Landmark 26 km southwest of Loreto
A remote Jesuit mission in the Sierra de la Giganta, with a fine 18th-century stone church and a centuries-old olive tree.
San Javier is a small village in a green canyon of the Sierra de la Giganta, about 35 kilometers southwest of Loreto, and its church is often called the most beautiful of the Baja California missions. The Jesuit Francisco María Píccolo founded the mission in 1699 at a spring the Cochimí called Viggé-Biaundó, making it the second mission on the peninsula after Loreto.
The stone church that stands today was built between 1744 and 1758 under Father Miguel Barco. It is remarkably well preserved, with thick walls of dark volcanic stone, a bell tower, and a gilded altarpiece inside. Behind the church, in the old mission garden, grows an olive tree said to be around 300 years old, its trunk twisted like rope.
The village is a handful of houses, orchards and ranches along the arroyo, and the trip up is part of the appeal: the road climbs through canyons and cardón forests, past small ranches, with wide views back toward the sea. In early December, pilgrims and riders on horseback come up from Loreto for the feast of Saint Francis Xavier.
What to see and do
Step inside the 18th-century stone church and see its gilded altarpiece.
Find the centuries-old olive tree in the garden behind the mission.
Stop on the way up to look at the canyon views over the Sierra de la Giganta.
Have a simple lunch at one of the small family eateries in the village.
Getting there
From Loreto, drive south on Highway 1 for a few kilometers and take the signed turnoff west to San Javier. The road climbs about 35 kilometers through the mountains; it is winding and slow, so allow roughly an hour or more each way. There are no gas stations, so fill up in Loreto. Many Loreto tour operators run half-day trips to the mission.
26 km southwest of Loreto
Directions from Loreto on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather warm
Misión San Javier shares the climate of Loreto, 26 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Apr, May, Nov.
Make Loreto your base
Misión San Javier is an easy trip from Loreto, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.