Middle Mountain

Brief Description

This is an easy to intermediate hike of 4 kilometers (2.3 miles) that takes you from our Chivato Ranch to our Dos Hermanos Ranch. Along the way, there are lovely views of La Ventana Bay, Cerralvo Island, and Sierra de la Laguna, the highest peak in the state of Baja California Sur. Once you arrive at Dos Hermanos, you may have the opportunity to experience a working ranch where we produce artisanal cheeses and offer wine and cheese tastings. Along the trail, you also can see evidence of early gold and silver mining activities that took place in the 1800s at the Trinidad Mine.

Detailed Description

Starting at Rancho Chivato, the walk begins by following a short section of dirt road heading west.

At about a third of a kilometer (a quarter of a mile), the trail heads off to the right and slowly ascends to what is now the remains of the old Trinidad Mine. Today, the abandoned mining tunnels are home to previously endangered lesser long-nosed bats — Leptonycteris yerbabuenae — the primary pollinator of cardon cacti. This species of bat is currently being researched by Mexican and American scientists. Here you can observe the entrance to one of these tunnels and the solar tracking equipment used in this study.

At the highest point along the trail, at about 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles), the views open eastward over La Ventana Bay and Cerralvo Island. To the south, you often see the highest peak in Baja California Sur, 2080 meters (6824 feet) above sea level, which is located in the national park of Sierra de la Laguna. This is an ideal spot to rest and appreciate the scenery and views, as well as to carefully poke around the nearby old pit and trench of the Trinidad Mine.

Farther ahead, there are two intersections with other trails, one that leads to the Agua Cuata spring, and another that goes to Cañada de Geraldos. At both of these intersections you will want to continue east to stay on the Middle Mountain trail.

Near the end of the trail, you pass the remains of an ancient water well. Just a short distance ahead you enter the grounds of Rancho Dos Hermanos and reach the end of the hike. Depending on the type of adventure you have booked, you may have the opportunity to taste our artisanal cheeses made by Yeni, our resident cheesemaker. Be sure to wander around and see how we are implementing permaculture techniques throughout our farmstead and gardens. We take a holistic and long-term approach to restore soil, conserve water, and redirect waste streams as we work to make our livestock and gardens prosper.