The NORRA 500 runs October 8–11, 2026, out of Ensenada. If you found this page searching for it while planning a La Paz trip, here's the honest answer up front: it's not near us. Ensenada is in the state of Baja California, at the top of the peninsula near the US border. La Paz is in Baja California Sur, at the bottom — roughly 1,700 km (about 1,050 miles) apart. This is one of the most common geography mix-ups travelers make about Baja, so it's worth clearing up properly.
What the NORRA 500 Actually Is
Per NORRA's own event page, the 2026 NORRA 500 runs October 8–11: technical inspection on Thursday the 8th, racing Friday and Saturday on a route from Ensenada to San Quintín and back, and an awards celebration Sunday morning at Estero Beach. It's a simplified, two-day off-road rally format — NORRA describes it as designed to be easier for racers to plan around than a longer multi-day event.
Two different "Baja Californias" — the confusion, explained
"Baja California" and "Baja California Sur" are two separate Mexican states that share the same peninsula, and the naming trips up a lot of travelers:
- Baja California (north) — borders the US, home to Tijuana and Ensenada. This is where the NORRA 500 runs.
- Baja California Sur (south) — home to La Paz, Los Cabos, and Todos Santos. This is where we are.
| Event | Location | State | Distance from La Paz |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORRA 500 | Ensenada / San Quintín | Baja California | ~1,700 km — not a realistic side trip |
| Baja 1000 (2026) | Los Cabos | Baja California Sur | ~2–2.5 hr drive |
| Bisbee's Black & Blue | Cabo San Lucas | Baja California Sur | ~2–2.5 hr drive |
If you're looking for an off-road event you can realistically combine with a La Paz trip, the 2026 Baja 1000 is the one — it starts and finishes in Los Cabos this year, a genuine 2 to 2.5 hour drive from here. The NORRA 500 simply isn't in the same part of the country.
What's Actually Happening in La Paz in October
October sits inside La Paz's dorado season, which peaks April through November, alongside striped marlin, roosterfish, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna out of Ensenada de Muertos. It's also the calm stretch just before Whale Shark season opens November 15 — a good window if you'd rather book ahead of the season's own rush.
"Wrong Baja, right season — October is real fishing weather in La Paz, whether or not you're anywhere near Ensenada."
Planning an October Trip to Baja California Sur?
Dorado, striped marlin, and roosterfish out of Ensenada de Muertos — a real day on the water in the right Baja.
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