Type: Paved Path, Out-and-back
Difficulty: 3 / 10
Altitude: 603 ft
Elev. Gain/Loss: 78 ft / 78 ft
Dog Friendly: Yes, with leash
Jog-Stroller Friendly: Unknown
Filed Under: Running
The hike/bike trail along the Mission Trail, south of downtown San Antonio, is a gem. You'll want to take your camera with you and take some extra time and some breaks to take pictures of the history along the trail - the best light is at sunset!
The chain of missions established along the San Antonio River in the 18th century are reminders of one of Spain's most successful attempts to extend its New World dominion northward from Mexico. They were the greatest concentration of Catholic missions in North America.
Missions Concepcion, Espada and San Juan Capistrano were established in 1731; mission San Jose was established in 1720.
Mission Concepcion includes the oldest unrestored stone church in the United States and its acoustics are said to be superb.
Mission Espada features a functional 1740's irrigation system complete with aqueduct; the aqueduct is a National Historic Landmark.
Mission San Jose is both a State and National Historic Site that has been fully restored.
Mission San Juan Capistrano has also been restored. Active parishes are located at all four of the historic missions.
The old Spanish Missions were originally located in east Texas near the town of Nacogdoches around 1700. As the French militarily expanded westward from Louisiana, the Spanish pulled their missions back to locations along the San Antonio River around 1720. The missions served as both a spiritual tool of the Church and the political tool of the state. In teaching the local Indians the Spanish language, customs, religion and the latest agriculture techniques, Spain felt assured of faithful citizens in their new empire. The decline of the missions came around 1800
with fierce Apache and Comanche attacks, unfavorable government legislation, and subsequent loss of both livestock and converts. After years of neglect, restoration of the mission compounds began around 1930, with the hike & bike trail joining them together in 1976. For more info: www.nps.gov/saan
The City of San Antonio has future plans to expand the existing trail from Mission Concepcion through onto downtown and the Alamo (Mission San Antonio de Valero) and further north to Brackenridge Park, which will extend the length and greatly increase the trail's utility to people downtown.
From downtown San Antonio, go south on either I35 or I37 to I10, which runs E-W. The exit for the Missions trail and National Historic Park is 573, halfway between the two N-S highways that surround downtown.
Exit and go south at exit 573, which has large brown signs for the NHS Missions, and almost immediately turn left (east) onto Mitchell at the first stoplight. Proceed about 1/2 mile east and you'll come to a small brown sign telling you to turn right at a stopsign for Mission Concepcion. If you get to the stoplight at Roosevelt, you've gone a little too far!
Turn south towards Mission Concepcion, which will appear in about .1 mile on your east. Park at the parking area here. The northern terminus of the Mission Trail hike/bike path is about 1/4 mile further south on this road (Mission & Hansford), but there is not parking any closer. The start to the path is quite obvious.
Posted by: tradkelly and last modified on Feb 02, 2006 by thoos
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