Baja California is a land of seemingly endless attractions and points of interest. *
On May 15-19, Dave Wilcher and David Kier plan to see several sites in the region of San Felipe to Bahía de los Angeles. The following is a list of potential locations to visit. We are not committed to see them all but simply to include them here as a list of possible sites. This excursion is sponsored by Baja Bound Insurance as a sampling of reasons to travel the peninsula, in search of fun and adventure.
*Disclaimer: as with any guide or information sheet, what you find may be different. New gates may block passage, roads can be destroyed, natural erosion can change appearances and coastlines over the months to years since the data was gathered and sites photographed. The author is not responsible for these changes if they happen.
1) Agua del Mezquitito
A waterhole/ spring very close to Mex. #5 that has been visited for decades to centuries. GPS: 29.9860°, -114.5693°
It was a point of reference for seekers of the Lost Mission of Santa Isabel! It is just ½ mile up the little arroyo the highway crosses around Km. 120.5. A road should take you close if driving in the arroyo isn’t possible here. 1.4 miles/ 2+ kms. south of San Judas road (or 0.3 mile north of Puente La Lobera sign) is an access route, 0.7 mile west to spring. No kilometer markers south of 118.
The spring is just west of the highway, about Km. 120.5 (south of Okie Landing).
2) Mission era warehouse on Gonzaga Bay
GPS: 29.8153, -114.4101
Built during the Franciscan period for the missions of San Fernando and up to Alta California in order to bring in cargo and people. The trail (ordered by Padre President Junípero Serra) goes west to meet the Camino Real about 3 miles from Mission Santa María/ 12 miles from Cataviña.
Access left 0.8 mi. from gas station on Alfonsina’s road, just before the lagoon crossing, where the road turns north to pass the beach homes. Then it is 1.6 miles northwest to the ruin. A shorter route is over the hill from the military checkpoint or 0.3 mi. south of the checkpoint. Both were reported fenced closed.
Photos by Howard Gulick in 1958-1959
Dr. Eric Ritter’s paper (photos and details): https://vivabaja.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GONZAGA-2-EXCAVATIONS.pdf
3) Molino de Lacy
Originally Molino de San Francisquito: A gold ore mill from the 1890s the shipped out the precious metal from Puerto San Francisquito that we know today as Punta Final. The founder (William Lacy) is buried on the side of the hill where the mill was.
GPS: 29.7083, -114.3276 (5.6 miles from Mex. #5 at Km. 156)
Road log: Km. 156 Access road to Punta Final and Molino de Lacy, just south of the bridge. It is 6.3 miles to Punta Final Resort.
Mile 2.1: Road south to Molino de Lacy. Turn left (east) after 1.5 miles. From here, drive 1.8 miles east to the fork in the road near the mill ruins. To the right (in 0.1 mile) is an old road (4WD only) south going 8.4 miles to the Pioneer Mine and on to Coco’s Corner. Continuing east is the grave of William Lacy (1835-1897) in 0.2 mile and located on the eastside of the hill. The road continues eastward 1.5 more miles to rejoin the Punta Final road, 1.1 miles west of Punta Final or 5.2 miles east of Highway 5.
Mile 5.2: Road to right from Molino de Lacy.
Mile 5.3: An entrance gate for Punta Final; go 1.0 mile from here to the village and beach camp. http://puntafinal.com/
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Paper on William Lacy: CLICK HERE
4) Calamajué
Mission GPS: 29.4211°, -114.1951° Mex. #5, Km. 179.5 (New Coco’s Corner), east & south 17 miles
Calamajué (say: “cala-ma-WAY”) was the Native name for this area, modified into Spanish pronunciation, and used to identify the site of the 17th Jesuit California mission in 1766. A year-round-stream flows out the nearby canyon and sinks into the sand near the mission, which is located on a bench above the arroyo floor, across from where the auto road drops to it. Next to the road just before this drop was a gold ore mill from around 1905+. Dick Daggett was the miner behind the project per the 1910 book by Arthur North, ‘Camp and Camino in Lower California‘
The mission lasted only 7 months here because the water was so full of mineral salts, crops refused to grow. The mission moved 30 miles north and west to a canyon with ample running fresh water and became known as Santa María de los Angeles.
Calamajué can also be reached from the original Coco’s Corner by traveling east for 6.3 miles towards Puerto Calamajué, then taking the right fork that heads straight south 7 miles to the mill and mission sites.
Driving south into Calamajué Canyon, the road and the creek are one:
5) Luz de Mexico
The road (Km. 18, L.A. Bay highway) has white posts on each side with private property written on it. Most of Baja is private property. If they don’t want visitors, they have a locked gate or a keep out/ do not enter sign. It is 3 miles to the mine area.
6) Mission San Borja
GPS: 28°44.66′, -113°45.27′ Road was at Km. 45 but a report says a detour leaves the L.A. Bay highway sooner (Km. 43?). It is 22 miles south to the mission.
7) Montevideo
GPS: 28°54.75′, -113°43.27′ Off the road to San Borja, two miles south of the highway, is a road to Montevideo, 5.8 miles. Sadly, a locked gate was placed midway in by a cattle ranch in 2018 (to prevent cattle thieves they said). If it is unlocked…
8) Las Flores
A mine-town-site, 9.7 miles south of town (Bahía de los Angeles) and 1/4 mile west of road. The railroad engine on display in town came from Las Flores. Tram buckets and more history can be seen at the museum in L.A. Bay.
GPS: 28°49.09′, -113°31.77′ The site of a large gold and silver processing operation with ore coming here via railroad and aerial tram bucket line from high atop the mountain, many miles south. Read more: https://vivabaja.com/las-flores-railroad/ and in a Baja Bound article: HERE
There are many more sites and points of interest. However, as I say “so much Baja… so little time”!
This proposal brought to you by David Kier https://vivabaja.com