Riding a Dirt Bike Through the Back Country of Baja California
There is no feeling better than riding your dirt bike through the backcountry of Baja. This is a land with a vast open countryside that caters perfectly to dirt bikes.
Baja can offer some of the most diverse terrain in the world. There are thousands of miles of single track for the advanced Rider and countless dirt roads for the rider that wants to sit back and enjoy the scenery. What makes Baja special is riding from town to town searching for the next Taco or cerveza. Sometimes these towns can be 100 miles apart, so planning fuel consumption is very critical. If you have never been to Baja, we recommend consulting a Baja veteran to see if your plan will work. Or even better, hire a seasoned guide to make sure everything goes smooth.
Something unique about Baja is the ownership of the open land. It’s broken up into sections called Ejidos. These Ejidos were put in place after the civil war, when the citizens overthrew the government and took their land back. Basically, the public land is owned by the citizens. With this in mind, it’s critical to respect the ranchers and always have permission before entering any private land. Typically, the ranchers are off-road friendly and Grant permission for passage.
When you ride Baja with an off-road tour company, you can experience these beautiful private ranches and ride pristine cattle trails through the mountains and arroyos. Some of these singletrack trails can go up to 100 miles without ever seeing evidence of a two track dirt road. The Baja Oasis crew works on these trails and land agreements each season in order to have the best possible routes for their guests.
Each fall, hurricane systems light up the Pacific Ocean and can detonate on both the West and east coast of Baja. This can completely wash away routes that may have been in great shape the previous season. This makes the fall difficult for Baja tour guides and most of them communicate to determine which routes are still good at the beginning of each season. After all, it’s Baja’s raw nature and energy that draws so many off-roaders each year.
Most Baja off-roaders want to see the beach, whether it’s San Felipe with the white sand Sea of Cortez Beaches, or the Pacific Coast. Riding along the Sea of Cortez, it’s easy to spot whales and sea life on the glassy blue ocean. Some of the more popular off-roading destinations are San Felipe, Bahia de Los Angeles, Loretto and La Paz. If you decide to ride the entire peninsula from Tecate to Cabo, you can see all of these destinations on one trip.
The most popular Baja dirt bike ride is the peninsula ride. This ride can be anywhere from 1000-1800 miles and take up to 9 days. On this ride, you get to see most of Baja and visit some of the most remote towns on the peninsula. This is the ultimate bucket list ride down in Baja. One of our favorite stops is the small town of San Ignacio. This town is famous for date palms, the ancient mission and its small ice cream shop with the best date shakes in the world. As you enter San Ignacio, you will pass the pristine lagoon lined with giant palm trees. This is one of those breathtaking moments that you’ll never forget during your peninsula ride.
Not everyone has the time for a peninsula ride in Baja. It can be just as rewarding to traverse the mountains outside of Tecate. Its most famous route is the Compadre Trail. This route takes you from Tecate to Ojos Negros. Ojos Negros is a small town that was named after two black ponds that looked like black eyes when the early settlers arrived. Tecate is also well known for its world class singletrack trails that can be very challenging. They have a big Enduro race each year with over 300 riders taking the three loop challenge. Typically only half the field ever finishes this Enduro race. Tecate seems to be the gateway and the start to any good ride, including our Tecate to Baja Oasis adventure. This adventure takes you to some of the highest peaks of the pine Forest and down to the lowest elevation in Baja at theLaguna Salada lake bed.
During the fall, winter and spring seasons, the Baja Oasis is one of the premier places to visit and ride dirt bikes. During the fall and spring, you can ride dirt bikes and wakeboard the same day. There is a breathtaking hot spring Canyon, a short ride away from the Lodge. This hot spring Canyon is called Guadalupe Canyon and hosts over 20 handmade hot spring pools. It becomes obvious when you enter the canyon and see thousands of palm trees in the middle of the desert that you have entered a real life secret Oasis. It’s easy to burn time soaking your worries away in these pools and is definitely worth an overnight stay if you have the time. There is a very small remote ranch wear you can have a warm meal prepared during your ride. This is Rancho Illusion, they offer much needed cold drinks and delicious warm food under the shade of a salt cedar tree. With this combined, the hot spring Loop can be the ride of a lifetime. This Loop embraces the Baja vibe, you’ll feel set back in time 100 years. Of course, you’ll arrive back to the Baja Oasis Lodge with private chef Gabby, making the best food you’ve ever had just for you and your group! Book the all-inclusive 3 day package to enjoy this experience.
Whether you’re doing a full pull on your dirt bike or just going for the day, Baja has everything you would ever need as a dirt biker. There is a trail for every skill level and you’ll find some of the best food available on the planet. Contact us at Baja Oasis and let us take you on a Dirt Bike Adventure you be enjoying for years to come.