The trails in Acadia National Park tell a story carved by ancient glaciers and by the hands and hearts of the people who have called this place home. Long before it became a hiker’s paradise, Mount Desert Island was the ancestral homeland of the Wabanaki people, who paddled the rocky shores and named the mountains and waters that still define Acadia’s wild beauty. Later came the “rusticators” — artists, writers, and dreamers of the 19th century — who found inspiration in its rugged cliffs and helped spark a movement to protect it.
Before it became known as Acadia, this park had many names…Pemetic, Sieur de Monts, and Lafayette. The area in, and around, Arcadia, began colonization in the late 1700’s. By the early 1800’s, farming, foresting, fishing, and shipbuilding became the major occupations. Hundreds of acres of trees were deforested to make wood products. Farmers began growing crops like wheat, rye, corn, and potatoes. By the mid-1800’s, fishermen and sailors focused on creating a life on the sea. And word got around about the natural beauty of the area, so tourism also became a part of early life in Acadia.
Photo by S. Resendez
Charles W. Eliot, George B. Dorr, and John D. Rockefeller presented 5,000 acres to the American people in the form of a national monument, which was signed into effect by President Woodrow Wilson. At the time, the park was under the name, Sieur de Monts. More property was donated by wealthy patrons, many of them affluent women, and efforts continued to obtain full national park status. In 1919, President Wilson signed the act establishing Lafayette National Park and Dorr became the first park superintendent. In 1929, congress authorized the National Park Service to accept a donation of land on the Schoodic Peninsula and that was when the park’s current name, Acadia National Park, was adopted.
Photo by S. Resendez
Acadia National Park preserves approximately 50,000 acres in Maine. Ecosystems contained within Acadia include mountains, shorelines, forests, lakes and ponds, steams and watersheds, marshes, swamps, and wetlands. It boasts. more than 1,100 plant species and diverse wildlife from microorganisms and larger animals. It is currently, as of this writing, the 10th most visited national park.
Acadia National Park is usually open 24 hours a day but check the website for specific information regarding operating hours for the visitor’s center. Summer is the busy season but it’s always good to plan in advance because you never know when things might change. Acadia is a huge park and while there are many areas that are accessible to people with disabilities, there are also many areas that are not accessible. The best way to check is to go directly to their accessibility page for specific information.
Photo by S. Resendez
MILE MARKER: Did you know that Acadia National Park was the first national park created entirely from private land donations? Also, Acadia’s famous carriage roads were built by John D. Rockefeller Jr., not for cars, but as a refuge from them. He even designed the roads and bridges to blend naturally into the landscape, using local granite and hand-carved details.
HIKE IT!: There are SO MANY hikes in Acadia, there’s not enough room to list them here. It’s a good thing that Acadia’s NPS website has a whole page that sorts all the hikes for you! Find your favorite hiking trail by location, by environment, by route, or by public transportation. Look here for links that will take you straight to the information you need to hike your hike.
We’re covering new ground today as this is our first time exploring an NPS National Historic Trail. Based on the NPS definition of what denotes a National Historic Trail, we learn that a National Historic Trail is a “long-distance route that follows and commemorates a historic path of travel that changed the history and character of the U.S.” Today these routes offer opportunities to visit surviving sites, trail segments, and defining places of history as we learn about the diverse stories they tell. According to the NPS site, there are currently 19 trails that range from 16 miles long to a little over 5,000 miles long. For more information about all the trails, click on the link here.
Map courtesy of NPS
Beginning in Mexico City and winding its way through Texas and up into Louisiana, the Camino Real de Los Tejas covers approximately 2,600 miles. This isn’t a “hikeable” trail by definition, rather it should be considered as a chance to follow the historical footsteps of the people who traveled across countries and through inhospitable lands to begin settling the areas we now recognize as Texas and Louisiana.
