San Antonio Missions

A Guide to Visiting San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

The San Antonio Missions National Historic Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site preserving four of the five Spanish frontier missions in San Antonio, Texas (the fifth one is the Alamo, which is separately managed). The missions were built in the early eighteenth century with the purpose of colonizing and evangelizing Catholicism to the indigenous Coahuiltecan peoples.

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Primarily led by Franciscans, the Coahuiltecans learned the skills needed to grow crops, raise livestock, work with iron, and build with masonry in an effort to become more like the Europeans. Each mission was its own self-sustaining farming community with a church, small homes, wells, granaries, and farm lands.

Above photo: Decoration at Mission San José

If you are planning a trip to San Antonio, a visit to see the missions is highly recommended. Often overshadowed by the Riverwalk and The Alamo, a lot of tourists are not even aware that these amazing historical structures exist, let alone can be freely explored.

In this post, I will share my experience visiting the San Antonio Missions in mid-November and some of the key highlights of each frontier structure. If I ever do it again, I wouldn’t change a thing except for maybe packing a few extra snacks. Even our slightly cool, overcast weather was perfect for exploring.

• Transportation: Car, Bike, or Walk?
• Direction: Where to Start?
• The Missions
• Tips and Resources

Transportation: Car, Bike, or Walk?

The four missions that comprise the National Historic Park are located along a 7.7 mile stretch of the San Antonio River. There are several options for visiting the San Antonio Missions including traveling from mission-to-mission by car, bicycle, or walking.

Traveling by car is the most comfortable option during the summer because the Texas heat can really take its toll. This mode is also advisable to those with mobility concerns or who may prefer to avoid strenuous activity. However, when traveling by car, visitors miss out on the gorgeous Mission Reach Trail that follows the San Antonio River.

Bicycling and walking are the preferred ways to visit the missions by most visitors. Something to keep in mind though is that the 7.7 mile stretch is just in one direction. Once you reach the last mission, you will need to get back to your car or hotel. If you are on-foot, you can take a cab or Uber back. If you are cycling, you will most likely have to re-pedal the trail back, which means 15 miles in total round trip.

Above photos: The Mission Reach Trail

We decided to rent bikes from Blue Star Bike Shop located in the Blue Star Arts Complex about 5 minutes south by car from the main Riverwalk area. The folks at this little shop will get you fitted with the right bike and make sure you have everything you need for your day on the trail. Access to the trail is literally across the parking lot. So, we were off and on our way almost immediately.

Above photo: Blue Star Bicycling Company

Along the Mission Reach Trail there are also pedestrian bridges, fishing spots, and pavilions. So, you can really make a day of visiting the missions, while enjoying the river and picnic spots in between. The trail is well maintained. There are a few moderately difficult sections, and we definitely felt it in our legs by the end of the day. Still, it was easier than walking and such a great way to see the nature along the river.

Above photos: The Mission Reach Trail

Direction: Where to Start?

Once you have decided on your transportation, the next step is to decide on your starting point. If you are already downtown at the Riverwalk, starting at The Alamo and making your way south might make the most sense. Others prefer to start at Mission Espada, which is the furthest away, and make their way back north to the Riverwalk by the end of the day.

There is no real benefit to visiting the missions in one direction vs. the other. Regardless of where you decide to start, the total route and experience will be very similar.

Since we had previously visited The Alamo, we decided to start (and end) our round-trip adventure at the Blue Star Arts Center where we rented our bikes. When we entered the trail, we had to bike about 2 miles (10 minutes) to reach Mission Concepción. From there, we followed the trail south, stopping at each mission until reaching Mission Espada, and then biked back.

The Missions

Mission Concepción

807 Mission Road | San Antonio, TX 78210 | Website

Mission Concepción was the first of the four missions we visited – and we were in awe. It is the oldest unrestored stone church in the United States. The original community of Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña was established in 1716 by Spanish Franciscan friars, but later moved to the current site in 1731. The church was built over the course of 15 years, along with the surrounding residences and farming buildings eventually becoming a self-sufficient, self-contained village surrounded by farmland irrigated by the acequias.

Above photo: Mission Concepción

The church looks very much the same as it did 275 years ago due to the fact that it was built on a bedrock foundation and never lost its integrity. Of all the structures within the park, Mission Concepción has undergone the least amount of repair. The painted frescos on the walls and ceiling inside the church are still visible and completely authentic.

The history of the indigenous residents and the conflicts between the French and other tribes was pretty turbulent, especially early on. Disease was also a great hardship. By 1782, there were only 77 Indians left at this location and it was secularized by 1824.

