Jack Swords
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Location: Nipomo, CA/La Paz, BCS
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San Felipe road to mid peninsula
Having returned from La Paz via San Felipe in the past, what are the current conditions? Last time was about 10 years ago. We are planning on
heading back to US in a couple of weeks. Thanks
[Edited on 8-2-2014 by Jack Swords]
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basautter
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Highway 5 is paved from San Felipe to about Gonzaga Bay. The new pavement is very good. There are big dips between San Felipe and Puertecitos, so be
careful. As a couple of months ago, it was graded dirt from Gonzaga Bay (El Grande Market) to the intersection with highway 1 at Chapala. Average
speed was ~20 mph with tires aired down to 20 PSI. I would recommend this route if it saves time. Good luck!
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Mula
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We just came down from Mexicali last week.
The road is paved all the way to the Papa Hernandez turnoff.
Then Road Construction to just past the Rancho Grande Market.
Then gravel with sand side roads to Coco's Corner and then really bad from there to the highway - Mex 1.
But I will go that way again in a minute just to avoid all the traffic from San Quintin to TJ.
[Edited on 2-8-2014 by Mula]
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Cliffy
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Do I want to drag my 20 ft travel trailer that way to Baja 1 and then south?
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woody with a view
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just go SLOW.
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Mula
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My husband says - I don't think so. If you have lots of time and go really slow - like 4 hours for 60 KM. It's doable. Have a couple of spares.
I probably would - but I have nothing but time. And don't mind crawling along.
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MMc
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Cliffy, How much of a adventure do you want? How's your Spanish?
What kind of shape is your trailer? How important is getting to where you want to go?
The worse it gets the better the story 
At the end of the day you'll get back home.
It is a very popular way to go and lots of people do it with trailers going slow. I prefer the Pacific side. Most of my strikes are for 2 to 4 days,
purpose driven.
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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David K
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Jack, you have 35 miles of graded dirt road... deflate the tires to soften the ride and cruise it, or go real slow. Stop at Coco's.
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bajaguy
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Bring a couple of paper or cloth shopping bags to put what is left of your travel trailer in
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mcfez
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
Bring a couple of paper or cloth shopping bags to put what is left of your travel trailer in |
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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basautter
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Drop tire air pressure to 20 PSI while on the gravel. It helps a lot.
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MMc
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It's interesting, this question has been up for less then 48 hours and been It's has 292 views, Maybe we should pay attention that more read this then
post. I am sure that Jack can drive his trailer through that section. I hope that others will make sure their trailers are in great shape and they are
ready to spend time driving it with a trailers or low clearance autos. Many of us forget that there are many more lurkers then posters, Some lurkers
make decisions because we make it seam so easy.
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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mulegemichael
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we drove it last month in our toyota 4runner...aired down to 20 and probably averaged 8 mph for the first 30 miles...fun but not fast. i would not
recommend taking a trailer on that stretch if you still want a trailer.
dyslexia is never having to say you\'re yrros.
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Ateo
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I drove the above stretch in January. Some parts are nice but some are beat up. I was actually a little surprised at how crappy some sections were.
Not sand and washes or anything but just chewed up tire popping areas. If I was towing a trailer I'd make sure it had good tires.
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ateo
I drove the above stretch in January. Some parts are nice but some are beat up. I was actually a little surprised at how crappy some sections were.
Not sand and washes or anything but just chewed up tire popping areas. If I was towing a trailer I'd make sure it had good tires.
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I got my only flat tire of a 3,000 mile trip, on that road in 2012... Between Chapala and Coco's. I didn't deflate! Tire patched at Rancho Grande, San
Luis Gonzaga.
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J.P.
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I have observed some huge loads of eqipment on very low clearence trailers headed toward that stretch of road if they can make it it cant be all that
bad.
[Edited on 2-9-2014 by J.P.]
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David K
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Oh, it is no problem for 2WD vehicles... it is just a rocky roadbed, so fully inflated tires and poorly made trailers don't have a chance! 
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Barry A.
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VERY few "travel trailers" are designed to withstand THAT kind of punishment at any speed-------they simply will never be the same if you haul one
over that road, regardless of how careful you are------there WILL be damage, but you may not see it on casual inspection.
That's my take, anyway, after many years of experience.
Barry
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Cliffy
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Well OK. I'm not a novice when it comes to gravel roads and my equipment is in top shape and I'm not in a hurry BUT I don't want to destroy it
either. I would love to get to B of C that way as I haven't been to Gonzaga for 30 years but it will have to wait for another trip by the way it
sounds.
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bajaguy
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Gonzaga Bay
If you are only going to Gonzaga, it's less that 4 miles to the turnoff by the PEMEX from where the new pavement ends. If you drive slow, you should
not have any problems.
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