In conjunction with partners across the trail, El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association (ElCaT) will be hosting its inaugural El Camino Real Day (ECRD) on October 19, 2024!
The inaugural ECRD is intended to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Camino Real being designated as a National Historic Trail (NHT) by the U.S. Congress on October 18, 2004. As an NHT, El Camino Real is part of an elite group of trails that make up the National Trails System. The system was established in 1968 and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson to create a network of trails considered nationally significant to the American people. In the case of El Camino Real de los Tejas, it is because it is the road that led to the founding of Texas and Louisiana!
ECRD will take place at sites along the trail all the way from the Rio Grande to Natchitoches, Louisiana. Events will vary from site to site and will consist of activities such as crafts and food demonstrations, presentations, walks along the historic route of the trail, the dedication of a newly accessible privately-owned site, and more! Interested parties are encouraged to visit https://tinyurl.com/elcaminoday to learn about an event near them!
Steven Gonzales, executive director of ElCaT states, “El Camino Real Day is the first time that sites across the trail will collectively be celebrating the Camino and what it means to our states and citizens. It is a great way for people to see and explore the trail, in numerous ways, and to learn about its role in these places that we cherish!”
In the San Antonio area, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park will host an event titled, "Rancho de las Cabras: The Historic Waystop along the Camino de Real": Join a National Park Ranger from San Antonio Missions National Historical and journey through time as you visit, the ONLY remaining Spanish Colonial ranching site in the world, Rancho de las Cabras. Part of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Rancho de las Cabras, is located about 35 miles south of San Antonio in Floresville, TX. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Please email SAAN_Interpretation@nps.gov for reservations and more information. This tour meets in Floresville, TX on Saturday, October 19th and begins at 9AM
The NHT is administered by the National Park Service in conjunction with numerous partners across the trail. ElCaT is the official nonprofit 501(c)(3) partner of the NPS and ElCaT seeks to protect the historic integrity of the trail, to educate the public about its significance, and to promote resource development, interpretation, and tourism along its path.
Additional Trail Information:
National Park Service – National Trails office: www.nps.gov/elte
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park: www.nps.gov/saan
El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association: www.elcaminotrail.org