Large road spikes made of rebar have been found the last few months near Rancho Nejic, two miles north of Rancho Compadre, and Rancho Compadre and as lately as January 14 of this year! The spikes, about the size of your hand are made of two welded “L” shaped pieces of rebar with 45 degrees points at each end. They have been place in a straight line about six feet apart. A truck belonging to Rancho Nejic was seen setting spikes. A side-by-side was seen in January, off to the side of the road with a large hole in his tire, next to Rancho Compadre.
We strongly suggest you drive with caution between Rancho Nejic and Rancho Compadre. Do not stop at Rancho Nejic or the new location of Rancho Compadre located east of the road, unless you need repairs. We also suggest that no side trips east of this area be taken! For your safety, the east Nejic valley is off limits to all off-road vehicles!
The spikes are set about six feet apart and in a straight line, so if you hit one, only one tire will be damaged. Make sure you have a good spare or have the patching equipment to fix a hole the size of rebar! (See photo)
At least three confirmed “chase truck/support truck” car jackings happened in 2022, at the east side of Oso Negros. The car jackers are targeting off-road trucks and off-road support trucks with US citizen drivers! So far the car jackings are at night.
The car jackers are diving one or more black sedans. There is more than one person in each car and all are carrying assault weapons. On one occasion, automatic gun fire was used while the driver was forced to lie on the ground as rounds were fired near his head. The car jackers have been known to see a waiting truck and turn around and confront the driver.
We suggest that if you have a nice off-road truck or a support truck waiting at Oso Negros alone for your group that you wait in a highly public area during the day time, or avoid the Oso Negro area all together! The good news, no one has been hurt.
The best and fastest way to get to Coyote Cals without using black top is to cross from Oso Negros through Tres Hermanos and out to Alcambro to Hwy 1. This route is through private property and is gated in many areas. The first gate at the south side of Oso Negros is always locked but you can pass using the farm house gate to the left of the gate. They charge $5 usd for motorcycles and $20 usd of all other off-road vehicles. They do not charge for the return trip going north.
However, there are two newly built gates at Tres Hermanos, about half way through the crossing. The well made steel gates, about a quarter mile apart, are at most times open. The farmer that controls the gates is very nice, and does not charge people crossing his land. But at times the gates are locked and the farmer is nowhere to be found. Making this route not 100% reliable, even if you pay the people near Oso Negros. I will try to see if I can give more info on this to solve this problem in the future, but until then you take your chances.
The most important off-road trail that connects Oso Negros to Hwy 1 is now closed to all off-road traffic. In the past, the large metal gate on the south side of Hwy 3, could be crossed by paying a $5 to $20 free to the ranch house to the left of the gate. However, the two new gates at Tres Hermanos are now locked, preventing all traffic going both south and north on this important trail. The attorney Hector Sarabia ( sarabia/en@hotmail.com) has organize the destruction for free trail access in Baja in order to promote his project of a private off-road park. He is the single most influential person who has a lot of responsibly for the closing of access to open trails. I suggest everyone “boycott” all projects he is involved in. This man is not a friend of the off-road community!
The alternative route is not great. Basically, the alternative route is by riding hard top. Hwy 3 from Oso Negros to Valley de Trinidad. There you can take the Cross-over trail to Hwy 1. Then take the “San Maria” trail just south of San Vencente. That trail takes you to the Costal route to Coyote Cals, or San Quintin. That’s a lot of hard top and a lot of extra time. But both trail bike and sport bikes can do this. For the expert riders you can take a side rout, “The goat trail” for some extra off-road riding.
You can also go west on Hwy 3 to Ensenada and then connect to Hwy 1. Then go south to the Coastal route. You can start the Coastal route at Santo Tomas.
You may want to avoid all this unwelcoming behavior and gates by following a new trend to trail head at Coyote Cals. We will watch your vehicles for free so you can start your ride going further south to San Quintin and maybe Catavina, good for a weekend ride. Stay at Coyote Cals and the beginning or end of your ride!
“Many of you frequent riders who stay ant Mike’s, Melings, and Melings Coyote have seen the very large metal gate at Mescal Ranch these last two years, just south of these important resorts. In the past, riders have been able to pass through free or sometimes with a fee of $40 to $20 dollars a rider.
No more! The owners are greeting riders with a black hood over the greeters head and a firearm, suggesting the riders to turn around. No worries though, we have an alternate route. The answer is to ride around the property to the south. About one mile before the gate there is a trail to the south. Take that trial. Pass the first opportunity to turn right, that road goes back to the ranch house, in about one mile you will see the corner of a fence that may be down, it can also be unhooked by hand, cross it and continue until you find the old trail again. The detour is about two and a half miles. The trail is extremely difficult due to this year’s rain.”
You may want to avoid all this unwelcoming behavior and gates by following a new trend to trail head at Coyote Cals. We will watch your vehicles for free so you can start your ride going further south to San Quintin and maybe Catavina, good for a weekend ride. Stay at Coyote Cals and the beginning or end of your ride!
The trail between Santo Tomas and Coyote Cal’s is open for off-road travel and through April to June the trail is extremely beautiful with spring flowers and ocean views. However, there is a half mile stretch as you come down the coastal hills to the ocean. This switch back area is very washed out from all the rain this year. There is a very high risk that you can lay down your can bike here! It is an expert part of the trail maybe not wise for a sports bike, common car or truck at this time.
