The crustal structure of the northern Gulf of California transtensional margin has been investigated by a 280-km-long NW-SE profile, including deep multichannel seismic reflection and densely sampled refraction/wide-angle reflection seismic information combined with gravity modeling. The seismic and gravity modeling constrains two thinned crustal areas, corresponding to the upper Delf¿n and the upper Tibur¿n basins. On both sides of the profile, toward the Baja California Peninsula and the Mexico mainland, a progressive thickening of the continental crust is observed. Our results indicate that the crustal thickness is 19 km below the coastline, and it decreases to 14 and 17 km below the upper Delf¿n and upper Tibur¿n basins, respectively. In the area between both basins, the crust thickens to 19.5 km. There are significant lateral thickness variations for the different levels of the crust. The interpreted structure is consistent with the existence of an aborted rift below the upper Tibur¿n basin. Prominent dipping reflections in the multichannel data under upper Tibur¿n basin and the ridge between upper Tibur¿n and upper Delf¿n basins can be explained as a mylonite like zone related to a detachment fault. This interpretation suggests that the structural evolution of upper Tibur¿n basin could be controlled by a major fault that cuts through the upper crust and merges into a zone of subhorizontal reflections in the lower crust. The mode and locus of extension have evolved from a core complex in upper Tibur¿n to a narrow rift mode in upper Delf¿n basin.