Camping on the beach at Juncalito.
heading for Juncalito that is where you are going. Continuing southbound you descend quickly and on your leſt you will see some homes; this is the village of Juncalito, sitting on Ejido property not the beach. Do not turn leſt at the Juncalito sign (km 97), but instead just carry on another 200 metres. Look where the hydropower lines cross the highway and you will see a gravel road on your leſt. Take it slowly (put your four-ways on); watch out for the drop off the road. Drive straight towards the ocean then the road descends into an arroyo. It has not rained for three years so this is very passable. From the highway to the beach is about one km. As you near the end of the arroyo/gravel road you will see palm trees and water straight ahead. On your right you will see a large sign for the Marine Park; this is the usual entrance to Playa Juncalito. We have done this with every size of RV you can imagine. You now have two options: camping
in the palm trees or on the beach. Best to park out of the way and look around, both options have positives and negatives. For those choosing the beach you will enjoy a wonderful view of the ocean, watching boats come and go, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, birds galore and occasionally playful dolphins, sea lions
42 RVT 148 • JULY/AUGUST 2012
and maybe a whale. Watch out for soſt stand and be mindful to park strategically away from the wind as it has been known to blow a gale for days. Locating in the palms gets you out of the wind and you are only a short walk to the
beach. Do not park too close to the trees as they are occupied by 50 Turkey Vultures every evening and this can get messy on your rig! Also best to have a good outside mat as the dirt tends to track everywhere. Wherever you locate make sure you put out some halved oranges on the trees as
hummingbird feeders or some bird seed on the ground as lots of local birds will pay you a visit. Tis is a great beach to go for a dip or just sit, relax and read a book. You will never tire of the jagged peaks of the Sierra de la Giganta, which rise
up abruptly from the coastal plain to form a dramatic backdrop to the west. Te contrast between sea and sky then adding a palm grove is just magnificent. At sunrise the pink and red glow of the Sierra de la Giganta mountain range is so spectacular it aches.
Isla del Carmen is clearly visible (many think it looks like an alligator) from El
Juncalito and is very popular with kayakers as the waters around Isla Carmen are the winter range to an abundance of Fin and Blue Whales. Te snorkelling and paddling are some of the finest in Baja. As with all the islands of the Sea of Cortez, bird life abounds on Isla Carmen. Ospreys nest high on headlands, brown pelicans congregate on partially submerged reefs, and blue footed boobies roost on white seaside cliffs. Te terrain includes broad turquoise bays and towering headlands backed by 1,000 ſt high russet peaks. Many kayak tour groups use Playa Juncalito as a launching point to explore Isla Carmen, a very large island with an active fishing village and an abandoned salt mine. Circumnavigating Isla Carmen can take you approximately five days, so many folks paddle to Isla Danzante, just a few hours to the south. Always keep an eye on the weather as the wind can predictably blow up in the aſternoon, creating two to three foot waves that will make a rather challenging return trip to Juncalito.
El Juncalito has a reputation for excellent sport fishing. If you need to charter a boat just visit the village, look for the Torres Sportfishing sign and ask for Jose.
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