California Missions Trail

08/23/2025

Hot off the construction press: a brand-new .5 separated bike and pedestrian path is now open along Santa Claus Lane in Summerland, CA!

This scenic stretch seamlessly connects Padaro Lane to the recently completed 0.6-mile bikeway that leads straight into Carpinteria—creating a safer and more enjoyable route for both locals and visitors.

Along the way, enjoy the charming atmosphere of Santa Claus Lane, featuring local gems like shops, cafés, and the always-popular Padaro Beach Grill.

https://business.sbscchamber.com/list/member/padaro-beach-village-on-santa-claus-lane-453
https://www.padarobeachgrill.com/

08/10/2025

A Bicycle Ride Through Time: Discovering San Juan Bautista
https://www.oldmissionsjb.org/
https://www.parks.ca.gov/
https://historicwalkingtrail.com/
https://vertigocoffee.com/
https://www.posadadesanjuanbautista.com/
https://www.nps.gov/juba/index.htm

After a delightful bike ride through rural landscapes and golden agricultural fields, cruising into the storybook setting of San Juan Bautista felt like stepping back in time. As I rode through the well-preserved town core and approached the Mission, it felt as though I was gazing over the same landscape that existed 200 years ago.

The Mission and the surrounding California State Historic Park are remarkably intact and offer a deep sense of history and serenity that’s hard to come by. The chapel, still active today, radiates a quiet reverence, while the nearby gardens provide a peaceful, beautifully maintained retreat. I was especially struck by an original plank from the El Camino Real signage, standing near one of the few remaining original stretches of that historic road. For Alfred Hitchcock fans, Mission San Juan Bautista holds cinematic significance as well: the iconic scene in Vertigo where Madeleine falls from the tower was filmed here.

The town itself invited a longer stay. With its charming historic buildings, a self-guided walking tour, excellent restaurants, and a cozy, family-run boutique hotel, San Juan Bautista balances authenticity with hospitality. Visiting wasn’t just a trip—it was a genuine experience. One that blended natural beauty, California history, and small-town charm in a way that’s increasingly rare. The ride, the town, and the Mission came together to create an immersive and enriching journey into a living slice of California’s past.

After loading up on an espresso at the local coffee shop, aptly named Vertigo, I noticed that my route was also following the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, which shares much of the same route as the CMT and the California Coastal Trail!

06/11/2025

NEW MUSEUM PROMOTES CHUMASH HERITAGE

https://www.sychumashmuseum.org/
Biking or hiking through the rolling hills of the Santa Ynez Valley—dotted with stately oak trees and, in springtime, blanketed with vibrant wildflowers, including the iconic California poppy—feels like stepping back in time, to a landscape untouched by European contact. Just under four miles from the historic Santa Inés Mission, the newly opened Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center captures the deep history, arts, and culture, as well as the enduring presence of the Santa Ynez Chumash people.

Over 50 years in the making, the Center spans 6.9 acres and features a collection of over 24,000 cultural objects that offer insight into how the Chumash lived and continue to live in harmony with the natural world. Visitors can explore traditional gardens filled with native plants, walk through thoughtfully designed outdoor spaces, see a Chumash Tomol up close, and experience exhibits that honor the cultural heritage and traditions of the region’s Indigenous community living in our community today.

Note to Mission Trail walkers and cyclists. Add the Santa Ynez Chumash Museum to your itinerary. It is located just over one mile east of the California Missions Trail: https://maps.app.goo.gl/rmo1R81qCtrF3qzg7

02/06/2025

If you have time before or after reaching Old Mission Santa Inés, take a moment to visit the newest exhibit at the California Nature Art Museum https://www.calnatureartmuseum.org/. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the museum has been working with an internationally renowned artist and recycling activist, Thomas Dambo, to create and install California's first permanent troll, sitting in the museum's front tower and overlooking Mission Drive. The fact that the artist is Danish dovetails perfectly with Solvang, the Danish capital of America.

Once finished with the CMT, a new exploration challenge could be to discover the other trolls around the world -- via Dambo’s trail map, trollmap.com, where people are encouraged to find his sculptures!

