Sierra la Laguna Biosphere Reserve

Sierra la Laguna Biosphere Reserve is a protected natural area in Baja California Sur in western Mexico. The Sierra la Laguna is a small mountain range with thick green forests at its higher elevations. It is an oasis of green in a region dominated by sandy, rocky dry deserts. The Sierra la Laguna is a critical watershed for the city of La Paz and for the resort areas of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo.

It is a large area covering more than 112,000 hectares.

Before the conquest of Mexico, the mountains were inhabited by an indigenous people known as the Pericú. The land was lightly exploited from the 17th through the mid 20th century, but large-scale industrial corporation wanted to destroy the environment to build gold mining operations. Scientists raised concerns about the fact that the watershed supplies the vast majority of drinking water to southern Baja. In 1994 a presidential decree signed by Carlos Salinas Gotari established protections as a biosphere reserve. This was augmented by the UNESCO Biosphere designation in 2003.

The landscape of the Sierra la Laguna contrasts sharply with the dry lowlands from which it rises up sharply with sheer cliffs, huge granite boulders, and deep canyons like Cañón de la Zorra with a narrow river that forms calm swimming pools and even a 12-meter high waterfall. Picacho is the highest peak in Baja California Sur with an elevation of 2,090 meters.

The reserve is often described as an island in the sky due to its high-elevation forests contrasting with the very close-by flat desert landscape that covers most of southern Baja California. More than 2,000 species have been identified in the reserve (most of them plants) and 23% of the species are endemic. The high proportion of endemic species is attributed to the geological separation of the Baja peninsula from mainland Mexico which gave nature millions of years to evolve distinct species.

The types of plants and animals that you are likely to see depends on whether you are in the desert-like lowlands, or higher up the mountains in the forests. The mountain-top forests are dominated by pine, oak and similar trees. In the desert lowlands, vegetation includes massive cacti (including giant cardones), saguaros, pitayas, and twisted elephant trees.

The biggest and most dramatic of the park's mammals are the pumas. Aside from being apex predators who find plenty of mule deer and other animals to hunt, the puma are protected in the reserve and many are tracked by biologists. Other mammals in the park include large numbers of coyotes, gray foxes, and black-tail hares.

There are about 60 bird species living in the park including eagles, hawks, vultures and hummingbirds. Reptiles include lizards, tree frogs and a number of snakes.

The climate varies dramatically by elevation with hot, arid desert conditions in the lowlands and a cool, temperate climate in the forested highlands. In the lowlands, daytime high temperatures regularly exceed 40°C while winter nights in the highland forests can drop below freezing (0°C). The reserve gets little rain, but what moisture it does get tends to fall between the months of August and October when tropical storms drive the local "rainy season" (which isn't particularly rainy compared to other coastal areas).

23.566667-1101MISSING WIKILINK Sierra de la Laguna There's basically two ways to get to the Sierra la Laguna from the Los Cabos resort areasː 1) book a day trip from one of the tour operators, it will cost a little more but removes logistical problems. 2) rent a 4WD truck in Los Cabos and drive there yourself. You will want the 4WD because access roads are unpaved dirt back roads.

Before leaving, download maps because you will lose cell signal in the remote mountainous area.

From San Jose del Cabo, drive north on highway MEX-1 (towards La Paz) for about 1 hour. Look for the turnoffs to either Santiago or Miraflores. Which turnoff you use depends on what you want to see and doː the two roads go through enitrely different canyons. Use the Santiago turnoff if you want to see the Cañón de la Zorra (Fox Canyon Waterfall) or the El Chorro Hot Springs. Use the Miraflores turnoff if you want to go to the Santa Rita Hot Springs or to Boca de la Sierra/

The reserve is managed for the federal government by the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP). CONANP charges a daily admission fee of M$125. The fee can be paid in cash at major trailheads into the park or at either of two range stations at El Portón or La Burrera. Be aware that trailheads or access to some of the park's features (including Canon de Zorra) are via privately owned or ejido lands. These landowners usually allow public access upon payment of a modest fee (usually M$100 to M$200). Carry modest amounts of cash with you to handle such payments.

• Hiking mountain trails through pine-oak forests
• Hot springs soak in a natural thermal bath
• Swim in clear natural pools

• La Paz
• San José del Cabo
• Cabo San Lucas