Lighthouses of Mexico: Baja California

The Baja California region of Mexico is a peninsula more than 1300 km (800 miles) long, stretching south from the U.S. border at Tijuana to the resorts of Cabo San Lucas. "Baja," as it is usually called, separates the Pacific on the west from the Sea of Cortés (Gulf of California) on the east. The west coast is popular with surfers and the east coast attracts sea kayakers and ecotourists.

The state of Baja California occupies the northern half of the peninsula, while the state of Baja California Sur occupies the southern half, the border between the two states being at latitude 28° north. The largest cities, Tijuana and Mexicali, are in the far north close to the U.S. border. At the far southern end of the peninsula, the municipality of Los Cabos is a very popular resort area. Many visitors arrive by air or cruise ship, but there are also paved highways running the length of the peninsula.

Many of the lighthouses of Baja California are in remote areas and are seldom visited. Additional information and photos would certainly be welcome. Because of the rugged topography of the peninsula, most of the lighthouses are short towers located at the tops of bluffs or ridges overlooking the sea.

Mexican lighthouses are managed by the Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes, the cabinet agency that also manages the country's airports and seaports. Many of the larger light stations are staffed by resident civilian keepers.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume G of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. All U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 111.

Faro de Tijuana
Faro de Tijuana, July 2007
anonymous Creative Commons photo
Northern Pacific Coast Lighthouses (Baja California state)
* Tijuana
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white flash every 6 s. 22 m (72 ft) cylindrical white concrete tower, unpainted. Miguel Angel Sauceda has a December 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was built fairly recently as part of a plan to develop Tijuana's beachfront. Located next to the beach just a few feet from the U.S. border and the "Bullring by the Sea" (Plaza de Toros Monumental), which is part of the same development. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MEX-083; Admiralty G3635.5; NGA 14338.
Islas las Coronados North (1)
Date unknown. Inactive. White pyramidal tower with 1-story keeper's house. A closeup photo is available. The islands are about 42 km (26 mi) southwest of San Diego. Located on a ridge at the north end of South Coronado Island. Accessible only by boat. ARLHS MEX-111.
Islas las Coronados North (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 75 m (246 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) octagonal cylindrical white concrete tower with lantern and gallery. A rather distant photo is available. Located high on the ridge above the older lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. ARLHS MEX-110; Admiralty G3635; NGA 14344.
Islas las Coronados South
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 48 m (157 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 6 m (20 ft) cylindrical white concrete tower with lantern and gallery. A photo is available. Located on a steep rocky bluff at the south end of South Coronado Island. Accessible only by boat. ARLHS MEX-112; Admiralty G3634; NGA 14348.
Ensenada West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green flash every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower. A photo is available. Located at the end of the main breakwater of Ensenada. Site and tower closed. Admiralty G3626; NGA 14372.
Islas de Todos Santos (1)
Date unknown. Inactive. Stone tower, about 14 m (45 ft tall), attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lantern removed. The building is abandoned and deteriorating. The tower is in the background of Leonardo Galicia's photo at right, and Galicia also has a closeup. ARLHS MEX-109.
Islas de Todos Santos (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); white flash every 7 s. 30 m (98 ft) concrete tower with two galleries, lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. A small clamshell Fresnel lens is in use. An aerial photo is available, Leonardo Galicia's distant view is at right, and Google has a satellite view showing both lighthouses. The lighthouse is on the northwest tip of the northern of the two islands of Todos Santos, located in the Bahía de Ensenada about 20 km (13 mi) west of Ensenada. The islands are well known as a surfing site. Accessible only by boat. Site open. ARLHS MEX-078; Admiralty G3620; NGA 14364.
* Punta Banda
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal masonry tower with gallery, painted white. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Punta Banda is the tip of a long promontory, part of the same ridge that continues underwater to the Islas de Todos Santos. The cape is accessible by 4WD vehicles. Located at the end of the peninsula. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G3622; NGA 14376.
* Punta San José
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); four white flashes every 16 s. 10 m (33 ft) cylindrical white concrete tower with gallery; no lantern. A fine closeup, a distant view,and another distant photo are available. Another site popular with surfers, Punta San José is about 40 km (25 mi) southwest of Santo Tomas by a dirt road. The lighthouse stands on a bluff overlooking the beach. Site open. ARLHS MEX-184; Admiralty G3619.5; NGA 14380.

