'''Puertecitos and Its Extraordinary Tidal Hot Springs'''

Copyright 2008 and 2009 by J. Hawk. All rights reserved.

Puertecitos is located in Northern Baja California about 90 km or 52 miles south of San Felipe, down the newly-improved San Felipe-Puertecitos road. This seaside campo, which currently consists mostly of abandoned trailers and seaside bungalows, was founded in 1949 by Rafael Orozco and is one of the main tourist attractions of this part of Northern Baja due to it being host to what is perhaps one of the most beautiful and unique natural hot springs in North America.

Puertecitos is not big on amenities, so it_fs suggested to bring what you_fll be consuming with you. Just before the entrance, you_fll see a Pemex gas station, that is usually closed, a small general store (Abarrotes Las Palmas), and a drinking water outlet. The Cow Patty is a creatively-decorated bar located about a mile north of the campo on the west side of the road, if you want to enjoy a drink with the locals.

In addition to the hot springs, the campo of Puertecitos offers palapa camping, a sandy beach, toilets and a restaurant. It also has a dirt airstrip where adventurous pilots can land their small planes in Puertecitos to enjoy the nearby hot springs on their aeronautical trip further south. A gatekeeper usually collects $10 per car at the entrance, but if he_fs not there, he usually catches up with you later at the springs if you drive in.

The Puertecitos hot springs are located a short drive from the campo entrance on a medium-quality dirt road. Go past the camping area to its left, toward the residential area, and once in the residential area, generally stay to the right at just about every fork in the dirt road except when you see the marked entrance to the springs on the left.

When arriving at the hot springs for the first time, all you can see are rocks leading to the sea, but on closer examination, you will discern several pools nestled among the rocks. They have varying degrees of temperature, depending on the tidal level and the pool_fs proximity to the springs and the sea. Be very careful to test the water before you enter since at low tide the pools are hot enough to burn. It is also advisable to consult a tide calendar before visiting, since the best time for using these natural springs is about mid-tide in order for the thermal and sea water to mix for a comfortable soak. For example, when high tide is at 1:30pm, the springs are too hot at 11am and they are perfect to soak in at noon. At high tide, the tubs are submerged, and so the water is not much warmer than the sea.

The alchemical combination of clean sea water and geothermal sulfur spring water make the Puertecitos hot springs especially unique, and numerous people believe that they have experienced therapeutic benefits from the water. One elder gentleman in particular testified that he had made a special trip to Puertecitos from Washington State because the healing waters of the hot spring relieved his arthritis and allowed him much greater movement in his hands.