California Mission Trail(San Francisco/ Los Angeles/San Diego

Walking California's El Camino Real

http://walkelcaminoreal.com/

 

Welcome to this guide to walking a route along California's historic El Camino Real. Here you'll learn about the 800-mile path, pick up tips on planning and training, and get detailed route information.

What is El Camino Real?
California's El Camino Real is popularly known as a trail blazed by the Spanish in the 18th century, in their efforts to colonize the region. However, this is only part of the road's long history. Many thousands of years before Europeans began to explore the area, sections of the Camino were possibly part of an ancient migration path from Asia. Later, native peoples created footpaths that criss-crossed the area. In 1769, when the Spanish arrived, some missionaries and explorers retained native guides and followed indigenous footpaths as they created a path connecting the missions. In the years after the Spanish were ousted, the Camino Real was gradually paved over, supplanted by freeways and highways, and subsumed into modern California. The Camino Real is made of not one, but millions of stories.

Walking the Path
The route outlined in this guide starts at Mission San Francisco de Solano in Sonoma and loosely follows an 1812 map of the Camino Real. It runs through all kinds of landscapes and communities: over the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, through army bases, past the vast farmlands of the Salinas Valley, through breathtaking national parks, by gritty industrial areas, across cities and suburbs, through wetlands, and on scenic coastal bluffs. It ends approximately 800 miles south, at Mission San Diego.

There's no official trail, no guideposts, and this trek isn't easy. Along the way, you'll do some hard walking along busy roads. You'll need to wrangle lodging at campgrounds, hotels, hopefully the houses of friends and family, and maybe a few convents and missions. You'll have to find food where you can.

But the walk can be immeasurably rewarding. It's a walking meditation, of sorts. It's a chance to experience the nature, art, and history of California, step by step. To cut across boundaries imposed on the land. You'll meet people from all walks of life with amazing stories to tell. You may feel frustrated, alone, and tired at times, but you'll likely also find beauty in unexpected places and be borne along by the generosity of others.

 

 

 

The Spanish Missionaries who came to America in the late 1700’s did more than spread the gospel and establish churches for the natives and the settlers - they created living monuments in the congregations they founded. Many of the parishes founded in those days are still thriving now, and the buildings they created tell a vivid history of the fearless people who came to the New World to spread the Good News, and how their work impacted civilization in ways that can still be realized today. Worship together with your parish in these unique and fascinating churches, and enjoy the natural beauty along with the fascinating artisanship and architecture that made such a significant impact on the California culture and tradition.

 

Mission Solano to Mission San Rafael

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?ll=38.141037,-122.541504&t=m&source=embed&ie=UTF8&msa=0&spn=0.648049,0.823975&z=9&hl=en&mid=zJjSKoMFYpk8.k6OerGsG3eMo

 

Walking El Camino Real

http://www.discover-central-california.com/walking-el-camino-real.html

 

For those unfamiliar with it, the El Camino Real (the Royal Road) and sometimes called the California Mission Trail, is the nearly 700 mile route which connects the 21 Spanish missions from Mission San Diego in the south to Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma in the north. - See more at: http://www.discover-central-california.com/walking-el-camino-real.html#sthash.kyRKCNsP.dpuf

 

What are the similarities between the Camino in Spain and here in California? Differences?

 Lin: The similarities pertain to the idea of a walking route. While the mission walk can be done going north or south, the Camino in Spain is unidirectional, with the objective to reach Santiago de Compostela. Those who walk it for religious reasons, receive a benefit for their effort. All who walk the Camino for at least 100 km receive the Compostela – the certificate of completion. Also, it is a much older route and has acquired hundreds of years of culture, myths, stories, and history. In addition, large parts of the route in Spain are very unpopulated and/or very rural. It is not uncommon to see sights such as old women in black walking cows along cobble stone paths and other everyday farm activities that we don’t normally see here. Basically, the walk in California is in early days of being rediscovered and feels very much like it is in a state of infancy, certainly with its own history, but not yet a walking history. In contrast, along the Camino, there are places and/or people that one encounters that are legendary and mythic. This walk does not have that aspect yet. But it could. - See more at: http://www.discover-central-california.com/walking-el-camino-real.html#sthash.kyRKCNsP.dpuf

 

On the California Mission Trail

http://spmcrector.blogspot.com/2012/08/remembering-our-pilgrimage-on.html

We started out on a rainy November evening, driving South in a rental motor home. We were headed to San Diego to begin a two-week pilgrimage to see all twenty-one California missions founded long ago by Spanish Franciscan padres.

 

 

 

 

California Mission Trail

http://www.pilgrimtours.com/northamerica/west_coast/california_mission_trail.htm

 

10-Day Itinerary

http://www.petersway.com/ptcalifornia.html

 

Pilgrimage to California includes missions and historic sites

https://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2011/06-10/pilgrimage.html

 

Cal Mission Walk

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1960059?privacy_code=lp16TDUesNckaiOV