Faros de las Islas de Todos Santos, January 2004
Creative Commons photo by Leonardo Galicia
* Punta Baja
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); foru white flashes every 16 s. 8 m (26 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with gallery. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Punta Baja is a sharp promontory pointing southward about 16 km (10 mi) south of El Rosario. Accessible by 4WD vehicles. Located on the tip of the cape. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G3616.4; NGA 14394.
Isla San Jeronimo
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 47 m (154 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 6 m (20 ft) hexagonal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; solar-powered lens. No still photo available, but the lighthouse appears in a YouTube video by Tomas Zyber. This lighthouse is probably typical of many small light towers on the Mexican coast. Located at the summit of the island about 8 km (5 mi) northwest of San Antonio. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MEX-108; Admiralty G3616; NGA 14396.
Islas San Benito
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 130 m (426 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 17 m (56 ft) white tower with keeper's house; lantern painted black. Philip Colla has a photo. The islands, home to numerous birds and elephant seals, are a popular destination for ecotours, which often visit the lighthouse. Located atop the largest island, northwest of Isla Cedros and about 80 km (50 mi) west of the peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site open. ARLHS MEX-071; Admiralty G3613; NGA 14412.

Isla de Guadalupe Lighthouses
Note: The Isla de Guadalupe is a volcanic island located far out in the Pacific, 240 km (150 mi) west of Baja California. The island is about 35 km (22 mi) long and 9 km (5.5 mi) wide. There is no permanent population, but several small fishing camps are occupied most of the year. The island also has an airstrip.
Isla de Guadalupe Norte
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 12 m (39 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. Phillip Colla has a closeup photo, Vernon de Pietro has a more distant view, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is located at the anchorage on the northeastern coast of the island. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G3613.6; NGA 14401.
Isla de Guadalupe Oeste
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 48 m (157 ft); four white flashes every 16 s. 12 m (39 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on a prominent cape on the southwestern side of the island. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G3613.5; NGA 14400.
Isla de Guadalupe Sud
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 12 m (39 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the southern tip of the island. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G3613.7; NGA 14402.

Southern Pacific Coast Lighthouses (Baja California Sur)
* Guerrero Negro (Puerto Venustiano Carranza, Laguna Ojo de Liebre)
Date unknown. Inactive. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery and four ribs. Entire lighthouse painted white. Robert Todd's 2007 photo shows that the lantern has disappeared, although it is seen in an older (2004?) photo. A 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse guided ships arriving to load salt at the Laguna Ojo de Liebre, also called Scammon's Lagoon. It was replaced by a series of range lights on wooden posts marking the twisting entrance. Located at the wharf of the salt works, about 12 km (7.5 mi) southwest of Guerrero Negro (now known officially as Puerto Venustiano Carranza). Site open, tower closed.
Isla Cedros
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); four white flashes every 16 s. 6.5 m (21 ft) square pyramidal concrete tower with gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A view from the sea is available. This light is a sibling of the Punta Baja light. Located at the northern point of Isla Cedros, a large island, about 65 km (40 mi) west northwest of Guerrero Negro. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G3610; NGA 14448.
Isla Natividad
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 111 m (364 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 16 m (52 ft) gray masonry tower rising from a 1-story keeper's house. A 2009 closeup photo is available, there is a photo taken through a window of the lighthouse (1/3 the way down the page), and Google has a satellite view. Isla Natividad is off Punta Eugenia, about 65 km (40 mi) west of Guerrero Negro. The island is popular with surfers. Located at the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open; tower apparently open. ARLHS MEX-040; Admiralty G3606; NGA 14456.
* Punta Abreojos
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 20 m (66 ft) ribbed concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Joe Makares has contributed a photo, Roy Baldwin has posted a photo taken from the other side, and Google has a satellite view. Accessible by 4WD: Punta Abreojos is at the end of 84 km (52 mi) of dirt road. In 2004 at least part of the road was being paved. Located on the beach at the south end of town; Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MEX-047; Admiralty G3600; NGA 14480.
* Boca de Pabellon (San Andresito)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery centered on a square concrete base. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. A closeup photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the south side of the mouth of the Río Pabellon at Puerto San Andresito. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G3598.7; NGA 14492.
* Puerto López Mateos
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white flash every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery centered on a square concrete base. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. A photo is available. Located on the waterfront of Puerto López Mateos. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G3598.5; NGA 14496.5.
Faro de Abreojos
Faro de Punta Abreojos, 2004
photo copyright Joe Makares; used by permission
Cabo San Lazaro
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 70 m (230 ft); white flash every 6 s. 7 m (23 ft) square cylindrical tower with gallery rising from the seaward side of a 1-story keeper's house. A view from the sea is available, there's a photo taken atop the tower, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the cape, which juts into the Pacific west of San Marcos. This is a remote site, difficult to access. Site status unknown. ARLHS MEX-102; Admiralty G3598; NGA 14500.
Punta Tosca
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 81 m (266 ft); white flash every 6 s. White square tower with keeper's house. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on the point of Punta Tosca, the rugged southernmost tip of Isla Santa Margarita, at the southern end of Bahía Magdalena. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS MEX-128; Admiralty G3592; NGA 14532.
* Todos Santos
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white flash every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery centered on a square concrete base. Lighthouse painted with black and white horizontal bands. An excellent photo is available. Located near Todos Santos, a town about 45 km (28 mi) north of Cabo San Lucas. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MEX-077; Admiralty G3591; NGA 14544.