Spanish Missions in Texas
Photo by M. Gonzalez
Because we’re writing this from our home base in San Antonio, it’s easy to talk about where the trail leads us from here, but before it got to San Antonio, the trail meandered up from Coahuila, Mexico, near the Rio Grande, to Laredo, Texas, in and around Goliad, Texas (where the Camino Real de Los Tejas museum is located), and up through Victoria and Cuero. From here, the trail veers back towards San Antonio, or continues on to Bryan, Texas. There are also documented starting points, once the border was crossed, in Eagle Pass up to San Antonio. From San Antonio, the road continued on through New Braunfels (which later became a German settlement), up to San Marcos, to Austin or towards Bastrop (home of the Lost Piney Woods). From there, the branches seemed to gather near Crockett and continue on towards Nacogdoches and on towards Louisiana. The Camino Real de Los Tejas split or combined according to the seasons. If the weather affected the planned route, the way could be rerouted to avoid flooded areas or other hazards along the way.
There are several missions along this corridor, some missions having been moved from other areas closer to the Gulf of Mexico, and rebuilt to follow the San Antonio River, going east towards Louisiana or west towards California. In this part of Texas, the most famous missions in and around this area are, arguably, the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, other missions pepper the way along the Camino Real, such as Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga in Goliad State Park.
Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga
Photo by M. Gonzalez
This amazing spot along the Camino Real showcases the work of the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp) which was instrumental in building, conserving, and restoring a variety of buildings in and around Texas. While Mission Espiritu Santo was established in the mid-1700’s, it was the fourth mission with the same name and after several relocations, found its final home in the area known as La Bahía, which later became known as Goliad, Texas. As time passed and the mission was no longer needed, Franciscan Priests finally closed this mission in 1830.
Between 1933-1942, the men of the CCC followed the plans to meticulously reconstruct the mission under the direction of a young architect by the name of Raiford Stripling. But before they would begin their project, they had to work on a “beginner” project in order to ensure that everyone understood the methods used to build the original mission in the 1700’s. In order to practice, they set about making a cottage for the park’s “superintendent to be”. In building this cottage, the men of the CCC could practice their brick making skills, along with learning to work with native materials, and making latilla ceilings (a traditional Southwestern design element consisting of peeled branches or small pieces of wood (latillas) laid between beams (vigas) to create a rustic, decorative ceiling). They learned how to hand carve large, ornate doors and forge iron hinges and once the cottage was finished, they understood what needed to be done to recreate the actual Mission de Espiritu Santo.
Latillas and Vigas
Photo by M. Gonzalez
The Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga is the highlight of Goliad State Park and rightfully so. This mission, reconstructed on top of the its original 1749 foundation and wall remnants, is a testament to architecture and history as we make our way along the Camino Real de Los Tejas on the way to Louisiana.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Royal Road or following in the path of long ago Spanish settlers, look here for a FREE downloadable checklist of places to visit along the Camino Real de Los Tejas.
But there’s more to Goliad, Texas than meets the eye! We’re not done with our stop here just yet because in the midst of traveling this royal road through history, we also find ourselves in the heat of the battle for Texas independence! We’re going to look at, and talk about, flags you might not have known even existed! Stay with the Two Chicks for more adventures in Goliad, Texas!
MILE MARKER: A staircase, carved from two logs, could be placed in tight spaces that might have otherwise only had room for a ladder. Known as “Escaleras de Madera” or Staircases of Wood, they were also sometimes referred to as “Witches Staircases” as folklore denotes the stairs were designed to prevent witches from climbing them.
Escalera de Madera
Photo by M. Gonzalez
HIKE IT!: There is a paved trail that runs through the park and connects the Presidio La Bahía to Goliad State Park and continues on towards downtown Goliad. Within the park, there is a trail that follows alongside the San Antonio River. It’s easy to park in the parking lot at the state park and walk the trail which is relatively flat and accessible. There are also hiking trails at the Medina Valley Natural Area. This area, just south of San Antonio, was part of the Camino Real de Los Tejas and there are some lovely trails to hike along the Medina River.
