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mona15
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Registered: 12-7-2019
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best route into baja from Phoenix
Will be traveling into the baja for the winter and wish to find the easiest border crossing for a first timer.
We are traveling to Loreto. Any suggestions are appreciated.
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Bajazly
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Mexicali, either one but west has the easy stop for FMM's, not sure about East.
Believing is religion - Knowing is science
Harald Pietschmann
"Get off the beaten path and memories, friends and new techniques are developed"
Bajazly, August 2019
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greasecoyote
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This might sound counterintuitive but I'd pick San Ysidro, unless you would like to also visit San Felipe. Here's why- if you cross at Mexicali you
have to get to highway 1 to head south and south of San Felipe, road 5 is rough and incomplete in sections (unless you're ok with that). So you have
to either take the Rumorosa grade on 2 which is cool but slow and not good for RVs/trailers and costs a lot of money in tolls, and you then have to
cross Tijuana. Or you could take highway 3 but its long and winding and you end up backtracking so its also time consuming. Interstate 8 is the most
direct, and is in the U.S. so its safe and there are no tolls, if saving money and time is your objective. You can get your FMM at San Ysidro and then
follow the signs to "Ensenada - Scenic Road" (which has tolls) for which there is a pretty direct route from the border that avoids having to drive
through too much of Tijuana.
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bajaguy
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Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Or cross at Tecate, get your FMM's and straight shot on Hwy 3 to Ensenada then south on Hwy 1
Quote: Originally posted by greasecoyote  | | This might sound counterintuitive but I'd pick San Ysidro, unless you would like to also visit San Felipe. Here's why- if you cross at Mexicali you
have to get to highway 1 to head south and south of San Felipe, road 5 is rough and incomplete in sections (unless you're ok with that). So you have
to either take the Rumorosa grade on 2 which is cool but slow and not good for RVs/trailers and costs a lot of money in tolls, and you then have to
cross Tijuana. Or you could take highway 3 but its long and winding and you end up backtracking so its also time consuming. Interstate 8 is the most
direct, and is in the U.S. so its safe and there are no tolls, if saving money and time is your objective. You can get your FMM at San Ysidro and then
follow the signs to "Ensenada - Scenic Road" (which has tolls) for which there is a pretty direct route from the border that avoids having to drive
through too much of Tijuana. |
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greasecoyote
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That road takes a long time compared to crossing at Tijuana. Like 3 hours. On top of the long drive to Tecate itself. It is all quite pretty though.
And it goes through "baja wine country." Just depends on whether OP wants to take their time traveling or put the pedal down.
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David K
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The latest word on Hwy 5 is only 2.5 dirt miles. Not sure about the bridge detours now, but there were 9 last May. All were easy for most vehicles.
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Bob and Susan
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Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | | The latest word on Hwy 5 is only 2.5 dirt miles. Not sure about the bridge detours now, but there were 9 last May. All were easy for most vehicles.
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you haven't been there since the rains....this data may be bad
but this route could save a few hours driving or
you could be changing a tire and your car never the same
ive driven from your town many times...in the winter I would cross at san Ysidro also
tecate is not like it used to be going south for most and confusing driving on the American side thru the hills
sometimes snows on the road in mexico if its cold and wet
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PaulW
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Well you got the input from the west coast.
We do the Phoenix going south several times a year. My route when I do not have a trailer is Algodones. I 8 to CA 168 then to border. You will get
instructions at the border to get your FMM. Easy.
It takes a little trick to get thru town then you arrive on Highway 2/2D. Use hwy 2/2D all the way to Highway 5 where you pay a toll of 25 peso.
60-65 mph on that hwy.
Uninformed comments about Hwy 5 should be ignored. That hwy is just fine all the way south to hwy 1. You will find 2.5 miles of good dirt road used by
all kinds of cars and big trucks with no issues.
The way thru town is turn left at the 2nd intersection then right then left across the big canal and and ok paved rural road all the way to 2.
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rts551
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Lots of CURRENT reports from Motorcyclists, cars and RVs about HWY 5. But you have to use Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/BajaRoads/
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mona15
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Thanks everyone! We were thinking about the Tecate border. We have a ford explorer so hopefully it will be fine. Will look into the San Ysidro
crossing. Really don't want to deal with Tijuana.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Check your u2u message in upper right corner by your sign in
| Quote: Originally posted by mona15 | | Thanks everyone! We were thinking about the Tecate border. We have a ford explorer so hopefully it will be fine. Will look into the San Ysidro
crossing. Really don't want to deal with Tijuana. |
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AKgringo
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Mona15, your Explorer is more than adequate for what ever route you choose! From Phoenix, I would follow PaulW's advice, or drive over to Mexicali
and cross there.
It is about a half day shorter drive for you on the way south using hwy 5. On your return trip, complete the loop by heading north on hwy 1!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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JZ
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Registered: 10-3-2003
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| Quote: Originally posted by greasecoyote | | This might sound counterintuitive but I'd pick San Ysidro, unless you would like to also visit San Felipe. Here's why- if you cross at Mexicali you
have to get to highway 1 to head south and south of San Felipe, road 5 is rough and incomplete in sections (unless you're ok with that). So you have
to either take the Rumorosa grade on 2 which is cool but slow and not good for RVs/trailers and costs a lot of money in tolls, and you then have to
cross Tijuana. Or you could take highway 3 but its long and winding and you end up backtracking so its also time consuming. Interstate 8 is the most
direct, and is in the U.S. so its safe and there are no tolls, if saving money and time is your objective. You can get your FMM at San Ysidro and then
follow the signs to "Ensenada - Scenic Road" (which has tolls) for which there is a pretty direct route from the border that avoids having to drive
through too much of Tijuana. |
This is just awful, truly awful advice. Ignore it totally. I mean I hope this is a troll, if not wow.