Los Cabos Lighthouses (Baja California Sur)
* Cabo Falso (1) ("Faro Viejo")
1890?. Inactive since 1967. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower, rising from a 1-story stone keeper's house. Guillermo Flores has a good closeup, Paula Thomas has a different view, and Google has a satellite view. Despite its name, the lighthouse is not truly at Cabo Falso but is at the westernmost extension of Cabo San Lucas about 5 km (3 mi) southwest of the town. Located atop a bluff at a point of the cape. Site accessible by horseback or ATV from the resorts of the Cabo San Lucas area. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS MEX-101.
* Cabo Falso (2)
1967. Active; focal plane 190 m (623 ft); white flash every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) hexagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A 2007 photo is available, Rob A. Johnston has a distant view showing both lighthouses, and Google has an excellent satellite view. Located on heights above the cape. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MEX-102; Admiralty G3586; NGA 14548.
*** Cabo San Lucas Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); white light, 1 s on, 2 s off. 20 m (65 ft) (?) white tower with an observation room and gallery topped by a flat roof. The navigation light appears to be mounted on the gallery rail. A closeup photo and a late 2007 photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. The rear range light is on an 8 m (26 ft) skeletal tower on a hillside about 290 m (315 yd) west northwest. The lighthouse is built on the roof of a building at the Tesoro Los Cabos resort hotel on the Cabo San Lucas beachfront, overlooking the yacht harbor. Site and tower open. Site manager: Tesoro Resort Los Cabos. ARLHS MEX-103; Admiralty G3590; NGA 14553.
* Cabo San Lucas South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); green flash every 5 s. 14 m (46 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. V. Durazo has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the short south jetty at the entrance to the yacht harbor of Cabo San Lucas. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G3589.2; NGA 14550.
* Cabo San Lucas North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 21 m (69 ft); red flash every 5 s. Approx. 19 m (62 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with gallery, painted white and mounted on a square pyramidal concrete base. A photo is available, Keith Overholt has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. The listed focal plane is 16 m (52 ft), but in the photos we see that the light has been moved to the top of a mast mounted on the gallery. Located at the end of the short north jetty at the entrance to the yacht harbor of Cabo San Lucas. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G3589.1; NGA 14549.
* Cabeza Ballena
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); three white flashes every 12 . 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical white concrete tower with gallery. Eric Costella has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The name means "whale head." Located on a promontory about 8 km (5 mi) east of the Cabo San Lucas beachfront. Accessible by 4WD. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty G3585; NGA 14556.
San José del Cabo
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete tower, painted with red and white bands. 1-story masonry keeper's house. A view from the sea is available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. San José del Cabo is about 40 km (25 mi) northwest of Cabo San Lucas. ARLHS MEX-074; Admiralty G3584; NGA 14560.
Punta Arena Sur (La Ribera)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); four white flashes every 16 s. 12 m (39 ft) strongly conical concrete tower with double gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. Abandoned 1-story masonry keeper's house. The local government's photo appears at right, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The site is reported to be on a military reservation. Located several miles south of La Ribera and 18 km (11 mi) north of Cabo Pulma at the north end of the area known as the East Cape. Site and tower closed. ARLHS MEX-123; Admiralty G3580; NGA 14568.
La Ribera Lighthouse
Faro de la Ribera, Punta Arena Sur
Municipio de Los Cabos photo

