Baja 5-25: Missions & More. PART 2
Continued from Part 1: https://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=101805
MISSION SAN VICENTE FERRER (1785-1829)
Our next stop heading south on El Camino Real (Mexico #1 is on or parallel to, here) was Mission San Vicente Ferrer, founded in 1785 as the third
Dominican California mission. The road is just a kilometer long going west from Km. 88.5, next to the Mi Ranchita restaurant. The mission overlooks
the San Vicente river valley.
Unlike at Santo Tomás, this mission has more extensive ruins that have been preserved with plaster coating the adobe and made into an historic park
with informative signs and gravel paths. The graveyard is on the hill, overlooking the complex. No caretaker was around but the gate was open. Enjoy
these photos…
An illustration of the mission complex at the overlook of the mission complex, today.
THE ALBERTINO MINE (barite)
Next, we try to find the Albertino Barite Mine that the Auto Club had included in their maps and guidebooks of the 1950s and 60s. It seemed so
fascinating that even before I went there, I wrote about it: https://www.bajabound.com/bajaadventures/bajatravel/albertin...
It is just 3.7 miles east of Km. 149.8, the road is opposite of the Punta San Jacinto Shipwreck road sign. It goes straight east then curves to climb
the hill into a valley beyond, curving south, going right through the middle of the abandoned Las Minitas ranch and soon arriving at the mine site.
Dave and I wondered about it but no being geologists, did not know what barite looks like. However, the very dark veins of rock and the long pile of
whitish dirt were photographed as an unusual site. The mine was first mentioned 74 years ago and vanished from Auto Club books and maps about 60 years
ago. Maybe all the barite was removed? Another barite mine is past El Mármol and El Volcán, La Olvidada, worked sporadically.
Photos:
Dave is on the next level road below.
MISSION SANTO DOMINGO (1775-1822)
This is another mission complex that has been preserved and made into a park-like setting. Again, no caretaker was present, but the gate was open. I
have been to this mission in 2005, 2014, and 2017. There has been additional plastering work since my last visit and some scaffolding is in one room.
The graded dirt road is 5 miles from Km. 169 (just north of the Colonia Vicente Guerrero town and long bridge over the Santo Domingo river).
At the entrance to the valley, 2 1/2 miles from where Santo Domingo is now located, the mission was first established here. Services were performed in
a cave.
The famous Hamilton Ranch, serving guests from the 1920s to 1970s was located on the right side of the red rock, where trees are still growing: https://www.bajabound.com/bajaadventures/bajatravel/sky_ranc...
MAPS:
Part 3 (La Lobera, El Rosario's two missions, Hugo's latest painting at Tacos Misión, and more! HERE: https://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=101813
[Edited on 5-15-2025 by David K]
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