A Historical Journey and Modern Endeavor
The California Missions Trail, tracing the path of California's historic missions, has evolved significantly over time. While the trail's roots are historical, its modern development has been driven by various factors.
Historical Promotion and Evolution:
- Early Automobile Era: The Southern California Auto Club was pivotal in promoting the Missions Trail during the early 20th century, even before Highway 1 was fully paved.
- Mid-20th Century Advocacy: From the late 1930s to the early 1970s, the California Mission Trails Association promoted the 21 missions through various means, including advertising, maps, brochures, signage, and publications.
- Modern Era Route: Volunteers pioneered the contemporary route for the California Missions Trail. Butch Briery created the first hikers’ guide for it in 2011. His vision and steadfast support for the trail are the foundation for the path followed today. Pilgrims walking mission-to-mission today can access up-to-date trail information and support from the California Mission Walkers.
- New Guidebook: In 2020, the Trails Council provided a research grant to Cicerone Press and guidebook author Sandy Brown to create The California Missions Trail: From Sonoma to San Diego.
Modern Revival and Diverse Appeal:
- The trail's 800-mile length spans 14 counties and numerous cities, highlighting its broad reach and reflecting the character of modern rural and urban California landscapes.
- In recent years, there's been a surge in interest in walking and cycling the trail. Diverse motivations drive this resurgence:
- Spiritual pilgrimage
- Health and fitness
- Outdoor recreation
- Scenic landscapes
Challenges and the California Missions Trail Alliance:
- Despite its popularity, the California Missions Trail was lacking the infrastructure and amenities found in other long-distance trails, such as the Camino de Santiago.
- In 2022, a website was created to promote the trail and the publication of the guidebook by Sandy Brown: The California Missions Trail: From Sonoma to San Diego.
- The California Missions Trail Alliance (CTMA) was formed to address these challenges, and the Trails Council is a founding member.
- The alliance is an unincorporated association of organizations dedicated to the trail's development.
- The CTMA exists to raise awareness of the Mission-to-Mission trail as a significant asset to the state and nation and encourage stewardship, recreation, and economic growth along the trail corridor.
- Organizations within the Central Coast area are developing a draft model for other Counties in California to consider and adopt.
The following Story Map gives viewers a quick overview of the San Miguel to Ventura section of the California Missions Trail route. A full-screen version is available here: https://bit.ly/cmt-section-3