Southern Sea of Cortés Lighthouses (Baja California Sur)
* Punta Arena de la Ventana (Las Arenas) (1)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 10 m (33 ft) cylindrical white concrete tower with gallery, mounted on a square concrete base. A Google's satellite view shows an isolated tower with no keeper's house. In 2009, a new lighthouse was under construction; we do not know if the old one will be demolished after it is replaced. Located 70 km (44 mi) southeast of La Paz overlooking the Cerralvo Channel. The lighthouse appears to be about 1.5 km (1 mi) from the nearest main road and is probably accessible by 4WD. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MEX-122; Admiralty G3578; NGA 14572.
* Punta Arena de la Ventana (Las Arenas) (2)
2009 (station establishment date unknown). Under construction: approx. 25 m (82 ft) round cylindrical white concrete tower with gallery. A photo of the two lighthouses is available, and Charles Chandler has a closeup. Located adjacent to the historic lighthouse.
Islote de la Reina
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white flash every 6 s. 7 m (24 ft) cylindrical metal tower, painted white. This is one of the best known dive sites of Baja California, and visitors often mention the lighthouse. No photo available. Located on a rocky islet just off the northern tip of Isla Cerralvo. ARLHS MEX-113; Admiralty G3576.6; NGA 14584.
Punta Prieta (La Paz)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 20 m (66 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower centered on a 2 or 3-story building. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Punta Prieta lies about 25 km (15 mi) north of La Paz, and this is the light guding vessels to the harbor approach. The lighthouse is surrounded by a Pemex petroleum facility. Located on the point of the cape. Site and tower closed. ARLHS MEX-127; Admiralty G3570; NGA 14588.
Punta Lobos
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); four white flashes every 16 s. 12 m (39 ft) round white concrete tower. No photo available. Located on the sharp northeastern tip of Isla Carmen, a large island off Puerto Escondito. Probably accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty G3563.58; NGA 14685.
** Mulege (Muleje, Punta El Sombrerito)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); four white flashes every 16 s. 12 m (39 ft) square white cylindrical tower, with gallery but no lantern, rising from a 1-story keeper's house. Alejandro Crivellari has posted a 2007 photo, a closeup view and a distant view are also available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at Punta El Sombrerito atop a large rock marking the entrance to the harbor. Accessible by a short hike across the beach followed by a steep climb. Site open, tower evidently open. ARLHS MEX-118; Admiralty G3562; NGA 14696.
Cabo Virgenes
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); four white flashes every 16 s. 10 m (33 ft) white cylindrical tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available. Located on a rugged promontory about 15 km (9 mi) north of Santa Rosalia. Site status unknown. ARLHS MEX-024; Admiralty G3552; NGA 14717.

Northern Sea of Cortés Lighthouses (Baja California state)
Bahía de San Francisquito
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white flash every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marks a small, sheltered harbor at San Francisquito. Located on the west side of the harbor entrance. Site open; a visitor found the tower open. Admiralty G3550; NGA 14718.
* Punta Arenas (Bahía de Los Ángeles)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); four white flashes every 16 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A good photo and a second photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a sand spit partially sheltering the waterfront of Bahía de Los Angeles, a small resort town. Site open, tower apparently open. Admiralty G3547.6; NGA 14726.
* San Felipe
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 6 s. 22 m (72 ft) cylindrical white concrete tower with four buttresses, adjoining a 1-story keeper's house. A photo appears at right; a second excellent photo and a closeup photo are also available, and Google has a satellite view. This is the one of the most accessible major lighthouses of Baja California. Located on a headland in the town of San Felipe. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS MEX-072; Admiralty G3542; NGA 14756.
Faro de San Felipe
Faro de San Felipe, April 2008
Creative Commons photo by Roger Smith

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Checked and revised June 19, 2009. Lighthouses: 42. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.