Coming from LA we go through Mexicali 90% of the time. Coming from Phoenix, the idea of telling someone to go through San Ysidro is an incredibly bad
suggestion.
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JZ
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| Quote: Originally posted by mona15 | | Thanks everyone! We were thinking about the Tecate border. We have a ford explorer so hopefully it will be fine. Will look into the San Ysidro
crossing. Really don't want to deal with Tijuana. |
Cross at Mexicali. The drive down the 5 is way better. Avoids the TJ mess and avoids hours of driving through little towns South of Ensenada.
Plus it is a ton shorter for you, like 5 hrs faster. It's a very nice drive down the 5.
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JZ
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | | The latest word on Hwy 5 is only 2.5 dirt miles. Not sure about the bridge detours now, but there were 9 last May. All were easy for most vehicles.
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Drove it a week ago. It is in great shape.
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BajaDanD
Senior Nomad
Posts: 745
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We come from Prescott through Phoenix and cross at Mexicali west 4-5 times a year we also cross at Otey Mesa when towing the boat to San Quintin.
we've crossed at Tecate many times but we like Mexicali the best if we're going south to Bay of LA or father
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greasecoyote
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| Quote: Originally posted by JZ |
This is just awful, truly awful advice. Ignore it totally. I mean I hope this is a troll, if not wow.
Coming from LA we go through Mexicali 90% of the time. Coming from Phoenix, the idea of telling someone to go through San Ysidro is an incredibly bad
suggestion.
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Why? I would never drive to Mexicali from coastal California unless I wanted to visit San Felipe, then I would cross there. If i wanted to go south
of Ensenada, I'd take San Ysidro.
This illustrates my point, all the routes have advantages and disadvantages. Just depends on what OP wants. Tijuana-Ensenada is the most direct and
well maintained but the least pleasant. I have never had any negative experiences there but I try to get through TJ asap and no longer stop until
Ensenada.
Both sections of 3 wind around and are slow. 5 involves an under-construction highway, which in an Explorer would be fine, locals take normal economy
cars through it, but its time consuming, I was south of San Felipe before Baja 1000 and we spent a lot of time waiting for construction vehicles to
move or in traffic while they had a flagger out. The hour you save not driving through the congestion in Ensenada and San Quintin is used up by the
construction delays, though 5 does land you so far south you avoid most of the city driving. This would be my 2nd choice, or if OP wants to spend the
first night in San Felipe, a good route to take.
One thing I would not do is cross at Mexicali to get to Tijuana on highway 2, I don't believe there's an advantage to doing that.
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BajaNomad
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Thread Moved
12-8-2019 at 08:35 PM |
mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18388
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by greasecoyote | | Quote: Originally posted by JZ |
This is just awful, truly awful advice. Ignore it totally. I mean I hope this is a troll, if not wow.
Coming from LA we go through Mexicali 90% of the time. Coming from Phoenix, the idea of telling someone to go through San Ysidro is an incredibly bad
suggestion.
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Why? I would never drive to Mexicali from coastal California unless I wanted to visit San Felipe, then I would cross there. If i wanted to go south
of Ensenada, I'd take San Ysidro.
This illustrates my point, all the routes have advantages and disadvantages. Just depends on what OP wants. Tijuana-Ensenada is the most direct and
well maintained but the least pleasant. I have never had any negative experiences there but I try to get through TJ asap and no longer stop until
Ensenada.
Both sections of 3 wind around and are slow. 5 involves an under-construction highway, which in an Explorer would be fine, locals take normal economy
cars through it, but its time consuming, I was south of San Felipe before Baja 1000 and we spent a lot of time waiting for construction vehicles to
move or in traffic while they had a flagger out. The hour you save not driving through the congestion in Ensenada and San Quintin is used up by the
construction delays, though 5 does land you so far south you avoid most of the city driving. This would be my 2nd choice, or if OP wants to spend the
first night in San Felipe, a good route to take.
One thing I would not do is cross at Mexicali to get to Tijuana on highway 2, I don't believe there's an advantage to doing that.
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For getting to BCS from san diego, I prefer driving southward (morning departure) on the 1, and returning northward on the 5 via mexicali.
The 5 saves you about an hour of time in a 8-10 hr day, so minor savings. The 1 has my favorite first night stop, Catavina.
The benefit of 5 coming home is that the last 2 hrs can easily be done in the dark w/o much attention to driving as the 8 is a easy road at night just
kickin' back on cruise control. and if you are tired, there is not much traffic south of san felipe, so you can relax on that drive as well.
The 5 is butt-ugly post-apocalypse scenery and has no edible food stops,... The 1 is pretty drive along the pacific, in pretty hill country, a number
of good food stops to choose from.
san felipe is the arm pit of baja, do not stop there, just drive past and avert your eyes from that abysmal place.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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bajarich
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The OP is interested in driving down from Phoenix. I suggest to head over on I-8, through Yuma to the Andrade Crossing at Algodonas. I drive down
from Salt Lake City and now, after many years of crossing at San Ysidro, I cross at Algodonas, get my FMM there, and follow my map to Mex 2, then over
to pick up Mex 5 south to San Filipe. With the progress made on Gonzaga to Chapala it should be much faster.
The washouts can happen just as much on Mex 1, it just depends on where the storms hit and how much water is dropped. I have been delayed by bridge
washouts at Vicente Guerero, and El Rosario. Plus there is much more traffic and more slow urban areas along Mex 1.
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BornFisher
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found this obscure map----
"When you catch a fish, you open the door of happiness."
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