Mulege, Mexico
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Mulege is located in Baja Sur and is 625 miles South of Tijuana. A Jesuit priest founded Mulege in 1702. The area was soon introduced to more Jesuit priests and in 1705, a mission was founded. The mission was named Santa Rosalia de Mulege. The name Mulege means “large ravine of the white mouth” which is appropriate as the Santa Rosalia River runs through the middle of the town into an estuary.
Mulege is still relatively small with a population of approximately 3,500. Today, Mulege is often referred to as the “Land of Enchantment” due to its abundance of nature. It is also referred to as the “Hawaii of the Baja.” Mulege is a great tourist destination for those who want to relax and enjoy nature and for those who enjoy sport fishing.
One of Mulege’s most popular attractions is the cave paintings. The paintings are located on a private ranch, Rancho La Trinidad. A private tour guide who is located at Hotel Las Casitas must accompany visitors to the ranch. Visitors will need to be prepared to stop to register and show identification at the town’s government offices before being allowed into the caves. Rancho La Trinidad is 5,500 acres. Goat and cattle are produced on the ranch for cheese, milk, beef and leather products. The ranch also has a collection of plants and cactus of which some are over 400 years old. From April to September visitors may watch the making of goat cheese, lassos, whips and tanning leather. The next stop at the ranch is the caretaker’s cottage where visitors will need to register again before making the trek to the caves. Paintings in the caves date back to the Neolithic period, 1500 to 4500 years B.C.
Visitors will also want to visit Mission Santa Rosalia de Mulegé. The mission, which was built in 1766, has been completely restored and is now a Catholic Church. The vista of the mission gives visitors a view of the palm trees, a reservoir and the agricultural area of Mulege.
Fishing in Mulege is done in the north end of the Sea of Cortez and in areas closer to the town. During the summer, tuna, dorado, marlin and sailfish are abundant in the Sea of Cortez. For those fishing close to town there is an abundance of grouper, barracuda and yellow tail during the winter months. During the summer, snapper, skipjack, dorado, ladyfish and yellow fin tuna are common. Fishing in Mulege is quite abundant year round and there are numerous fishing boats available for fishing excursions.