Puerto Escondido, Tabor Canyon, and the Tripui Hills

By Dave Kelly, co-author of “Hiking Loreto”

Located about 10 miles south of Loreto is the picturesque Puerto Escondido. The port is under new management and is currently going through major renovations. The port has a full service marina, grocery store, PepeGina’s restaurant, RV park, and the Tripui hotel.

The groundskeeper at the Tripui Hotel has put in several really nice trails on the hills between the hotel, the port, and Rattlesnake beach. The trails are well designed and easy to follow with no difficulties. A nice loop with excellent views can be done from the hotel.

Hart Trail and Rattlesnake Beach

Take the highway south to the left hand turn for Puerto Escondido, park at the hotel and walk about 200 yards east towards the port, look for the trail heading up the hillside marked by white painted rocks. Once on the ridge you will reach a junction, going straight will bring you to the obvious summit with a new radio tower. To do the loop go left, in a short distance you will reach another junction, going right will bring you to Rattlesnake Beach. Go straight to several excellent viewpoints and return to this junction and take the trail down to Rattlesnake Beach. Once you reach the beach, take the Hart trail back up to the summit and back down to the Tripui Hotel. For those not wanting to climb back up, follow the roads back out to the hotel. The hotel has a nice restaurant and pool, the perfect place for a cold beer and lunch. The hotel is also a nice quiet place to stay to get away from the noise of Loreto.

While in the area, Tabor Canyon deserves a visit. Probably the most well-known hike in the Loreto area, also referred to as Steinbeck Canyon, named for the famous author, traveler, and fisherman John Steinbeck. At the Puerto Escondido turn on the highway, turn right on a dirt road by the power station, drive to the end, go right a short distance, and park where the road ends. Head up the Canyon past giant boulders.

There are several difficulties along the way, and those wishing to continue should be comfortable scrambling up fairly steep rock sections. Ladders and ropes may be in place where a large waterfall stops passage. There are numerous pools and twisting channels cut through the rock. The deep pools that were once a hallmark of this canyon are returning as the stream continues to cut through the debris deposited by the storms of 2013. Above the falls are luxuriant oases of palms and pools. Be sure to look for the cave paintings.

Find these hikes and more in the Hiking Loreto guide book, available in Loreto at: The Rick Jackson Gallery, Caballo Blanco bookstore, Geckos Curios and Gavilon.

Also available on line at HikingLoreto.com and through Discover Baja