Place to overnight on West Coast

The mentioned pemex is very hard to access if goingnorthbound. There is another just north of the interchange at the north end of town on the east side (el Fuerte turnoff). Immediately north of it, is a chinese restaurant (actually no longer chinese, but the red pagoda is there). Go in there then go right behind the Pemex. There is a huge lot back there, even a grassy area at the end of it. They will charge you 50-75 pesos to boondock there overnight. It is secure, as truckers use the area in front of it overnight. This is also easily accesible southbound.

Thanks for the advice. I'll pass it on.

Pemex a few miles south of Los Mochis is our stop when on that route - depends on what time you get started and how far you want to go. . . . 25.78307° -108.87611° . . . finds it on Google Earth. Restaurant and Subway sandwich shop - fenced - security guards - relatively quiet. Depends on if first timers feel safe in a Pemex. Southbound only.

Alternate is turn off at Navajoa and go up to Alamos for a visit - interesting little town to walk around in.

The distances traveled have to do largely with stress levels, so flexibility is important!

We always gas up at a Pemex if we are going to stay there, and ask the attendant where to park-several times we were sent where we didn't expect to go, and they were right!

There is usually an armed watchman, or two, and they always see us walking our dogs, so we check in with them, offer a tip (50p) and if they are still right there in the morning, tip them again.

Check this link to our experiences in Nogales last week:
http://forums.woodalls.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29089957.cfm

We, and numerous others, recently stayed at Pemex 4925 about 4 miles south of Los Mochis on the southbound lane just past KM 95 I believe. We spent two nights in Guaymas at the Hotel Playa de Cortes - the drive through Hermosillo and then south of it were enough to take two nights to recover. Pemex 4925, gated, mostly quiet, with fairly light truck traffic. No cost, although we did fill up with their diesel. Also advise that the Desert Diamond Casino south of Tucson or the Home Depot in Nogales are the best bets prior to the border - the Home Depot is up the hillside from the very busy 24/7 Wal-Mart, and that they should take the KM 4 Mariposa exit to cross the border, stay in the right-hand truck lane if longer than 25 feet. Hope all is well in Salida.

The dump in Los Mochis is closed.
There are several nice Pemex in the area, and a restaurant that allows parking behind them.
We drove from San Carlos to Los Mochis on Friday, and it only took us 4.75 hours. Way too early to stop. We moved on and spent the night at the Pemex at the beginning of the Maxi Pisa outside of Cuilican. Loud, but the guard was visible all night, and earned his 100p.