Punta Banda ridge walk

The walk starts from informal pull-outs along the road to La Bufadora on the Punta Banda peninsula south of Ensenada, where parking is free and no permit is needed; the trail leaves directly uphill from the roadside. The round trip covers about 7 km with roughly 350 m of ascent, climbing a dirt and loose-rock track along the exposed spine of the peninsula, with no shade anywhere on the route and constant wind once the ridge is gained. The surface underfoot shifts between packed dirt lower down and loose, rocky ground higher up, so footing requires attention even though there is no technical scrambling involved. Landmarks along the way include the initial climb from the roadside pull-outs, a broad shoulder partway up that gives the first open views over Ensenada's bay, and the high point of the ridge, which looks north to the bay and city, south to the open Pacific, and out to the Todos Santos Islands, nicknamed the Killers reef, offshore. Hikers pressed for time can turn around at the shoulder and still get most of the coastal views. There are no water sources anywhere on the ridge, so all water must be carried, and there are no huts or shelters. Because the ridge is fully exposed, the walk is best avoided in the middle of a hot summer day or during strong wind events, both of which are common on this stretch of coast.