Gear: Spring Apparel + Adventure Guide
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Spring Gear: The Baja Blueprint
Deserted beaches, rugged mountains, and scores of taco stands—there's no better proving ground for the latest in spring clothing than six days south of
the border. Text and photograph by Steve Casimiro
Map by Computer Terrain Mapping
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The Baja peninsula starts just a few miles south of the California border but feels like a world apart. Beaches of crushed shell and sand line pristine bays. Colonial towns emerge like mirages from cactus forests. And the land, a virtual paradise for hikers, surfers, and paddlers, is one of simplicity, where spare tires, salt air, and Coca-Cola in real glass bottles are all you need. Baja Adventure Guide
Your adventure travel guide to driving, hiking, kayaking, surfing, and more.
 Days 1+2
Climb Into Wildest Mexico
You'd hardly expect mountains—and forested, 10,000-foot (3,048-meter) mountains at that—to rise a few hours south of the U.S. border, deep within the Baja desert. But there they are, the craggy, pine-topped peaks of the 160,618-acre (65,000-hectare) San Pedro Mártir National Park, home to the best hiking on the peninsula. Down the road, the undulating boulder fields of Cataviña appear just as improbably from the surrounding flatlands, offering climbers first ascents on gritty granite blocks. At night find yourself an impromptu campsite among giant cordon cactus and psychedelic boojum trees and settle in for the clearest stargazing in Baja.
Day 3
Catch a Ride on Playa Esmeralda
A thousand miles (1,609 kilometers) of Pacific coastline make for plenty of surf breaks, but few top Playa Esmeralda. There, head-high rollers arrive one after the next, washing up on a beach so devoid of surfers it's almost spooky. If you keep heading south down the Transpeninsular (as Highway 1 is called), you'll reach the 279-year-old town of San Ignacio. Set in a palm oasis, it's home to the prettiest Jesuit mission on the entire Baja peninsula and Restaurant Chalita, a semi-legendary home-style Mexican cocina where the menu depends on what owner Tía Chalita has in the fridge.
Day 4
Fade Out at Bahía Concepción
After traveling south some 600 miles (966 kilometers), you've earned your arrival at Playa Santispac on Bahía Concepción in the Sea of Cortez: white sand, turquoise water, wind-scratched islands, manta rays, and frosty cervezas. Find yourself a thatched palapa (they're all over) and kick back to watch pelicans dive-bomb for breakfast, to float in warm waters, and to contemplate the union of an empty mind and an equally empty beach.
Day 5
Splash Down on Santispac
Cabo San Lucas may wear Baja's watersports crown, but that just means fewer visitors at Bahía Concepción. From Playa Santispac, paddlers can launch an island-to-island kayaking trip, stopping at unpeopled coves and sunken wrecks (hint: ask the locals about the one off the coast of Isla Pitahaya). You can longboard down the paved highway at the edge of the bay's 60-mile (97-kilometer) shoreline. Or you can just lie on the beach, punctuating sun-induced naps with dips in the aquamarine ocean.
Day 6
Revive in Wine Country
Alas, you have to bounce back to the States sometime—but before you do, consider Las Brisas del Valle. The new hacienda-style B&B is set in the wine country (yes, wine) outside of Ensenada. With just six impeccably designed rooms and a full complement of local Cabernets and Sauvignon Blancs, the serenity and solitude you've come to expect from Baja is yours for one more night.
Driving: There is no more ideal way to visit Baja than driving some or all of Mexico's 1,034-mile (1,664-kilometer) Highway 1. If you have your own vehicle, bring a license, vehicle registration, and temporary insurance ($13 a day for a late-model SUV; www.discoverbaja.com). For renters, Hertz and Avis have offices in Tijuana and La Paz (between $115 and $130 a day for a 4WD). Car campers may want to learn more about Sportsmobiles, possibly the ultimate Baja vehicle (www.sportsmobile.com). Imagine a Ford Econoline van tricked out with gnarly off-road suspension, comfortable beds, equipment racks, a shower—you get the picture. Keep in mind, Baja's roads are legendarily rugged, with potholes, zero shoulders, asthma-inducing trucks, frequent military checkpoints, and meandering livestock. Definitely sporty.
Hiking: Yes, there are pine trees in Baja—and technical rock climbing and phenomenal hiking, all in San Pedro Mártir National Park (www.conanp.gob.mx), 87 miles (140 kilometers) east of Route 1. Spend a full day hiking the 10,170-foot (3,100-meter) Picacho del Diablo, the highest point in Baja, or take a shorter route up Scout Peak for stunning views straight down to the Pacific.
Kayaking: There is sea kayaking on Baja's Pacific side, but the best trips are in the more protected Sea of Cortez. From Playa Santispac on Bahía Concepción, paddlers can head north (toward the microwave towers) for a day trip among islands and beaches. For longer tours consider the area between Loreto and La Paz. Self-guided trips are easy; visit the State Tourism Office, La Paz for info (www.lapaz-tourism.com). Baja Expeditions offers seven-day trips ($1,045; www.bajaex.com).
Surfing: There are two surf seasons in Baja: May to August and December to late January. Playa Esmeralda outside the town of Rosarito is a favorite of the surf camping set. Todos Santos and Scorpion Bay are frequented by surfers from around the globe. For updates on waves, go to www.surf-forecast.com; for a surfing guide, check www.blueplanetsurfmaps.com.
Colonial Towns: San Ignacio has the most elaborate colonial church on the peninsula, while Mulegé, farther south, has a small but pretty mission and is built around a delightful palm oasis.
Where to Stay: In northern Baja the most luxe accommodation is Las Brisas del Valle ($175; www.lasbrisasdelvalle.com), a six-room B&B perched above sprawling vineyards. As you head south, motels are sparse, but Desert Inn has clean rooms throughout Baja ($65; www.lapintahotels.com). Camping is generally easy and free in undeveloped areas like Cataviña, or pull into one of the many roadside campgrounds ($5 to $10).
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