Deep in the high desert of New Mexico, there sits a 367 foot high, sandstone mesa known as Acoma Rock. This is home to Acoma Sky City Pueblo. The ancient Puebloan tribes began to inhabit this mesa, and the surrounding area, as far back as 1150 AD. It is believed that the Puebloans originally inhabited the desert area in and around the mesa until eventually, they found a way to get to the top of the mesa by building crude steps, including hand holds and toe holds, which allowed people to climb up the side of the mesa. Once there, they more than likely realized that its high, isolated location made it virtually impossible to penetrate.
The ancient Puebloans were potters, artisans and architects. The pueblo was a village of roughly 500 three or four stories tall adobe houses. Dwellings were built on the mesa, not unlike those in Mesa Verde, except that the dwellings were not built into cliffs, but on them. People entered buildings via ladders placed through holes in the roof. If materials had to be brought up from the desert or surrounding area, people had to carry everything to construct the buildings up the cliffs on their backs.
Ladder to other worlds
Photo by M. Gonzalez
During the times when the Spanish began their explorations and making their presence known, the Acoma people were able to generally refrain from contact due to their location atop the mesa. When the Spaniards finally made their way to the top of the mesa where the dwellings were located, initial contact was friendly, but over time, as Spanish demands for food and supplies increased, tensions rose. The Acoma people retaliated and months later, the Spanish responded in force, killing over 1500 people. Many survivors were mutilated and forced into slavery and eventually surrendered the pueblo to the Spanish. This lead to the rebuilding of the pueblo under Spanish rule.
San Estévan del Rey Mission Church of Acoma
Photo by M. Gonzalez
Missionaries began their efforts to convert the people to Catholicism and to force them to give up their way of life. The Mission San Estevan del Rey church was built on the mesa in an effort to move the religious agenda forward. The church itself is an amazing structure, especially when you see it for what it is…a place where the people of Acoma could create a flux between Catholicism and their own culture. This is how the church is utilized today. The ceremonies of the people of Acoma are practiced inside the church and the church stands as a testament to the tenacity of the Acoma people and their culture. It is a large, beautiful building consisting of materials that had to be carried up the cliffs on the backs of the enslaved people forced to build it. The roof is held in place by 40-foot long Ponderosa pine vigas, or roof beams, originally hewn in the San Mateo Mountains, 30 miles away. The vigas were carried in by the enslaved people and were not allowed to touch the ground throughout the journey back to the mesa. There is a simple cemetery in front of the church and all the earth used to create that cemetery also had to be brought up the side of the mesa.
Acoma Pueblo
Photo by M. Gonzalez
Acoma was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960. In 1970, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 2007, the San Estévan del Rey Mission Church was designated a National Trust Historic Site. It is the only Native American site with that designation. The pueblo consists of approximately 250 dwellings that have held to tradition and currently have no electricity, sewer, or running water. The pueblo is largely uninhabited but there are some families who choose to live there year round. The pueblo is usually filled to capacity during feasts, dances, and community gatherings.
Cultural Center
Photo by M. Gonzalez
Sky City Cultural Center is located approximately 50 miles west on I-40, then another 12 miles on State Route 23. Signs are easily visible once you exit the interstate. The cultural center is open Monday and Tuesday 9am- 4pm and Wednesday- Sunday 9am- 5pm. Monday & Tuesday tour times are 10:30am, 12:30pm, and 2:30pm. Wednesday- Sunday tours start every hour starting at 9:30am to 3:30pm. There are annual closures, and sometimes there are unannounced cultural events that require closure. Weather issues may affect tour times. You can check the website for more details or all 800-747-0181 between 9am to 5pm for specific questions prior to your visit. The price for a tour is approximately $30 at the time of this posting so it may have changed depending on when you’re reading this post. Entry fee includes your photo permit. Your photo permit allows you to take pictures of the pueblo except for inside the Church, within the cemetery courtyard, and during feast days. Permission must be obtained prior to photographing tribal members or their artwork.
