Camino Real Misioneros de las Californias

[whariwharangi]

I saw this at the ruins of Mision de San Fernando Rey de Espana de Velicata.



There are several mission sites (some still in use as local cathedrals) throughout the California states. I never thought of it as a potential camino route ... but I guess in the days before the roads ... the communication was all done by walking for hundreds of miles in desert. Your biggest problem would be water ... there isn't much of it.


The rewards are in remote places like the Mision de San Jose de Comondu.

 

[lovingkindness]

This looks interesting.

http://walkelcaminoreal.com/ Walk California's el Camino Real

 

[CA_Pilgrim]

I've actually hiked the entire 850 mile El Camino Real. I recently published a Kindle guidebook on the subject. Originally I planned to hike the Camino Frances in 2012 and started hiking sections of the El Camino Real as training hikes for the Camino de Santiago. Family life and work got in the way of flying to Spain and taking 6 weeks off from life. So I did the next best thing, I continued hiking the entire El Camino Real in sections using the train to get me up and down the coast to and from my start and stop locations. It's a unique experience to see all 21 California Missions by foot. You see a LOT of California at it's very best.

 

[CA_Pilgrim]

Here are some free resources for hiking the El Camino Real de California pilgrimage

• On a mission: Hiker gains ample aches and insights along 800-mile trek on California’s El Camino Real (http://goo.gl/hlPHm1): An article by Maggie Espinosa published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on January 3, 2015. A wonderful article in which she describes her personal journey of discovery in completing the ECRT. Maggie is a personal friend and we shared hundreds of miles of conversation and friendship along the El Camino Real.
• Walking El Camino Real de California (http://goo.gl/KGqNpf): An open Facebook group for mission hikers with general information on the missions and the El Camino Real.
• Walk California's El Camino Real (http://goo.gl/AJfmk1): A website by Stephanie Dodaro with useful background, route suggestions, and resources for hiking the El Camino Real. Stephanie is one of the early hikers completing the ECRT.
• Edie’s Mission Walk (http://goo.gl/iO5WrX): A Facebook page chronicling one women’s celebration of life. Having survived six years with late-stage cancer, she decided to celebrate her victory by walking the 850 mile El Camino Real. A very touching story.
• Notes from the road (http://goo.gl/w8C1YG): One man’s experience hiking the El Camino Real in 53 days with many interesting photos.
• California Mission Walkers (http://goo.gl/G5kf8j): A Facebook group for people hiking the California missions. It is a closed group which means you need permission to join the group. It is a great forum for those seeking advice on routes and planning. You can contact the group leaders by email: californiamissionwalkers@gmail.com.
• MissionWalk.org: This web site is still in its infancy. We hope someday this will become the single source place to go for information on hiking the El Camino Real. However, as of this writing, the web site is still under construction and does not have much in the way of information. Check back periodically as the content grows
• My photo album on this web site for some of my favorite photos from pilgrimage along the El Camino Real: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/camino-photos/users/ca_pilgrim.12693/albums

Buen Camino, or as we say on the El Camino Real, Siempre Adelante! (Father Junípero Serra's motto: Always Forward!)

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

I've actually hiked the entire 850 mile El Camino Real. I recently published a Kindle guidebook on the subject. Originally I planned to hike the Camino Frances in 2012 and started hiking sections of the El Camino Real as training hikes for the Camino de Santiago. Family life and work got in the way of flying to Spain and taking 6 weeks off from life. So I did the next best thing, I continued hiking the entire El Camino Real in sections using the train to get me up and down the coast to and from my start and stop locations. It's a unique experience to see all 21 California Missions by foot. You see a LOT of California at it's very best.

did you publish a part 2, all I found on Amazon was up to Santa Barbara, I'm interested in SLO northward. thanks

 

[trecile]

did you publish a part 2, all I found on Amazon was up to Santa Barbara, I'm interested in SLO northward. thanks

There's quite a bit of information on the California Mission walk in the last few years.
Butch Briery gave me a copy of the guide book that he wrote a decade ago, but I've yet to walk any of it.

About Us | California Mission Walkers

Who We Are The California Mission Walkers are dedicated to promoting walking routes along the historic El Camino Real between the twenty-one California Span ...

missionwalk.org

Also, check out this thread from last year with GPS tracks.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/complete-gps-gpx-kml-files-for-california-missions-trail.67282/#post-844178

 

[trecile]

There is a new Cicerone guidebook coming out next month - Hiking and Cycling the California Missions Trail: From Sonoma to San Diego by Sandy Brown

Hiking and Cycling the California Missions Trail: From Sonoma to San Diego: Brown, Sandy: 9781786311139: Amazon.com: Books

Hiking and Cycling the California Missions Trail: From Sonoma to San Diego [Brown, Sandy] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Hiking and Cycling the California Missions Trail: From Sonoma to San Diego

www.amazon.com

Also, forum member @CA_Pilgrim has completed the Mission Walk and has written a guide

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/el-camino-real-de-california-a-hikers-guide-to-the-california-mission-trail.344/

​

 

[Former member 92300]

I've actually hiked the entire 850 mile El Camino Real. I recently published a Kindle guidebook on the subject. Originally I planned to hike the Camino Frances in 2012 and started hiking sections of the El Camino Real as training hikes for the Camino de Santiago. Family life and work got in the way of flying to Spain and taking 6 weeks off from life. So I did the next best thing, I continued hiking the entire El Camino Real in sections using the train to get me up and down the coast to and from my start and stop locations. It's a unique experience to see all 21 California Missions by foot. You see a LOT of California at it's very best.

Thanks for all the info - I will have to look for the kindle guidebook. This is something I would love to do... but it didn't really seem set up for walking.