Above photos: Mission Concepción Church exterior

Above photos: Mission Concepción interior

Mission San José

701 East Pyron Avenue | San Antonio, TX 78214 | Website

After leaving Mission Concepción we continued on our bikes along the Mission Reach Trail for about 2.5 miles to Mission San José. There is a wonderful Visitors’ Center here that serves to educate visitors about the history of the area and the important role the missions played in developing the culture of Central Texas. If you are visiting the missions by car, this is an ideal first stop because you can gather some information before setting out to see each of the missions. This is also where the free guided ranger tours begin every day at 10:00 am.

Above photo: Mission San José

Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo was established by Franciscan missionary Father Antonio Margil de Jesús in 1720. However, the congregation moved several times before settling on the site of the current permanent church. Construction began in 1768 and was completed in 1782.  The façade of the church rivals many old European churches (at least, I thought so). The architecture and decorations are considered the most impressive examples of Spanish colonial ornamentation in the United States. In particular, the Rose Window earned the mission the title of “Queen of the Missions.”

Mission San José operated as a mission for a little over a hundred years before it started to secularize, meaning the lands were divided up between the indigenous mission residents. However, years later the church was re-opened and is still used today. Like the other missions, mass is still held on Sundays and the congregation is active in the community.

Above photos: Mission San José Church entrance

Above photo: Mission San José Church interior

Above photo: Mission San José side elevation with the Rose Window

Above photos: Mission San José Convento

Above photos: Mission San José

Mission San Juan

9101 Graf Road | San Antonio, TX 78214 | Website

Another few miles down the Mission Reach Trail is Mission San Juan Capistrano. Upon our arrival, the very first thing I noticed was the three-bell campanario crowning the top of church. The church is long and narrow, and smaller than the previous missions.

Above photo: Residence at Mission San Juan

Mission San Juan came to the San Antonio River in 1731, around the same time as Mission Concepción. It was especially well-known for it agricultural success in both produce and livestock. As its population increased, a second larger church was built. A third church was started, but was abandoned after many workers left. The current church was completed between 1790-91. As we walked around the grounds, we could still see the ruins of several of the older structures.

There is a really beautiful paved walking loop here called the Yanaguana Trail that encompasses an original stretch of the San Antonio River. There are also some of the historic farm lands adjacent to the church that are still in use. Mission San Juan still operates as a Catholic parish today, and many of the parishoners are descendants of the original mission.

Above photos: Mission San Juan Church exterior

Above photo: Mission San Juan Church interior

Above photos: Mission San Juan

Mission Espada

10040 Espada Road | San Antonio, TX 78214 | Website

San Francisco de los Tejas is the oldest of the missions in Texas, founded by Franciscan Father Damian Massanet in 1690. Like the other missions, it was forced to move from East Texas to San Antonio by the French in 1731. At that time, it was renamed as Mission San Francisco de la Espada.

Above photo: Mission Espada Sacristy Church

A sacristy (a place where priest’s robes are kept), granary, and two-story convento were built. However, when the building of a larger church was abandoned, the sacristy became the current stone church. After the mission secularized, the mission transitioned to a church-based community. The small church re-opened in 1911 after restoration works and is still used today. While we were there, we got to witness a beautiful quinceañera celebration that was perfectly placed alongside history.

Above photos: Mission Espada Church interior

Above photos: Quinceañera celebration at Mission Espada

Above photo: Mission Espada Convento

Tips and Resources

• San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. excluding Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Years’ Day.
• All four missions are free to enter during park hours. No entrance passes are required.
• The San Antionio Missions Map can be downloaded here.
• The mission churches are active Catholic parishes, with mass times on Sundays and other events hosted by parishioners. The mission site is managed by the National Park Service.
• The Mission Reach Trail has some moderately challenging sections. We were okay taking these on for a little while in order to enjoy the views and nature along the river. But, on our return trip back to our car, we decided to cycle on the street. Most of the streets have bike lanes and traffic is light. It was mostly flat and didn’t have as many ups-and-downs as the trail along the river.
• The best place to catch a quick lunch is by Mission San José along SE Military Drive near Roosevelt Avenue. There are a handful of fast food and casual sit-down restaurants.
• We saw public restrooms at every mission. No worries there:)
• Water and sunscreen are a must no matter your mode of transportation. I took a daypack and filled it with everything we needed for the day. Our bikes also had baskets to hold our phones for GPS navigation.
• The Mission Reach Trail is well-marked, but you’ll need to pay attention for the turn-offs for each of the “portals” that lead to the missions.
• All of the missions had parking and bike racks. Our bike rental shop gave us a chain-lock to use for the day so we could keep our bikes secure while we explored at each stop.
• For additional information, please consult the National Park Service website here.

Above photo: The Tree of Life sculpture (Árbol de la Vida: Memorias y Voces de la Tierra) near Mission Espada

Planning a trip to San Antonio? Click here to read my complete post of our weekend get-away to San Antonio, including travel advice on where to stay, things to do, and places to eat.

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