Did you ever imagine that you could go motorcycling in Baja from sea level to the sky in one day? In fact, you can do this ride in a single afternoon. Picacho del Diablo (Peak of the Devil) is the highest peak in Baja at an elevation of 10,157 feet. The peak is located in the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir which also happens to have a great motorcycling road leading up there.
Baja | Episode 3
Details
- Distance: 137 miles
- Location: Baja California
- Start: Coyote Cals
- End: Parque Nacional Sierra de San Pedro Mártir
- Roads: Cam. A Ejido Erendira, Mexico 1, San Pedro Martir
- Conditions: dirt, pavement
- Cities: Santo Tomas, Heroes de Chapultepac
- Camping: Parque Nacional Sierra de San Pedro Márt
The comforting sound of the Pacific Ocean is with us all morning until we put on our helmets and start our motorcycles.
Leaving the Sea Behind
The dirt road we are following hugs the coastline and travels up long hills with terrific views of the ocean. This is one of my favorite places to ride motorcycles because of the juxtaposition of rocky brown earth and gentle blue water.
On the Main Highway
Soon enough the ocean is but a memory and we find ourselves back on the pavement of Highway 1 paying careful attention to the traffic and other hazards of riding in Mexico.
Red Gas
We always ask for the “rojo” (red) gas, the premium high-octane fuel needed for the best performance and fuel economy in our motorcycles.
Parque Nacional San Pedro de Martir
The entrance to Parque Nacional San Pedro de Martir off Highway 1 indicates that there are no services or gasoline on the road ahead, which is about 60 miles long and paved, to the observatory at the top.
Awesome Road to the Sky
The road gets progressively more exciting until it becomes a carnival of twists and turns approaching the sky. I highly recommend doing the ride up in the afternoon when the sun will be at your back.
Camping in the Sky
After an afternoon of exhilarating motorcycle riding we reach the reception area to the national park and discover that the road to the observatory is closed (bummer!) but there is a campground in the cool mountain forest (awesome!).
Chicken Wings on the Fire
It’s much colder at this elevation (approximately 8,000 feet) but there is free firewood which allows us to stay warm and prepare our meal.
Dinner in the Forest
We’re eating barbecue chicken wings tonight, cooked in tin foil over the fire. We purchased these frozen at a grocery store a few hours earlier on Highway 1.
Magic Towels
Our magic camping towels start out looking like a thick white fiber coin but when a little water is added to them they expand and reveal the moist towelette within. Perfect for chicken wings!