BajaNomad - Malarrimo Road

Malarrimo Road

KurtG - 11-28-2022 at 02:51 PM

Anyone have any info on condition of the San Jose De Castro/Malarrimo road post hurricane? A friend and I are thinking of trying it in March. I've wanted to go there for years and am running out of years to do so.
Thanks
Kurt

David K - 11-29-2022 at 10:54 AM

I hope you have a fun ride out there, Kurt!
Make sure to bring plenty of OJ...

There are two and maybe more routes to the original Playa Malarrimo, made famous by Mike McMahan's books.

The original road is the one you mention, going north from (near) San José de Castro. I started to drive it during my research work in 2017. It quickly deteriorated with overgrown brush, as if nobody uses it anymore... But, you can see it on Google Earth just fine.

The original Malarrimo road where it leaves the highway, around Km. 117.

Just a mile from the highway.

The Bahía Tortugas road was not fully paved then, so I estimated the kilometer marker would be near Km. 117 at the road, just 1/2 km. (0.3 mi.) east of the dirt road south to San José de Castro and on to Bahía Asunción. It has been reported to be 26 miles from here to the famous beach.

The other route leaves the Tortugas highway at Km. 83 and follows the water pipeline going northwest as a more direct route to Playa Malarrimo, if coming from Vizcaino. This would be more dirt miles, and is really remote... so never travel alone on this one!

The Km. 83 pipeline service road going towards Playa Malarrimo.

A road from the fish camps (El Queen and Malarrimo) to the west follows the coast and comes close or maybe all the way, now.

Mike McMahan books, with a full chapter on Malarrimo Beach:

1973 & 1974 hardback editions

1983 paperback edition.

Be careful with a shovel on Malarrimo Beach!!! >>>

KurtG - 11-29-2022 at 12:20 PM

No riding any more, I'm 78 now and I gave up riding last year except for an occasional short jaunt around my rural neighborhood. Had to recognize that my skills had eroded. No complaints, I rode motorcycles of all kinds for more than 60 years and many hundreds of thousand of miles. 40 plus years of exploring Baja on two wheels.

On this trip there will be at least two vehicles, perhaps more. Any info will be appreciated.

I also have McMahan's books,great family adventures back in the day.

TMW - 11-29-2022 at 04:03 PM

I've been out there twice. The last time was 2015. Totally different drives getting out there. The first time a sand road up to the beach. The second time there was marsh near the beach. Lots of junk out there although we did find usable cameras a new scuba suit and millions of flip flops. Fun trip both times.

The turn off at San Jose de Castro is 27-33.310 x 114-27.800. There is the ruins of a house there or was.

KurtG - 11-29-2022 at 06:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TMW

I've been out there twice. The last time was 2015. Totally different drives getting out there. The first time a sand road up to the beach. The second time there was marsh near the beach. Lots of junk out there although we did find usable cameras a new scuba suit and millions of flip flops. Fun trip both times.

The turn off at San Jose de Castro is 27-33.310 x 114-27.800. There is the ruins of a house there or was.

Thanks for the info, I seemed to remember that you had taken that road.

advrider - 11-29-2022 at 10:31 PM

Please report back, this is on my list of places to visit.

TMW - 11-29-2022 at 11:43 PM

Kurt keep us posted when you are are going myself and a friend or two may like to join you. It is a fun and interesting trip.

TMW - 11-30-2022 at 11:28 AM

Here is the trip report I did from our Jan. 2015 Malarrimo run. We started to do the no wimp trail but the start section was wiped out from a hurricane.

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=77391

willardguy - 11-30-2022 at 12:09 PM

been a loong time since last out there, we came in from Eugenia and followed the water pipe back to the highway. thing that struck us was how clean the water was and how willing halibut were to attack Krocs. all we ever found was plastic trash on the beach, fun trip!

4x4abc - 11-30-2022 at 01:55 PM

here is everything that is drivable with a decent 4x4 around Malarrimo
ground tested every bit myself

TMW - 12-1-2022 at 03:41 PM

Harald the yellow line at the top right I assume is the pipe line road. You show it broken. I thought it was a thru road from the hwy.

David K - 12-1-2022 at 04:25 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TMW

Harald the yellow line at the top right I assume is the pipe line road. You show it broken. I thought it was a thru road from the hwy.

The pipeline road is the long, straight line diagonally crossing the map.

KurtG - 12-2-2022 at 12:47 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TMW

Kurt keep us posted when you are are going myself and a friend or two may like to join you. It is a fun and interesting trip.

We're thinking of March. In the next few days I will send a U2U with our tentative plans.

advrider - 12-2-2022 at 07:40 PM

I think we are going to hit it on our motos at the end of February, if we make it, I'll post up.

TMW - 12-2-2022 at 08:34 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Quote: Originally posted by TMW

Harald the yellow line at the top right I assume is the pipe line road. You show it broken. I thought it was a thru road from the hwy.

The pipeline road is the long, straight line diagonally crossing the map.

TMW - 12-2-2022 at 08:36 PM

Quote: Originally posted by KurtG

Quote: Originally posted by TMW

Kurt keep us posted when you are are going myself and a friend or two may like to join you. It is a fun and interesting trip.

We're thinking of March. In the next few days I will send a U2U with our tentative plans.

Thanks

Trunkrack - 2-26-2023 at 11:23 AM

Quote: Originally posted by advrider

I think we are going to hit it on our motos at the end of February, if we make it, I'll post up.

Curious if you ended up making it out there? Really curious to hear how it is after this past fall and winter. It's also on my list of places to go and will try it this fall if there aren't any heavy rains before hand.

KurtG - 2-26-2023 at 04:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TMW

Quote: Originally posted by KurtG

Quote: Originally posted by TMW

Kurt keep us posted when you are are going myself and a friend or two may like to join you. It is a fun and interesting trip.

We're thinking of March. In the next few days I will send a U2U with our tentative plans.

Thanks

Family and a couple of medical issues have delayed my plans. I still hope to get to Mulege in March and if my local friend can get away we will make a spur of the moment trip. If it happens I will try to give a few days notice in case you could join us.