11/11/2024

One of the unique vignettes of the CMT is the "wiggle" in downtown San Francisco, which follows a historic steam train route and has easy access to the Panhandle & Golden Gate Park with fantastic museums and gardens. If you have extra time, you can expand your exploration of some of San Francisco's iconic features and neighborhoods by using the BART system!

See map: https://bartable.bart.gov/featured/bartable-bike-wiggle

10/09/2024

MISSION WALKERS CONVERGE ON MISSION SAN ANTONIO

Over 150 mission walkers and supporters gathered at the remote Mission San Antonio de Padua last weekend for a two-day California Mission Walkers (CMW) conference. The eventful weekend began with a sampling of Central Coast wines organized by wine connoisseur Kurt Buckley and a supporting cast of volunteer wine stewards. The evening concluded with a delicious dinner and a room filled with joy and laughter as folks greeted old acquaintances and made new ones.

Day two included a series of presentations, workshops, and a keynote talk by Edie Littlefield Sundby, author of The Mission Walker, the acclaimed book. During the conference, over a dozen organizations set up tabletop exhibits in the shaded walkway around the mission courtyard. The afternoon drew to a close with a heartfelt celebration of the volunteers, pioneers, and dedicated enthusiasts who make the CMW community thrive, with honors, awards, and special recognitions.

The California Mission Walkers conference was an excellent opportunity for people with shared interests to gather in person and learn from the experiences of other Mission Walkers. The wealth of knowledge exchanged during the presentations, workshops, and social gatherings inspired all attendees. For over a decade, the well-organized community has supported and encouraged people who walk sections of the trail between the Missions and those who walk the whole 800-mile journey in a single undertaking, typically in less than two months.

It was clear that everyone in attendance appreciated the hard work put into organizing the event and its flawless ex*****on. Join us in thanking CMW President Steven Woody, the CMW conference committee, and a team of volunteers for a job well done.

WEBSITE: https://missionwalk.org/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/californiamissionwalkers/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/california_mission_walkers/

09/14/2024

CELEBRATING NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

The California Missions Trail is a captivating tapestry of history and culture deeply intertwined with Hispanic heritage. Here are some ways to immerse yourself in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month while traversing this iconic trail.

LEARN ABOUT CALIFORNIA'S HISTORY:
Before hiking, delve into the history of the communities you'll visit. One place to start is with a series of books exploring culture, conflict, and events during the Spanish, Mexican, and early American eras.

🔸 Vineyards and Vaqueros (Volume 1)
🔸 Contest for California: From Spanish Colonization to the American Conquest (Volume 2)
🔸 Junípero Serra: California, Indians, and the Transformation of a Missionary (Volume 3)

These titles are part of the "Before Gold: California under Spain and Mexico" series. Of course, countless other books capture the historic and modern-day traditions celebrated during Hispanic Heritage Month.

SAVOR THE CUISINE:
Enjoy traditional Mexican cuisine at restaurants near the Missions Trail. Sampling food like tacos, enchiladas, and tamales offers a delicious way to connect to the region's heritage. Please share your favorite local spots with us. We'd love to hear about the places that have made your journey along the Missions Trail even more memorable.

REFLECT ON THE TRAIL'S SIGNIFICANCE:
As you walk the trail, reflect on the historical significance of the communities you pass and their role in shaping the region's Hispanic heritage. Consider how your experiences and identity intersect with the history of the missions and the broader Hispanic community.

By incorporating these activities into your journey along the California Missions Trail, you can deepen your understanding of Hispanic heritage and celebrate this important cultural milestone.

06/22/2024

Fortunately, the maintenance of the California Missions Trail's trail infrastructure is distributed across 14 Counties. Volunteers and local agencies take the lead in maintaining the trail, and the work is never finished.

