2021 at 07:06 PM

I would say most if not all that I have ridden was easy for a 4x4.

PaulW - 10-7-2021 at 07:44 AM

Is anyone going to poost the GPS track?

advrider - 10-7-2021 at 08:02 AM

If no one has posted by tonight I will dig them up.

David K - 10-7-2021 at 08:05 AM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW

Is anyone going to poost the GPS track?

On their website, as well as the route is shown on the Baja California Road & Recreation Atlas by Benchmark.

Here is a direct link to where the tracks are posted: https://bajadivide.com/mapping/

PaulW - 10-7-2021 at 12:21 PM

Thanks

David K - 10-7-2021 at 12:26 PM

My pleasure, Paul! :cool:

Wayne4Baja - 10-9-2021 at 07:43 AM

Quote: Originally posted by advrider

I would say most if not all that I have ridden was easy for a 4x4.

Thanks for that update. How long ago were you last on it? It seems like a great 4x4 road to get off the beaten path but still have a path...

Mindful - 10-9-2021 at 06:07 PM

Be careful, just cuz you can drive a 4x4 easy out here, still if anything happens you're stuck, might not see anyone for days. be prepared to take care of yourself. Currently blazing sun at 95 Fahrenheit!

bajajoaquin - 10-10-2021 at 08:55 PM

I finally made it through that YouTube video. It was pretty good. There’s no danger of me riding the trail on a bicycle, but that might ride sections of it on a motorcycle.

I’m pretty sure I have a picture of the couple from the rancho on the road to Mulege at about the 1:30 mark. I stopped there on my way from Scorpion Bay in 2002, I think. I found the CD with the pictures, but I don’t have a computer with a CD-ROM drive anymore! I’ll post the pic here when I find a drive.

bajajoaquin - 10-29-2021 at 04:03 PM

Okay, I got one of my old CD-ROMs on my computer. It's a different couple. Darn.

The couple I met in 2002 and the one from the Baja Divide Trail vid is second.

advrider - 10-29-2021 at 06:22 PM

I really enjoyed that ride from SB to Mulege as well. The wife and I plan to go back with our trailer and camp some place out by one of the ranchos, maybe buy some cheese? Planning to ride it again in February on the moto again.

white whale - 11-8-2021 at 12:29 PM

STILL have this on my to do list.

These are some side trips off the main route that I have planned.
Thanks to forum for inspiration.

From North to South:
San Pedro Martir Observatory - see a condor?
La Bocana beach area - find some Dino bones?
Santa Maria Oasis Trail
San Francisquito - new or full moon + Pink Floyd playlist.
Punta Abreojos - map notation= Lighthouses and Abelone shells
N. of San Igancio - sucker for volcanos - Three Virgins
San Jaunico - small detour, easiest way I'd ever get there.

tims.jpg - 237kB