Southern Baja Bicycle Tour

After just returning from a bike tour in southern Baja, it seems as though most people that tour Baja try and tour the length of the peninsula, which adds up to a little over 1000 miles. If you're like most people, and don't have that kind of time, I highly suggest a 1-2 week tour of the southern tip, starting in San Jose del Cabo. If you need some extra motivation, here are the details on my latest trip, including route, lodging, and activities.

The Route

Total mileage is around 212 miles. Starting in San Jose del Cabo, head for the southern most tip of Baja in Cabo San Lucas, before heading north along the Pacific Ocean on Hwy 19 to Todos Santos. From there, it's a haul to get over to Los Barilles on the Sea of Cortez side of the peninsula, before hitting some dirt roads on the East Cape Road back to San Jose del Cabo. With just a couple highways, and an easy-to-follow dirt road, you barely need a map, but there it is anyway.

Getting There and Back

San Jose del Cabo has a super laid back international airport that is easy to get in and out of, and the town itself isn't too hectic. We chose Cielito Lindo as our starting and ending hotel, and it turned out to be the perfect choice. Reasonable rates, quiet, breakfast included, and most importantly, they stored our bike boxes while we were on the road.

San Jose del Cabo to Cabo San Lucas (22 miles)

The first day of riding was the most intimidating. Highway 1 between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas is a massive tourist corridor, but the good news is that it is mostly four lane traffic, and if you hit it in the morning, there won't be many people out and about. There are a few RV Parks just before Cabo San Lucas, but there are also plenty of inexpensive hotels in the center of town, within riding distance from the beach. Best place to hit while you're there is J&J la Casa del Habano. By far the best Mojitos.

Cabo San Lucas to El Pescadero (45 miles)

Right now, there is a lot of construction happening on Hwy 19 between these two towns, which isn't all that bad. Where construction is complete, there is a huge four lane road with a massive shoulder. Where there is construction taking place, traffic is slowed to around 20mph, although you have to deal with riding on dirt. There aren't a lot of services on this stretch, so head out prepared with food and water. Once you hit El Pescadero, I definitely recommend camping at the Pescadero Surf Camp. This is a good place to take a day off and take surfing lessons, or just enjoy the beaches.

El Pescadero to Todos Santos (8 miles)

Super short ride, but you can't miss Todos Santos. Plus, the next stretch is going to be a tough one, so it's a good place to kick back. The town itself is awesome, and by my call, the best place to eat is El Poblano, where you can get tacos and beers for less than a dollar. Casa Bentley is a pretty unique place to stay if you're looking for a hotel. If not, there is an RV park near the beach.

Todos Santos to San Antonio (50 miles)

While 50 miles isn't crazy far, it's almost all uphill as you depart from sea level, and finish in the mountains. Definitely a cool opportunity to see some very different landscapes in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, there isn't anywhere to stay in San Antonio, but they let us pitch a tent in the town plaza, which worked out really well. There are a couple big climbs before hitting San Antonio, and if you're up for a couple more big climbs you could book it to Rancho Verde, about 15 miles further down the road.

San Antonio to Los Barilles (29 miles)

So you would think this stretch would be all downhill, since you're ending at sea level, but there are two tough climbs along the way. The last 15 miles or so are all downhill, though, which is awesome. There are a few restaurants along the way, so if you're short on food here, it won't be a problem. In Los Barilles, you've made it to the Sea of Cortez, and if you want to camp near the Sea of Cortez, head to the north side of town for the Playa Norte RV Park. This is a full service town, and you'll find that the waters are full of wind surfers. Bienvenidos a 1995.

Los Barilles to La Ribera (10 miles)

Live and learn, right? So 10 miles doesn't seem like much, but it is a crap ton when it's 85 degrees out, and you push your bike for 5 of those miles. The sandy road starts out hard packed, but loosened up big time, largely due to the lack of rain, and construction trucks working on a nearby development. While pushing a bike sucks, the scenery is awesome, and it is cool to be off the pavement, and away from traffic. Once you get to La Ribera, head to the south side of town and hit up the La Trinidad RV Park. They have hot showers, a pool, and are within quick riding distance from the beach. They also have soft grass to camp on.

La Ribera to Cabo Pulmo (18 miles)

On this stretch you'll hit some of your last pavement before embarking on a long stretch of dirt, so enjoy the smooth riding while it lasts. There are no services before Cabol Pulmo, and there really aren't a lot of stores or shops when you arrive at your destination, so get your kicks before you leave. Cabo Pulmo is awesome, and it is the main attraction to hitting this side of the peninsula. Word has it the snorkeling around here is top notch, but we had the misfortune of hitting it on a rainy day... go figure. Anyway, it is still a cool town that is off the grid, and a good place to stay is Baja Bungalows.

Cabo Pulmo to San Jose del Cabo (38 miles)

Okay, so you could book it back to San Jose del Cabo from here, or you could take your sweet time. It all depends on how much time you have to spare. We had time on our side, and busted this section up into three days. There are lot of super fancy, and crazy expensive hotels and bed and breakfasts along this stretch, but those are for chumps and chumpettes. There is free public beach camping at nearly every turn, and if you have a tent and a bag, you would be crazy not to take advantage of the beach. The only catch is that there are maybe one or two restaurants along the way, and no stores, so you're going to have to carry a lot of food and water. The last few miles into San Jose del Cabo are paved, but hilly. The good news is that you're dumped off on the quiet side of town, so it isn't a huge shock being back in a city.