A hike up and down Cabo’s Cross Hill

view of the bay at cabo san lucas from atop cross hill

Last Updated on May 28, 2023 by Ellen

We were only in Cabo a few days but we did take an unusual walk up and down Cabo’s Cross Hill. It only took us about 20 minutes to get to the top – even with a stop for photos half way up. But it took me quite awhile longer to get down to the beach behind the hill.

Some TripAdvisor posts warn people it’s not exactly easy going to get to the top, but I’m here to tell you it’s not exactly difficult, either. If someone like me – who is vertically challenged – can do this, chances are great you can do it, too.

ellen and theo atop cross hill in cabo san lucas mexico

A man collects “donations” outside the entrance off the street. We gave the equivalent of a couple of dollars . Eugene speaks fluent English and he’s interesting to talk with. He told us about a vortex of energy at the top near the cross – specifically a ‘hole’ in the rock all the way down to ground level that is found in front of the cross.

I certainly felt some kind of energy, but I felt stronger energy at certain vortexes in Sedona, Arizona.

No big deal — most people don’t go up there to experience a vortex – they go to see the incredible views. Cross Hill is pictured from the marina below, and then you can see two of the incredible views from the top.


Once we relaxed and checked out the views and felt the energy from the top, we decided to climb down the back way to get to the beach. There is not path the back way (on the other side you can see a foot path most of the way up, and when you get to the smooth rocks, there are small orange flags tied to cacti and spray painted onto smooth surfaces).

It probably took me about a half hour to get down. My vision isn’t the best, aside from being vertically challenged on hikes (I get vertigo – but oddly I have no problems on planes). So I had to go slow to ensure I didn’t step on cacti – the whole area is covered with all shapes and sizes and spikes.

Once I got down the big hill, there was a sort of steep wash that led right down to the beach. Here’s a look at that part of the climb down once I got all the way down to the beach. People can be seen if you look closely, at the top and at near the bottom.

Then it was time to relax and enjoy the beach. At one point, Tedly was in the water beyond the break and a lifeguard told him to come back ashore. There are two lifeguards there to keep people from going out too far since you are at the end of Baja, the currents are strong, and boats go zooming by to take tourists to the famed ‘arches’ – rock formations that you cannot see from the shore of this beach.

Once you are ready to leave the beach, there are three ways back to the city. The way you came, over some boulders on the beach and a cut through at a hotel property, or by boat.

I tried the boulder thing but just didn’t have it in me anymore to be climbing – especially on smooth rock with a beach bag at dusk. Tedly took the boulder way back, I paid for the boat, which was kind of a rip off at $10 USD. (The organizers in town want $20 USD round trip to this beach, which is not easily accessible.)

And that’s is one reason why I’m not a fan of Cabo San Lucas – it’s downright expensive when you compare the pricing to the rest of Mexico.

Later that evening, after dinner, we strolled around the tourist zone and watched Americans and Canadians heading to the upscale stores to do their Christmas shopping. At the corner of one pricey restaurant, a woman was set up with her small trinkets and dolls. We started talking to her, and we ended up buying some gifts for my cousins back home. We didn’t even haggle with her – we just gave her the asking price. Stunned, she gave us a small trinket for free – Feliz Navidad. I’d rather give my money to someone like Juanita than some corporate chain any day of the week.

Ellen buys dolls from a street vendor in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

While Cabo is great if you’re a well-to-do tourist with limited time for a vacation, we aren’t those people. We are budget travelers. Still, we had an enjoyable time and our Cabo stop readied us to return to the U.S. for the holidays.

🙂

2 thoughts on “A hike up and down Cabo’s Cross Hill”

  1. I loved reading your well explained writing . I would love to retire from toronto Canada to (afterreading your article about Mazatlan . I just don’t know yet how I could find a place to stay for 2 weeks rental until decide what to do

    1. We use Airbnb for monthly stays. Perhaps that would work for you. Also, booking dot com is popular with many expats, as it now also offers monthly stays. If you decided to stay longer, a month would surely give you a good start. You could always extend or get a different rental for another month until you figure out your calling.

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