Trip to Mission Trail

The first sea explorers to reach California were mostly touch-and-go, primarily
seeking supplies and safe harbor before setting off again. The Spanish were the first to make land claims on California, soon to be followed by the English explorer Sir Francis Drake in Northern California, and later the Russians at Fort Ross. In order to shore-up their possessions, the Spanish needed to establish a land trade route and permanent settlements. Under Spanish rule, the California Mission Trail was established in 1769 to link the coastline from north of the Bay Area to the southern tip of Baja. The Baja region was known as Baja California and the region north of Baja was known as Alta California, much of which today is the state of California.
Before the Mission Trail, several Catholic colonies were established on the west coast of California, some as early as the 15th century.

The Mission Trail in Alta California, known as El Camino Real, connected each mission within a day or two’s travel on horseback. Visitors to California are often amazed by the abundance of Spanish saints among city names throughout the state. The names of the saints of the day were often applied to newly discovered localities, whether rivers, bays, mountains or valleys. Spanish saints’ names were also chosen for presidios or forts, pueblos or towns, and of course, the Franciscan missions. Today, most all of these early missionary settlements are thriving urban centers. From north to south, visit the old missions in the modern city centers of: Sonoma, San Rafael, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Carmel, San Juan Bautista, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Juan Capistrano and San Diego.

Most missions were instrumental in California’s early development. Perhaps the most significant was the Los Angeles mission called San Gabriel Archángel, located just south of Pasadena. San Gabriel was the first land link with the capital Mexico City in 1774, and became the chief point of contact with Mexico for many decades. Its strategic location made San Gabriel the wealthiest and most prosperous of all the missions, which resulted in the building of a beautiful church, peaceful gardens and an expansive art collection. The founder of the Mission Trail, Father Junipero Serra lived most of his life and died in the Carmel mission, one of the most scenic and best-preserved missions in this historic chain. Father Serra is currently being considered for canonization. If he becomes a saint, Catholic pilgrims could soon be flooding the Mission Trail in record numbers.

Getting to the California Missions
The old missions are a proud and historic part of every California community where they reside. Most are located in the middle of the oldest sections of town, and roads with names like El Camino Real and Mission Street usually lead right to their doorsteps. The country missions are equally fascinating.

From north to south, roughly paralleling Highway 101 between Carmel and San Diego, look for: Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad Ruins near Soledad; Mission San Antonio de Padua on the Hunter Liggett military base; Mission San Miguel Archángel near San Miguel; La Purisima Mission State Historical Park near Lompoc; Mission San Buenaventura near Ventura; and Mission San Luis Rey de Francia near Oceanside. Sunday masses are held in some of the old basilicas, or a nearby Catholic church on the grounds. All have become museums of sort, and a small donation is always appreciated.