Use of tripods, GoPros, video cameras, digital video cameras, binoculars and audio recording devices is prohibited. Commercial use of a photograph depicting Acoma imagery for personal gain (profit) is prohibited. For more information on guidelines, click here.
MILE MARKER: “Acoma is on the Zuni-Acoma Trail, an ancient footpath connecting the old Zuni and Acoma Pueblos. Once used by both native peoples and Spanish explorers, the seven and a half mile-long trail is enjoyed by hikers through New Mexico’s beautiful lava beds. The Zuni-Acoma Trail is part of the El Malpais National Monument, which the National Park Service manages.”~Information courtesy of NPS
Hiking down the mesa
Photo by M. Gonzalez
HIKE IT!: There aren’t any specific trails on the mesa itself, but the guided tour takes about an hour and a half and I logged about one and half miles by the time the tour was finished. If you want to add a bit more adventure to your day, you will be given the option, towards the end of the tour, to take the steps down the side of the cliff and walk back to the Cultural Center. If you’re going there in the summer, be prepared for intense heat. Water and restrooms are only available at the visitor center so bring a hat, wear some sunscreen, and bring some water. Walking sticks help because the terrain in the pueblo is uneven.
Many people will look at this towering section of striated stone and think to themselves that it looks familiar, even if they’ve never been there. Yes, this is the site made famous in the Steven Spielberg 1977 movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. But before it became a focal point of a movie about contact with extraterrestrials, it was famous in its own right. The Devils Tower National Monument, also known as Bear Lodge, was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt as America’s first national monument in 1906.
Photo by S. Resendez
There are a multitude of theories surmising how the tower came to be. In reality, all theories agree that the tower did not start out as a tower. In fact, the structure began beneath the earth’s surface and was created from magma that came to be in its current state via erosion. We will probably never know which theory regarding the actual creation is correct due to the fact that the erosion essentially eliminated the evidence to substantiate any theory.
Photo by S. Resendez
Despite questions surrounding its creation, the physical tower is imposing. Devils Tower is 1,267 feet (386 m) tall and sits above the Belle Fourche River. It is the world’s largest example of columnar jointing. It is considered a sacred place for over 20 Native American tribes and ceremonies are still held there. As you walk on the trails, you may come across cloths or small bundles attached to the trees. These are Native American prayer cloths and represent the spiritual connection some tribes have with the Tower. Do not touch, disturb or remove the prayer cloths. Also, it is considered culturally insensitive to photograph these prayer cloths.
Park roads and trails are open 24 hours/day. Visitor Center/Library summer hours are from 9a to 6p. Hours change by season so if you want to see the visitor center, make sure you verify on the website before going. The park usually sees around 500,000 visitors per year; over 80% of whom come between Memorial Day and Labor Day (late May to early September), so plan accordingly.
Parking is very limited. The park often experiences maximum parking capacity for several hours every day throughout the summer (usually between 10a-3p). There is a map and a suggestion to park outside the park and hike into the visitor’s center, if you don’t want to deal with the parking issue.
Accessibility: The Visitor Center is wheelchair accessible and can accommodate wheelchairs up to 35 inches in width. Accessible restrooms are available. While the trail loop is paved, steep grades mean the trail is not recommended for wheelchair users.
Photo by S. Resendez
MILE MARKER: The word for devil/evil spirit is Wakansica. It can be translated as “bad god” or “evil spirit”. The Lakota word for black bear is Wahanksica. It is possible that the name Devils Tower, which is called “Bear Lodge” in Lakota, came about due to a mistranslation of “Wahanksica” for “Wakansica”. It is also possible that Colonel Richard Irving Dodge, a man who publicly advocated for the genocide of Native Americans, ascribed the name Devils Tower to this sacred mountain merely to offend and disrespect indigenous tribes. To find out more about the movement to restore the original Native American name of Devils Tower back to Bear Lodge, click here.
