We returned to El Álamo, a long-abandoned gold rush town in Baja California, originally built in the 1800s. Last time, we explored its historic mill and mine (watch the full playlist here: El Álamo playlist). This time, our goal was different: mineral hunting.
And while we did find some cool minerals, what we really discovered blew us away.
In the heart of the desert, we unexpectedly ran into off-road racers practicing for the legendary Baja 500—kicking up clouds of dust and adrenaline. Then, just when we thought the day couldn’t get any stranger, we followed a mysterious, well-paved road that led us deep into the mountains…
Straight to Santa Catarina, a little-known Pai Pai Indigenous community.
Tucked away in the Sierra de Juárez, this remote village feels frozen in time—complete with an abandoned church that was haunting, peaceful, and unexpectedly fun to explore.
In This Episode:
- Mineral hunting near the ghost town of El Álamo
- Witnessing a surprise Baja 500 practice run
- Following a random road to a hidden place
- Discovering Santa Catarina, an ancestral Pai Pai village
- Exploring an abandoned desert church
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▶️ More Baja adventures:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_QJkHr1mAA&list=PLGBfZJB3fcq8HSW3WUx0hh4_LtHKBjBOh
📍 Exact location on Google Maps:
Santa Catarina – Pai Pai Community
🎵 Music in this video is from Epidemic Sound
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I actually found your channel through your earlier post on camping for women, and I’ve been hooked ever since! This Baja adventure was such a wild mix—ghost towns, off-road racers, and then stumbling upon a hidden Pai Pai community? That’s the kind of surprise that makes exploring so addictive. Thanks for sharing such an authentic glimpse of history and culture along with the adventure side of it.