Is It Safe To Go Hiking Alone in Mexico?

It depends. Let's talk about it.

Almost exactly two years ago, my mom visited me in Baja California Norte. She had traveled twice to Rocky Point to see me, but this was her first time in Baja.

In the months leading up to her visit, Mexico had a few incidents near the border on the mainland, and Mom was a little nervous about being there in the aftermath. I assured her that all would be well—and then proceeded to give her a heart attack during her stay.

We went offroading to get to a seaside hike.

My mom was on the edge of her seat on the drive down—even covering her face at some points. I have video footage of the drive and the hike and will post them on my YouTube channel once I get to that period in all the footage I have.

Aside from the fact that we were driving down a narrow dirt road at the edge of the mountain, my mom had a second concern.

Was it safe for us to be out there?

She relaxed once she saw other people were also in the location, but it was a valid question.

So, is it safe to go hiking alone in Mexico?

The short answer is no.

The long answer is that some places are safer than others. This area was frequented by other people and recommended to me by locals. I had been there once before with a guy, so having scoped out the area, I felt safe returning with my mom. When we arrived, overlanding families were grilling and picnicking for the weekend.

However, as a foreigner, I would never go hiking alone in Mexico, and I do not recommend it. The closer you are to the border or to areas with local cartels, the more dangerous it is to be out exploring remote areas by yourself.

I clearly went adventuring solo quite a few times, though, so there are safe ways to see the natural side of Mexico without worrying about your safety.

🛟 SAFETY TIP:

The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to ask the locals. Always get information on where to go and how to get there from a local you trust. Some will happily go with you. Overlanding rigs are fairly common in Mexico, especially in Baja, so you might even get to caravan in a group.

I lived and traveled in Mexico for three years and had no safety issues. This is despite a few warnings I received from locals that my FJ Cruiser could catch the cartel’s eye. The vehicle was a renowned favorite for its ability to traverse rugged and unmarked.

So, what else did I do to stay safe while living and exploring in Mexico? I’ll share those tips with paid subscribers next week.