Historic trail near SJB provides the perfect weekend walk
It is a peaceful walk, yet it is anything but quiet.
As one makes their way further down the trail, the sounds find
their way through
– dozens of different bird calls, crickets chirping and bees
buzzing.
Historic trail near SJB provides the perfect weekend walk
It is a peaceful walk, yet it is anything but quiet.
As one makes their way further down the trail, the sounds find their way through – dozens of different bird calls, crickets chirping and bees buzzing.
The eyes are in for a treat as well. Grasses bend gracefully in the breeze, and mighty oak trees with their dark green leaves dot the hills while wildflowers add a splash of color. Birds swoop past or soar gracefully overhead and the usually bright blue sky is often filled with picture-perfect fluffy white clouds.
Welcome to the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail in San Juan Bautista – an approximately 3.5-mile section of the trail commemorating the route traveled by Juan Bautista de Anza, a Spanish explorer who led an expedition of about 250 people from what is now southern Arizona to San Francisco Bay.
Today, when jet travel puts Europe only a few hours away, it can be hard to imagine how remote this frontier was. People voyaged months from Spain in ships that would not be deemed seaworthy. Then, de Anza was ordered to embark on a walk, into unmapped territory more than 1,000 miles distant, through a wilderness populated with grizzly bears and indigenous people whose languages were completely foreign. Thirst, hunger, disease and misery were givens.
Today, the sections of the trail available to walkers are a diversion, not a trek.
The local section of the trail is in segments, the southernmost of which is an easy to moderately rugged hike up the Upper Clear Creek Canyon to the base of San Benito Mountain best reached by off-road vehicle after the long drive to New Idria. It features views of valleys and mountains, creek beds and wild grasses. The section most visited links San Juan and Salinas, over a graded dirt track that was once the stage route between the two towns.
The de Anza Trail is another part of San Juan’s rich history. In October 1775, Juan Bautista de Anza was given an assignment – establish an overland route from Mexico to San Francisco Bay’s harbor. The trail originated in Culiacan in northwest Mexico, where de Anza first began to enlist volunteers for the expedition. But most people think of the trail as beginning in Tubac, Ariz., about 50 miles from Tucson, as de Anza gathered most of his group there.
Today, the historic trail features 1,210 miles of California and Arizona scenery – majestic coastal bluffs, sandy shorelines, bubbling creeks and rivers, long stretches of dry deserts and shady oak woodlands. It winds its way through major cities such as Los Angeles and wild, primitive lands such as the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
But the trail is more than just a walk (or ride – much of the de Anza Trail lies on what is now Hwy. 101, and those sections have been marked as an auto route) or a connection between Mexico and San Francisco.
The de Anza trail is a link between the past and the present, the 18th century and the 21st. It is an open invitation to see firsthand how Spain attempted to civilize North America through missions, towns and presidios. A walk down the trail not only brings its visitors closer to nature, but brings them a better understanding of how California was created.
Even though San Juan’s portion of the de Anza trail is considered a moderate hike, visitors should still follow basic hiking tips – wear a hat and sunscreen, bring plenty of water and wear layered clothing and comfortable hiking shoes. Afterwards, stop by one of San Juan Bautista’s restaurants for lunch, and finish with a visit to Mission San Juan Bautista and the State Historic Park. After all, much of California’s rich history lies right here in San Benito County’s backyard. Enjoy it.