HIKE IT!: There are several hiking trails in and around the Devils Tower. The most popular is the Tower Trail but there are plenty of other hiking trails for hikers of different levels to enjoy. The NPS website for Devils Tower does a great job of breaking down the hiking trails based on how much time you think you plan on spending at the park. Make sure you check it out and plan your hike ahead of time!
Minidoka, one of ten incarceration sites established during World War II, stands as a powerful reminder of the injustices faced by Japanese Americans forcibly removed from their homes during the onset of World War II.
In the 1880’s, Japanese immigrants began making their way to America, primarily to Hawai’i, where they worked in the sugar plantations. From there, many Japanese immigrants made their way to the mainland where they worked clearing mines, building the railroad, at sawmills, and in the fields. This was due in part to The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which was the first significant law prohibiting immigration of Chinese laborers for 10 years.
By the early 1900’s, Japanese families had assimilated into American culture. With a strong presence in Hawai’i and along the entire west coast of the United States, Japanese American families were fully productive members of society. They were business owners, educators, entrepreneurs, and neighbors. Despite lingering racist sentiment, much of it stemming from the Asian Exclusion Act of 1924, Japanese-American families had tentatively created a place for themselves in America. Then, on December 7, 1941, Imperial Japan launched an unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor. The United States declared war with Japan and life for Japanese Americans immediately changed.
Photo by S. Resendez
Predicated by the Asian Exclusion Act of 1924, on February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, declaring certain areas within the United States as “war zones” thus enacting the removal of any and all Japanese Americans from their homes, forcing them into imprisonment without the benefit of due process. This remained in effect for the duration of the war. Despite some opposition and varied court cases filed against it, the executive order was not overturned until 1944.
Japanese Americans were first sent to temporary detention facilities, usually animal stables, racetracks, or fair grounds, and were held there until they were transported to their assigned War Relocation Camp. Ten major camps were set up for Japanese-American relocations. Minidoka was just one of them.
Minidoka National Historic Site is located in Jerome, Idaho, in the south-central part, not too far from Twin Falls. The concentration camp sat on approximately 33,000 acres and housed approximately 13,000 people, mostly from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. The compound consisted of over 600 buildings, including the barracks where families lived. Before families arrived at Minidoka, they were given little to no notice that they had to vacate their homes. They were not allowed to bring anything they could not carry themselves.
Upon arrival at Minidoka, the prisoners learned that the camp was barely able to house all the incoming. Barracks had been hastily built using green wood and tar paper. One young man wrote of getting off the bus and walking into a dust storm. The minimally built shelters did nothing to keep out the elements as the green wood shrank and created gaps for the wind, dust, and rain to get through. There was no privacy in the large, shared buildings, and as an added insult to injury, prisoners were forced into labor, building more of the barracks that would be needed to house the hundreds of people coming in daily. Even the plumbing and sewage system wouldn’t be completed for several months. Across the nation, over 120,000 people were forced to live in these camps, in horrific conditions, with many of them being U.S. citizens,
Photo by S. Resendez
Minidoka consisted of 36 residential blocks with 12 barracks, a mess hall, and a latrine. Each barrack was 120’x 20’, which was divided into six units. Each unit housed a family or a group of individuals. Each unit had one lightbulb and one coal burning stove. The walls dividing the units did not extend to the ceiling and the barracks had no insulation. Bathrooms consisted of a row of toilets and a row of showers. There were no partitions or dividing walls. Each block held a mess hall which served as a “hub” of sorts for families to gather and eat and hold community events like holiday parties or dances.
While not ideal, the families and individuals living within the concentration camp made the best they could of their situation. They educated their children in makeshift schools. They created sports teams, building a baseball field and basketball courts so they could play. They hosted cultural events amongst themselves, held religious services, and even published their own newspaper. The Japanese American people proved to be resourceful as well as resilient.
