Valle de los Gigantes cactus walk

The site lies about 20 minutes south of San Felipe on Highway 5, reached by turning onto a short sandy access track that is passable in a standard car in dry conditions, with an entry fee of around MXN 150 per vehicle collected at a small gate. The loop covers about 3 km on flat, sandy tracks winding among the cardon cactus, with no elevation gain and firm enough sand underfoot for easy walking, though loose patches can slow a stroller. There is no shade anywhere on the site, since the open desert floor is the whole point of the walk, so sun exposure is constant. Landmarks are the cardon cacti themselves, some reaching 15 m in height and several hundred years old, spaced widely enough across the valley floor that the loop can be shortened or extended informally depending on how far visitors want to walk among them. There is no fixed turn-around point; most visitors simply loop back once satisfied with the view, and the entrance gate area doubles as the only facility on site. No water sources exist on the loop, though the short distance means two litres per person is generally sufficient. There are no huts or shelters. The site is at its most photogenic at sunrise or in the last hour of daylight, when low sun angles throw long shadows from the cacti across the sand.