La Jolla Campground — Parque Nacional Constitución de 1857

Tucked into the Sierra Juárez at roughly 4,200 feet, La Jolla Campground sits inside Parque Nacional Constitución de 1857 on the shore of a small seasonal lake. The sites are basic — fire rings, pit toilets, a few flat spots under the pines — but the setting punches well above its weight. You’re in cool mountain air while the Sonoran Desert bakes a few thousand feet below. Busy on Mexican holiday weekends; empty most of the time. No hookups, no showers, no cell signal worth mentioning.

Access is via the dirt road off MEX-3 east of Ensenada toward Ojos Negros — the last stretch is rough gravel and rocky two-track that’ll filter out low-clearance rigs. High-clearance 2WD can make it in dry conditions; 4WD is your insurance. Water availability varies by season — carry your own. Best seasons are spring and fall; snow is possible in winter.

Sierra Juárez pine camp above the desert.