Baseball Field
Photo by S. Resendez
While in the concentration camps, males were offered the “opportunity” to serve their country as long as they signed acknowledgment and swore “unqualified allegiance” to the US and that they also forswore allegiance to any foreign power, including the Japanese Emperor. Most of the interred men wanted to serve their country but were angry at having to declare their allegiance to a country for which they never gave up their allegiance. How could they renounce allegiance to an emperor they never swore allegiance to in the first place? In the end, the men who decided to answer “no” to the questions regarding their allegiance were removed from the internment camps and sent to high security camps or detention centers. Most of the 30,000 Japanese American men who saw battle became part of 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion, with many still who became part of the Company B of the 1800th Engineering Battalion. In all, they were awarded six Distinguished Service Crosses during the first eight weeks of combat and three Presidential Unit Citations. Eventually, joining the 442nd Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion, Company B of the 1800th Engineering Battalion is often recognized as the most decorated American unit for its size and length of service.
“Americans are going to regret the injustices that we may have done.”
Photo by S. Resendez
In late 1944, in the case of Ex parte Mitsuye Endo, the Supreme Court ruled that Executive Order 9066 was unconstitutional. Also being reviewed by the Supreme Court in 1944, was the case Korematsu v. United States. In this case, (which was happening at almost the exact, same time as the Mitsuye Endo case) the use of the internment camps was upheld and is often cited as “one of the worst Supreme Court cases of all times”. In his dissent, Justice Frank Murphy said this,
I dissent, therefore, from this legalization of racism. Racial discrimination in any form and in any degree has no justifiable part whatever in our democratic way of life. It is unattractive in any setting, but it is utterly revolting among a free people who have embraced the principles set forth in the Constitution of the United States. All residents of this nation are kin in some way by blood or culture to a foreign land. Yet they are primarily and necessarily a part of the new and distinct civilization of the United States. They must, accordingly, be treated at all times as the heirs of the American experiment, and as entitled to all the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.~~Korematsu v. United States, 323 U.S. 214 (Supreme Court of the United States 1944)
When the camps closed and the prisoners were released, they were given the paltry sum of $25 and a one-way bus or train ticket to the destination of their choice. Despite the fact that the war was over and the despite the fact that Japanese Americans fought for their country alongside other American soldiers, anti-Japanese sentiments made integrating back into their communities difficult.
Life After Minidoka
Photo by S. Resendez
After the war ended, President Truman signed the Japanese American Evacuation Claims Act of 1948. This entitled anyone who was incarcerated to file claims for damages and loss of property but reparations did not come close to the $148 million dollars claimed. Only $37 million dollars had been allocated for damages. After the Civil Rights Movement, reparations were again sought and in 1980, the commission on Wartime Relocation and Incarceration of Civilians was signed into law. They discovered that the incarceration was the result of “racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.” In 1988, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 was formalized, with President Ronald Reagan formally acknowledging the unconstitutional nature of the internment camps. Japanese Americans who were wrongfully imprisoned finally received reparations of $20,000 along with a formal apology.
Survivors and family members, friends, and allies of the people who were incarcerated at Minidoka participate in an annual pilgrimage. To learn more about their pilgrimage, click here.
The Minidoka Visitor Center is located at 1428 Hunt Road in Jerome, Idaho. If the visitor center is not open during your visit, you can check the after hours box for brochures. The historic site grounds are open year-round for self-guided walking tours. The Visitor Center is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10a to 5p. Restrooms are unavailable if the Visitor Center is closed.
The books mentioned in the podcast are Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II by Daniel James Brown and The Train to Crystal City: FDR’s Secret Prisoner Exchange Program and America’s Only Family Internment Camp During World War II by Jan Jarboe Russell
MILE MARKER: Despite the limited rations given at the internment camp, residents created gardens, grew crops, built hog and poultry farms and became completely self-sustainable. They even managed to create their own tofu plants.
HIKE IT!: Minidoka National Historic Site offers 1.6 miles (2.5 km) of gravel walking trails which is basically a self-guided tour of the grounds. It is essentially flat and not difficult to navigate on foot. It is not considered an “accessible” trail. There is plenty to see and read along the route. The sign boards offer stories of information regarding the activities on the land.