Below is an example of a trail workday at La Purisima Mission State Historic Park. If you are in the area, feel free to join by volunteering to brush back a few trail segments in the La Purisima Mission State Historic Park. Details posted here:

https://www.meetup.com/santa-barbara-trail-volunteers/events/301785714/

and here:

https://www.facebook.com/lapurisimamission/

🥾Join us for the upcoming Trail Workday on Saturday, June 29th.

📍Meets in Day Use dirt lot at 8 am. Located at 2295 Purisima Road, Lompoc, CA.

⚒️Tools will be provided.

🧤Long sleeves, work gloves, sun protection, and water are recommended.

❓For questions, please reach out to [email protected]

05/14/2024

AAPR FEATURES MISSION WALKERS STORIES

If you received the April May issue of AARP Magazine, you may have already seen the article on the trail. It is good news that the California Missions Trail is getting national press. The article is short but includes a photo of the Santa Barbara Mission and website addresses for CaliforniaMissionsTrail.org and MissionWalk.org.

04/14/2024

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! ‍

Walking from mission to mission is often a solitary or small group activity; however, if you want to join a few hundred folks on a two-day fully supported pilgrimage walk, check out the 4th Annual Saint Junipero Serra Walking Pilgrimage, which will take place on August 10th and 11th, 2024.

As the event name indicates, this is an opportunity to experience a spiritual pilgrimage from Mission Santa Barbara to Mission Basilica San Buenaventura along a beautiful 35-mile stretch of the California Missions Trail (aka El Camino Real). Organizers welcome anyone to join the two-day walk without any obligation to participate in the religious dimensions.

This pilgrimage walk is an opportunity for:

• Spiritual reflection
• Breathtaking scenery
• Camaraderie with pilgrims

Registration is now open and closes July 4th: https://www.stserrapilgrimage.org/

04/12/2024

CALIFORNIA MISSIONS & PRESIDIOS CONFERENCE

We are on our way to the 41st Annual California Missions and Presidios Conference, presented by the California Missions Foundation. This weekend, the event will occur at Old Mission Santa Ines and La Purisma Mission HSP. The conference theme is "Evangelization, Social Change, and Conflict - Mission Santa Inés and Mission La Purisima."

The conference features a variety of presentations, keynote speakers, and networking opportunities. Here are some highlights:

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

• Fr. Jack Clark Robinson will speak on the "500th Anniversary of Franciscans in the Americas."
• The topic of Dr. John Johnson's evening keynote address is "1824 Chumash Uprising: What We Know 200 Years Later."

SESSIONS:

There are presentations on a range of topics related to the California Missions and Presidios, including:

• The role of Mission Santa Inés and Mission La Purisima in evangelization efforts
• Social change and conflict during the mission period
• Cartography and Indigenous Territories
• The founding of Mission San Juan Capistrano
• The aftermath of the 1775 sacking of Mission San Diego de Alcalá
• The spirituality of Colonial California

If you'd like to learn more about the specific presentations, you can find abstracts here: https://californiamissionsfoundation.org/conference/2024-conference-paper-abstracts/

Please visit the California Missions Foundation website https://californiamissionsfoundation.org/ to learn about future conferences and events.

03/08/2024

AN ELEGANT NEW MISSIONS TRAIL MAP

Over the years, we have looked for maps related to the California Missions Trail (CMT) in books, archive libraries, and online. We have found intriguing maps published in the 1800s, 1900s, and this century. We love old maps. However, when we discovered the contemporary maps created by world travelers Jay and Maud last year, we asked about the possibility of adding a California Missions Trail map to their collection.

Their company, Tell Your Trail, was launched when they started making maps to relive their travel and hiking adventures. Now, via their website, you can find maps for trails in all corners of the world, including (drumroll, please) the CMT.

Stripped down to just the essentials, the California Missions Trail map created by Jay and Maude is elegant in its simplicity. Available in various sizes and color palettes, the maps are a great way to memorialize a mission-to-mission walk or gently remind you about plans for a future trek up or down California.

https://tellyourtrail.com/
https://tellyourtrail.com/products/california-missions-trail-poster-map

California Missions Trail: A long-distance walking & cycling route that celebrates California’s diverse communities, cultures, & landscapes.