On the weekends here in Baja, when Dan doesn’t need internet for the work week, we try to pick a spot that we couldn’t go otherwise. After work on Friday, we left San Felipe and made the drive across a few hundred kilometers of Baja California Norte with no utilities or cell service. First stop was a tiny coastal community of Puertecitos.

Blog Puertecito

Not sure if you can call it a town really. It’s more like a tiny community with a Pemex gas station and a mini mart.

Blog Puertecito

We pulled up into the hot spring community and were immediately greeted by a camp host. We were the only ones at the camp area and had our choice of beachfront spots.

Blog Puertecito

We set up camp, grabbed our swimming suits for the hot springs and coats for the walk back. A short uphill hike took us through the community.

Blog Puertecito

Blog Puertecito

People for years have bought properties and built little structures on them for the purpose of enjoying these natural hot springs that become submerged in high tide but much to hot in low tide. If you time it just right, or get lucky like us, it is an amazing spot to be.

Blog Puertecito

When we first got into the hot springs, it was sorta warm. But as we walked in deeper, the temp shot up. It was surreal to be able to pick our own ideal temperature in the hot spring as the spring water mixed with the cold ocean water. It was also super sureal to sit in the hot springs with the ocean at eye level and watch pelican skim the top of the ocean. So great!!

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The temps at night get low enough for us to throw on a jacket. It’s perfect weather for a campfire, beers with friends, and conversations late into the night.

Blog Puertecito

We are NOT early morning risers. Neither are the kids. But something about this place makes us wake before sunrise. And surprisingly no one is complaining. Look at the sky!

Blog Puertecito

Blog Puertecito

Blog Puertecito

We have been getting a few minutes of quiet in the early morning before the kids wake up. Not long but long enough.

Blog Puertecito

Um, mama? Can I have some of this jello please?

Blog Puertecito

Blog Puertecito

Once one asks, they all start asking.

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Blog Puertecito

Once all the kids are up and dressed, quiet time is over for us… and the rest of the campground too. Haha.

Blog Puertecito

Now that they are all sugared up from Jello, it was time for a little tug-o-war.

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Blog Puertecito

Blog Puertecito

The littles think they can beat 14 year old Tristan. Haha. Nice try, guys.

Blog Puertecito

In the morning, the tide was super low, which meant that the hot springs would be too hot with the lack of ocean water mixing into it, so we hung back and enjoyed the beach.

Blog Puertecito

Blog Puertecito

Blog Puertecito

Blog Puertecito

Shells with holes were also collected and necklaces were made.

Blog Puertecito

Before taking off to our next spot, we wandered around and found a friendly cat to hang out with it.

Blog Puertecito

He must have liked us too because he wandered into the ladies restroom with us.

Blog Puertecito

Blog Puertecito

We decided to only spend Friday night at Puertecito so we could enjoy one more remote spot before the weekend was over. Off to Gonzaga Bay we go!

Blog Puertecito

Thanks for reading,
Marlene

Categories: daily

13 Comments

Amber Leigh Trimble · February 12, 2016 at 9:09 am

Thanks for sharing Marlene. I’m inspired by your family and I can’t wait for our own adventure.

    marlene · February 17, 2016 at 1:45 pm

    It was overwhelming to figure out this adventure at first but so worth it 🙂 wishing you safe travels.

Robin Moeller · February 12, 2016 at 4:02 pm

Thanks for writing! I really enjoy reading about your adventures. Especially since it’s arctic temperatures here on the East Coast!

    marlene · February 17, 2016 at 1:43 pm

    We are boiling right now. Send some of those Arctic temps this way. Just a little! 🙂

Karen Farber · February 12, 2016 at 9:03 pm

Another amazing place! Need to trace your footsteps and go on a road trip!

    marlene · February 17, 2016 at 1:43 pm

    So many good spots in Baja!

Jenn Davis Ramirez · May 14, 2017 at 6:09 pm

We are thinking of heading down from San Felipe! This is an awesome post to help us know where to go! Did you guys go any further South from here on that road or just head back up North? Looks like there isn’t much past this without being on some rough dirt roads? Is that true?? 🙂 THANKS for sharing your adventure! Love getting to see your families adventures! 🙂

Aryl Hatt-Todd · December 18, 2017 at 12:19 pm

About how many camp spots are there? Are there other places to camp there? About how much is it per night to camp there?

Perry Gaspar · December 24, 2017 at 7:55 am

Headed this way in Jan. Bringing my cat who looks uncannily like the one at camp there.

Belinda Christensen · April 12, 2018 at 6:12 pm

Thanks for sharing this! I spent a lot of time down there many years ago and still miss it. I still have a big bag of those same shells that I collected sitting on the beach in front of the cantina.

Heather Rogers Vessey · November 6, 2019 at 7:55 pm

I loved this! Especially because my family Puertecitos home is in the background of one of your photos (the one behind your sweet little girl). We originally built that home in the early 70’s and my uncle has worked on it quite a bit over the years. Sooooo many wonderful memories in Puertecitos!. The “sulphuric baths” were always a highlight. So happy you get to experience that!

    dan · November 10, 2019 at 1:54 am

    What an amazing spot you have there! We can’t wait to go back!

Road Trip Log: Tent Camping from Texas to Baja Sur • Baja Surf Yoga · November 24, 2020 at 6:15 am

[…] List Spot: Puertecitos Hot Springs was high on our list, but when we drove past, it seemed closed. We’ll go back another time […]

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