Baja Highway 1 (Transpeninsular Highway)
Mexico, north-america
1,711 km
1,275 m
moderate
November-April (avoids extreme summer heat and hurricane season)
Baja Highway 1, officially the Carretera Transpeninsular, runs 1,711 kilometers from Tijuana at the US-Mexico border to Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the Baja California Peninsula. Completed in 1973, this was the first paved road to traverse the entire length of the peninsula, opening up one of North America's last great frontier landscapes to road trippers.
The highway crosses some of the most stark and beautiful desert scenery on the continent, from the wine country of Valle de Guadalupe to the otherworldly boulder fields of the Central Desert, where massive cardon cacti (the world's largest) stand sentinel. Along the way, travelers can detour to the Pacific coast for world-class surfing, visit ancient cave paintings in the Sierra de San Francisco, or stop at the magical lagoons of Guerrero Negro where grey whales calve each winter. The Sea of Cortez side offers pristine beaches and some of the best sport fishing in the world.
Where is it?
Baja Highway 1 (Transpeninsular Highway) is located in Baja California, Mexico (north-america). Coordinates: 28.0000, -113.5000
Driving Tips
Mexican auto insurance is mandatory and not covered by US policies. Fill up at every Pemex station as stretches between gas stops can be very long. Avoid driving at night due to livestock on the road and unmarked hazards. Bring spare tires as the road surface deteriorates in remote sections. Allow at least 4-5 days for the full drive.
Road Surface
Paved, variable quality with some rough sections and no shoulders
Road Details
- Country
- Mexico
- Continent
- north-america
- Region
- Baja California
- Length
- 1,711 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,275 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Surface
- Paved, variable quality with some rough sections and no shoulders
- Best Season
- November-April (avoids extreme summer heat and hurricane season)
- Coordinates
- 28.0000, -113.5000
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