Quick summary: SCORE unveiled the official 2026 Baja 1000 course on Oct 3, 2026. It is a 964.66-mile loop that starts and finishes on Avenida Centenario in San José del Cabo, runs up the East Cape and the Sea of Cortez to Loreto, returns down the Pacific side, and has four checkpoints. Motorcycles start at 1 a.m. and cars, trucks and UTVs at 9 a.m. Los Cabos time (midnight and 8 a.m. PT) on Friday, Nov 13.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Announced | Oct 3, 2026, at a SCORE press conference during the King Shocks Off-Road Expo |
| Distance | 964.66 miles for Pro classes; about 890 miles for Sportsman classes and Classes 9, 11 and 7SX |
| Start and finish | Avenida Centenario, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur |
| Race start | Friday, Nov 13, 2026: motorcycles and quads 1 a.m., cars, trucks and UTVs 9 a.m. (Los Cabos time; midnight and 8 a.m. PT) |
| Time limit | 40 hours |
| Tech and contingency | Wed–Thu, Nov 11–12, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., on Avenida Centenario |
| GPS course files | On the SCORE website at about 6 p.m. on Oct 22, 2026; pre-running opens Oct 24 at 8 a.m. |
| Still not published | Spectator areas and the awards venue |
Where does the 2026 Baja 1000 course go?
From Avenida Centenario the course drops into the San José Wash, then heads up the East Cape past Cabo Pulmo, La Ribera and Los Barriles, inland to San Juan de los Planes, and across Federal Highway 1 near San Pedro to El Centenario outside La Paz (checkpoint 1). It climbs Cerro del Mechudo, runs up the Sea of Cortez coast through San Evaristo, then crosses into Comondú to checkpoint 2. Racers go through San Javier and along Loreto’s Malecón (speed-limited to 37 mph), loop through San José de Comondú to checkpoint 3 at Ejido Francisco Villa, and turn south down the Pacific side past Estero Santo Domingo, Puerto Chale and checkpoint 4 at Santa Fe. The last leg passes north of Todos Santos and through Pescadero, then returns to the San José Wash for a final 15 miles to the finish.
It is the first Baja 1000 held entirely inside Baja California Sur. More than 250 teams are expected, SCORE says.
Where are the 2026 Baja 1000 checkpoints?
| Checkpoint | Location | Race mile |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Centenario, near La Paz | 213.60 |
| 2 | Ejido Ley Federal No. 2, before the highway (Comondú) | 405.39 |
| 3 | Ejido Francisco Villa (Comondú) | 604.07 |
| 4 | Santa Fe (La Paz municipality) | 781.49 |
What does the new course mean for fans?
The start/finish on Avenida Centenario is the easiest place to see the cars and riders up close, above all during tech inspection and contingency on Nov 11–12. Out on the course, SCORE hasn’t named spectator areas yet, and it asks fans to stay at least 100 ft from the course. Two speed-limited sections, Loreto’s Malecón (37 mph) and a controlled zone near San José de Comondú, are in towns rather than open desert. See every place on our 2026 Baja 1000 course map, check the 2026 Baja 1000 event page for the race-week schedule, and read the spectator guide before you go.
The Oct 3 description does not name three towns from SCORE’s Aug 13 race preview: Ciudad Constitución, Puerto San Carlos and Cabo San Lucas.
Sources: SCORE International – The beauty of Baja Sur will be on full display along the course of the SCORE Baja 1000 Cabo to Cabo (Oct 3, 2026) SCORE – 59th Baja 1000 race-week times in Mountain Standard Time, Los Cabos local (Oct 8, 2026) SCORE – 2026 Baja 1000 event schedule (PDF, Sep 28, 2026). Facts verified October 4, 2026; start times confirmed as Los Cabos local time October 9, 2026.
Cite this page: Race.mx, “SCORE unveils the 2026 Baja 1000 course: 964.66 miles”, race.mx/baja-1000-2026-official-course-checkpoints/ (updated ).