Orchards planted by the Jesuits in the 18th century continue to support the family that oversees the Mission San Borja today. Located in the foothills of the Sierra San Borja, the village makes an interesting side trip for leisurely travelers who want to see some high-altitude scenery or follow the Jesuit mission trail and who are equipped for off-road driving.

There are two ways to reach San Borja, and each is about 35 kilometers long. The better of the two heads east from Rosarito on Highway 1. It should take less than an hour to reach the settlement via this route. The second, rougher option departs from the paved Bahía de los Angeles at Km. 44 and takes about 90 minutes.

Misión San Francisco Borja de Adác

In prehistoric times, the Cochimí established a settlement called Adác in the foothills of the Sierra San Borja, west of Bahía los Angeles, where two freshwater springs could support a small community. The Jesuits discovered the site in the 18th century and initially built a visita, or subordinate mission, to Misión Santa Gertrudis, which was located south of the present-day border between Baja California (Norte) and Baja California Sur.

Jesuit Padre Wenceslaus Linck established Mission San Borja (1762–1818) in 1762, and the Franciscans took over five years later, in 1767, followed by the Dominicans in 1773. A stone church was completed in 1801, and in 1818, the mission was secularized. Some of the original church has been restored, and the local community uses it occasionally for services.

The mission is open 8 A.M.–6 P.M. daily. Caretaker José Angel Gerardo Monteón is a fourth-generation Cochimí, and his children offer walking tours to nearby hot springs. They can also guide you on a 1.5-hour driving tour to see some of the Sierra San Borja rock art sites. Fees are by donation. The family recently built five concrete-floor palapas for campers (US$5–10).

Rock Art

Historian Harry W. Crosby describes the rock art in this part of Baja as the “red-on-granite” school, for their use of a single color painted on the sides of large boulders, rather than on the walls and ceilings of caves. At least two major sites are accessible from San Borja: Las Tinajitas (more difficult to find) and Montevideo. Ask around in San Borja for a guide.

Surfing and Windsurfing

At the south end of Bahía Santa Rosalillita, off Punta Rosarito, is a surf break called The Wall that creates consistent, sizable, and well-formed waves in swells form any direction. When The Wall is too big, surfers in the know head 29 kilometers north to Punta Santa Rosalillita, where a long right point breaks during big west and northwest swells. Windsurfers also enjoy steady winds on the bay.