Agua Verde Airport

The closure was not due to a single incident but rather a combination of factors common to remote airstrips in the region. The primary reasons include:
1. **Lack of Maintenance:** As an unpaved, dirt runway, the strip required regular grading and upkeep. Without a dedicated entity to fund and perform this maintenance, it fell into a state of disrepair, becoming unsafe for aircraft operations.
2. **Regulatory Action:** The Mexican government's aviation authority (DGAC) has systematically closed numerous remote, un-inspected airstrips across Baja California to reduce legal liability and to curb their potential use for illicit activities such as smuggling.
3. **Environmental Protection:** The airstrip is located within the boundaries of the Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto (Loreto Bay National Park), a federally protected area established in 1996. The continued operation and maintenance of an airfield within a national park presents significant environmental and regulatory challenges.

The site of the former airport is still identifiable as a flattened dirt strip adjacent to the village of Agua Verde. However, it is completely unmaintained and no longer suitable for aviation. Satellite imagery shows the surface is weathered and has tire tracks, indicating it is now used informally as a local road or for vehicle parking. There are no remaining airport infrastructure, markings, or facilities. The airstrip is considered permanently closed and hazardous for any landing attempts.

The Agua Verde Airstrip was a simple but important dirt runway that provided critical air access to the isolated fishing village and picturesque bay of Agua Verde. For decades, the area was primarily accessible only by a long, rugged dirt road or by sea. The airstrip was a key destination for the general aviation community, particularly private pilots from the United States (often associated with the 'Baja Bush Pilots' group) who flew in for recreation, fishing, and camping. It supported local tourism and provided a vital link for supplies and potential medical evacuations for the remote community. Its significance was purely functional, representing a lifeline and a gateway to an otherwise hard-to-reach part of the Baja peninsula.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Agua Verde Airstrip. The combination of its official closure by the DGAC, its deteriorated physical condition, and its sensitive location within a national park creates insurmountable barriers to reactivation. Any investment in transportation infrastructure for the area would more likely be directed towards improving the difficult road access or maritime facilities. The reopening of the airstrip is considered highly improbable.