A highlight of my recent trip to Baja is the town of Guerrero Negro, located on the Pacific coast. Exploring this area in your Bronco or Bronco Sport is a must do when visiting Baja, not only for the incredible off-roading along the historic Baja 1000 course but for the food, the scenery, and if you visit in February or March, the gentle gray whales. Here’s an overview of what we did, jam packed into one article.
We went on this weeklong journey as part of Curt LeDuc’s Legends tour and most of the group consisted of racers and their spouses, so it was a great perspective hearing the stories along the way of their adventures and even a few “misadventures”. Although Guerrero Negro was about halfway through our trip, I felt it was a good place to start in an article since we spent two nights here and got more familiar with the small town.
Guerrero Negro: Best Spot for Whale Watching
Guerrero Negro, located about halfway down Baja on the Pacific coast, is a fascinating town known for its massive salt flats and as one of the premier destinations for whale watching. Every winter, gray whales migrate from the Arctic to the warm, protected bays of Baja California Sur, where they give birth, nurse their young, and breed. This migration is one of the most spectacular wildlife events in the world, and Guerrero Negro is one of the best places to witness it up close, like we did.
Curt LeDuc, our trip leader always books with Whale Magic Tours, a highly regarded operator that offers intimate encounters with these gentle giants. Although no one is guaranteed to actually touch a whale, everyone is guaranteed to see a whale up close and learn more about them from the naturalists that are on each boat.
The trip from town to the bay takes about 45 minutes. Our group had some fun with our bus driver as he “drifted” through small sand dunes that had covered the road to the beach. The back few seats were plastic lawn chairs and the "ride" reminded many of the racers of stories, which were shared with lots of laughs.
We had plenty of up close as well as moments to touch the whales. Many of the whales are friendly and approach the boat. As there is no food source in the bays, there’s not much to do, so many enjoy interacting with humans or the boat (which is about half the size of the whale).
Tacos Rule
Although I’ve been told you can find a pretty good pizza in Guerrero Negro, to me, this is the spot for tacos and taco trucks. Whether you like Asada (beef), Al Pastor (sliced pork), Pescado (fish), or Camarones (shrimp), you’ll find them here, served up in fine street taco fashion. Our favorite spot for fish or shrimp tacos is Tony’s Tacos, aka Tacos El Muelle. Last year, he was serving out of a truck painted like a gray whale but now has a location. At the west end of town, staying on the main street, after several Altos, you’ll see a water tower. Drive past it and turn right, it’s on the corner. Let me know if you actually go or have been here and what you think?!
Off-Roading from Guerrero Negro to the Bay of L.A.
The morning after our whale trip, and our fill of tacos, we took an off-pavement route to the Bay of L.A. (Bahía de los Ángeles) which proved to be a fun and bumpy journey through some remote desert landscapes, immense cactus forests, ranches and ghost towns. This route allows one to experience Baja’s raw beauty while navigating, very quickly I might add, a mix of sand washes, rocky paths, and scenic overlooks. You want to know the best part? You’re off-pavement for almost 200 miles. There are no gas stations once you leave town so be prepared, especially if you’re in a 2 door with a smaller fuel tank. I think we were at 60 miles to empty when finished our day.
We left Guerrero Negro after breakfast and headed south on Hwy 1 for about 20 miles before making a left-hand turn (East) on Carretera El Arco, a washboard road for several miles, passing by the town of Arco but making a stop at the ghost town of Pozo Aleman. Here, the group got out for some exploring and poking through the buildings and old cemetery.
From there, it was back onto the main route, headed for some beautiful cave paintings that we found last year. Brian and I marked the location and were in charge of leading the group along with the brief but steep hike to the cave paintings.
The next stop was for lunch, at the beautiful coastal village of Puerto San Francisquito. We noted 3 men fishing and one very friendly cat, but otherwise, no one was in residence. We enjoyed the warmer weather by the Sea of Cortez and had sandwiches and cold drinks.
After a bit of backtracking, we visited another fishing village known as Pancho’s Beach or as Curt likes to call it, Shell Beach. There are thousands of shells here, most as trash from the fishing nets. Again, we saw a few people fishing but otherwise the place was empty.
Our next stop was the Bay of L.A. but this next part of the drive was so scenic with the giant cactus and the winding, twisting shelf road, until we reached our gas station in town not too long before sunset, a good long trail day with very few other vehicles noted.
Experiencing the Best of Baja
Baja has a way of getting into your blood, the way many special places can, and that’s what we’re finding out as we’re already ready to go back. Whether you’re planning a visit for high-speed off-road racing, exploring or to experience peaceful whale encounters, or all of the above, Baja remains an incredible destination and one that leaves a lasting mark on all who visit. You have to go, at least once.
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