Living The Dream; Riding the Baja California Coast
Riding the Baja coast is the main goal for most Baja moto adventurers. With over 1900 miles of coastline, it’s pretty easy to find the beach. The Pacific Ocean is raw with large surf and a mild year-round season. The Sea of Cortez is Blue, mostly calm, and has amazing fishing.
We find the Pacific side of the peninsula has the best riding and longest season. In fact, we ride on the Pacific coast year-round. There is any kind of trail you’d want, from flowy roads to treacherous singletrack. Since the Pacific Coast is host to rugged mountain terrain in the north, you’ll find the most challenging trails there.
It all starts in the sleepy town of Erindira, which is where most riders will first crack the throttle along the Baja coast. You can stay the night at the famous Coyote Cals Hostel, where you’ll be greeted by Rick, the owner, or his manager, Tomas. Ask Rick anything, as he is a wealth of knowledge and advice. He’ll tell you the history of the Hostel, town, where to get fuel, and pretty much anything you need. Talk to Tomas behind the bar and order a Chupacabra if you’re sore from the day’s ride. Not only will your pain go away, but you’ll forget any worries you had after a couple of these legendary margaritas. Cal’s can arrange food, or you can moto into town and enjoy some mom and pop diners. Hopefully you didn’t enjoy too many margarita’s so you can get up the next day and continue your adventure south.
Heading south of Erindira, you’ll find rough race course sections that can be avoided by heading east to San Vicente. If you stay along the coast, you’ll find Punta Colonet. Colonet is a massive headland with breathtaking ocean views and singletrack. Be careful not to look too closely because falling off the giant cliffs is not a good option.
We enjoy staying at “Shipwrecks,” an appropriately named point where a large fishing boat came ashore in 1978. There’s not much left of the wreckage, but our friend Bill still has his beautiful lodge right in front of the surf. This Punta San Jacinto point is the host to the best wave in the region that can peel off for 100+ yards on a good day. Bill can supply you with surfboards and wetsuits if the waves are good, or you can relax in one of his hammocks and watch the action. The great thing about Bill’s place is that he can provide most anything you need, including fuel, food, and drinks. We like to stay an extra night at Shipwrecks to enjoy the local singletrack and mountains. From there, you can ride up to Rancho Meling for lunch, ride on the beach all day, or play in the coastal singletrack.
Many people like to head further south to San Quintin. You can ride in on the seemingly endless beach, then traverse the farmland towards the bay. We stay at Don Eddie’s landing because he has a garage for the bikes and any food a rider could ask for. You’ll stay right on the bay and can watch the giant tides fluctuate as you cool off with a beverage. Although the town of San Quintin has a large population, you won’t find much nightlife. You can stop and charter a fishing boat for a few hundred dollars to try your luck at the giant sea bass, or continue further south.
Beyond San Quintin is the sleepy farming town of El Rosario. This is essentially the end of the road for the coastal highway 1 before it heads east into the desert. Mama Espinosas is a must-stop restaurant here in this town. They host a huge singletrack ride each March, where the owner, Oscar Hale, and friend Justin Strong cut in 100 miles of the most beautiful singletrack you’ve ever seen. Needless to say, after 10 years of this event, the trail system is spectacular. Hook up with Oscar, and he’ll draw you a highly detailed map on a napkin with very specific cactus markers for turns. Getting lost in the hills outside town will be the best thing that ever happened to you, and you’ll certainly find some epic trails if you can figure out the napkin map. This town is worth staying a while, especially since there isn’t much life further south. Mudhills, beach riding, clay singletrack, and breathtaking washes are everywhere.
Many riders come in not knowing the area, and it can be helpful to hire a guide or chase team. The Baja Oasis crew can help with either. We have local guides and the best chase teams in baja. The chase team can carry your luggage, help book lodging, remote fuel, clean air filters, and put you on the best trails. It’s a valuable tool to have in Baja, especially if you have bike problems or unforeseen issues.