Canyon de Chelly was authorized in 1931, but its roots go back further than our imaginations can carry us.
Initially inhabited by Ancient Puebloans until the mid-1300’s, they were followed by the Hopi, and in the mid-1600’s, the lands were finally settled by the Navajo, also known as the Diné.
The Navajo were able to prosper in the canyons, raising their families, farming crops, planting orchards, and caring for livestock, until the late 1700’s when many external forces created challenges to their ability to live on their rightful land. Invasions by the Ute, other tribes, and Spanish colonists challenged Navajo defenses, which were eventually overrun.
The Navajo built their lands up again, only to be assailed in the 1860’s by Col. Kit Carson of the U.S. Army, who utilized a scorched earth policy to decimate the land and forced the Navajo people to leave their home and walk 300+ miles over a span of 3 years. The Navajo, as well as the Mescalero Apache, were forcibly removed from their homelands and “relocated” to an outpost known as the Bosque Redondo Indian Reservation, which was intended to be a reservation but quickly became a prison camp. Lack of rations, disease, and horrific living conditions resulted in the deaths of approximately 1500 people, not including those who perished during the Long Walk to Bosque Redondo.
In 1868, a treaty was signed acknowledging the sovereignty of the Navajo Nation and the Navajo people were allowed to return to their land. In 1931, President Herbert Hoover authorized the Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Canyon de Chelly covers approximately 84,000 acres, all of which resides fully in the Navajo Nation. There are still at least 40 families residing within the boundaries of the park. The Navajo people and the National Park system share resources and work in tandem to preserve this beautiful monument.
Canyon de Chelly has no entrance fee! There is a Welcome Center with a park store. The entrance gates are open from 8a-5p daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Plan ahead to learn more about the scenic drives. There are two paved, rim drives with several overlooks. The North Rim Overlook offers views of the cliffside dwellings and the South Rim offers more scenic views including a view of Spider Rock.
Each drive takes approximately 2 hours, according to the park website, so plan for a 2-4 hour trip if you plan on making all stops for photo opportunities. The park website provides suggestions for what to see depending on how much time you’ve allotted for your visit.
Primitive campsites are available for a fee. Self-guided hikes and Ranger led programs are available but check before hand for changes in fees and schedules. Private canyon tours are available by hiking, horseback or vehicle. As with other parks and sites where people are currently in residence, please look out for and respect any signs that prohibit taking photographs.
MILE MARKER: The Navajo and Apache people are Athabaskan speakers. They are distantly related to the Athabaskan people from Canada and Alaska.
HIKE IT!: The White House Ruins Trail is a 2.5 mile, round trip hike that descends 600 feet into the canyon. This is the only self-guided tour at Canyon de Chelly and although it is currently closed, there are plans to reopen the trail sometime in 2025.
On July 5, 2015, the five San Antonio Missions were designated the first UNESCO World Heritage site in Texas. The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park ensures that these treasures are preserved for future generations. Through guided tours, museum exhibits, and cultural events, the stories of the missions come alive, inviting visitors to reflect on the enduring legacies of cooperation, adaptation, and perseverance.
The San Antonio Missions tell the stories of the people who came into the Spanish missions to live in the 1700s. Acculturating and converting the Indigenous population in order to become Spanish citizens reverberates today in the southwest United States. Our history is part of who we were, who we are, and who we will be. The National Park Service invites you to discover American history in all its diversity at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.
Other mission sites, such as those in Goliad and Nacogdoches, are maintained by state parks and local organizations, each contributing to the preservation of Texas’ rich history. Efforts to document and restore these sites ensure that the diverse narratives they hold are not lost to time.
The City of San Antonio World Heritage Office manages the World Heritage Center, Mission Marquee Plaza, and the Spanish Governor’s Palace. On February 7, 2025, the World Heritage Center opened its doors to the public. Set on the site of the former Mission San José farmland, The Center is a doorway, not only to the San Antonio Missions, but to the neighborhoods surrounding them. The Center provides visitor orientation, informs the community about the World Heritage Designation, and honors the legacies of the people connected to our World Heritage missions, in particular our mission descendants.
