Estero Morua Tidal Flats

At the southern edge of Puerto Peñasco, the estuary of Estero Morua is part of the Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Where the town's resort development ends, the tidal flats begin: an expanse of mudflat, salt marsh, and shallow lagoon that at low tide extends for kilometres. It is one of the most important shorebird habitats in the region.

The CEDO (Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans) runs programmes from a station on the estuary edge and leads guided tide-pool walks during low tides. These walks — exploring the pools for sea stars, crabs, urchins, and the small fish stranded by the retreating water — are some of the best nature experiences available in Rocky Point and are particularly good with children. Check the CEDO website for timetables, as they only run at the low tides that expose the rocky reef.

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The CEDO marine research station at the edge of the estuary houses a small but excellent museum explaining the desert-sea ecosystem. One of its exhibits is a preserved totoaba — a massive, critically endangered fish that was once abundant in these waters and was hunted nearly to extinction for its swim bladder, which sold for tens of thousands of dollars on Chinese markets. The ongoing struggle to save the totoaba and the vaquita porpoise (the world's most endangered marine mammal) is being fought partly from this building.