Upon arriving at The Center, the first thing you might notice, and truly appreciate (especially if you’re from San Antonio) are the grounds. The Center is set on the site of the former historic Mission San Jose farmland and the former Mission Drive-In Theater. They have retained the original facade of the old Mission Drive-In Theater. There is a large, grassy field in front of one of the old screens and the old concession stand is still there. The area is now referred to as Mission Plaza and also includes a public library and YMCA.
Mission Marquee Plaza, formerly known as the Mission Drive-In Theatre is open to the public and hosts a variety of free City of San Antonio events and various programs throughout the year.:
Movie Nights: Every 1st and 3rd Saturday (May-Nov.) — Movies begin at dusk
Throwback Thursday Movie Nights: Every 3rd Thursday (May-Nov.)
For more details and information about Mission Marquee Plaza, please check their website.
World Heritage Center Veranda
Photo by M. Gonzalez
Moving to The Center, there are beautiful, large, glass windows and an ornate, scrolling metal wall, also referred to as The Veranda. The Veranda was designed by local artist Adriana Garcia, and is also a Tricentennial Celebration Commission’s Legacy Gift to the citizens of San Antonio. The Plaza is easy to find with the San Jose Mission’s silhouette in the background.
The Center is a small museum with with interactive video boards, interpretive displays, and life-sized displays of regalia. It has enough information to keep visitors interested for at least 30 minutes or longer. Children might have some interest but there’s probably not enough there to keep a young child engaged. There are publications available to all visitors, most collectible is a very nice brochure highlighting the San Antonio River Walk. There is also a brochure featuring World Heritage Sites in the US. They will also, eventually, have a small gift shop.
Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a nature lover, or simply seeking a connection to the past, the Spanish Missions of San Antonio, Texas offer an unparalleled journey. Walk through the arched corridors, listen to the whispers of history in the mission chapels, and let the spirit of this remarkable heritage inspire you. Here, the past is not just remembered but celebrated, a testament to the resilience and creativity of those who came before.
Visit the San Antonio Missions! Choose one or make a full day of it.
The Alamo: The most recognizable of all the San Antonio Missions is The Alamo. Originally referred to as Mission San Antonio de Valero, the most recognizable part of the building was the chapel. The grounds continue to develop and grow as more and more history is discovered and as new information is brought to light.
Mission Concepcion: Mission Concepcion is considered to be the oldest, unrestored church in the United States. It is an active Catholic Church serving as a parish within the Archdiocese of San Antonio. There are several frescos still visible on the walls of the church, including the famous “Eye of God”. Mission Concepcion grounds also house the Padre Margill Pilgrimage Center.
Mission San Juan: Mission San Juan de Capistrano was originally founded in East Texas and moved to San Antonio in 1731. There is a short trail behind the mission, the Yanaguana Trail, that leads to the San Antonio river.
Mission Espada: Mission Espada is an active parish, meaning it still functions as a Catholic church. It is the oldest of all the San Antonio Missions and the first Mission to be founded in Texas in 1690. It was relocated from the Houston area in 1731.
The World Heritage Center is located at 3106 Roosevelt Ave., 78214. They are open from 10a to 5p on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Fridays. They are open from 10a to 8p on Thursdays, and from 10a to 5p on Saturdays & Sundays. They are closed on Mondays.
MILE MARKER: In 2024, Mission San José along with 18 other sites in 10 states have been added to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom today which recognizes places and programs with verifiable connections to the Underground Railroad and the resistance to enslavement through escape and flight.
HIKE IT!: There is a Hike & Bike Trail that connects all the San Antonio Missions. This trail is an out and back trail that is approximately 14 miles long. There are approximately 2.5 miles between missions on this trail and it can be completed in one day or broken up into segments. Summer months can be extremely hot, so remember to bring plenty of water and sunscreen.
Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks 