Going to San Antonio!

I got *really* excited planning this post. There’s no way I’ll be able to cover everything in one post, so expect to see references to this one several times in the future.

This series started by visiting San Pedro Springs Park and looking it up online. Then I got curious.

First off, the Camino Real is otherwise known as the King’s Highway or the Old San Antonio Road. According to the Handbook of Texas Online the first part of it was blazed in 1690.

This incredibly old road is a series of trails leading from approximately Saltillo, Mexico to Natchitoches, Louisiana. Though these destinations may change depending on the source consulted.

It’s so easy to fall in love with the trail, but so difficult to find information. There is no definitive route, though the DAR tried to come close with their pink granite markers put in place prior to 1920.

For right now, I’ll post these pictures taken from parts of the trail just north of San Antonio and encourage you to explore the internet and search for more information yourself.

How we got here was by taking the 1604 loop and then Nacogdoches north from there. The first marker is JUST before the Cibolo creek bridge. If you keep your eyes peeled, you’ll see it to the left side of the road in a fence row on the edge of what looks to be an old farm.

Now see all that grass? That’s really a drainage ditch. If you go visit before the mowers have, make sure you take a stick or something to shake the grass. Summer is snake season and a snake bite, while in the tradition of the Camino Real, is still inconvenient.

Here’s an upclose and personal view of one of the DAR markers. Yup. It’s pink granite. Thanks DAR ladies! Now, when driving through Bexar county or anywhere along the route, keep your eyes peeled and you’ll know where you are when you see them.

This is something really cool. This is the limestone shelf that was the fording place for Cibolo creek. Yup, real live Camino Real. Wagons, horses, foot travelers, they all crossed RIGHT HERE. Now the water’s quite low, so if you decide to visit, be careful! I’d hate for you to get washed away.

Getting down to the ford is really easy. From that pink marker, just cross the side road over to the creek. You’ll see the path down to the creekside just to the left of the bridge.

Here’s Chris and I playing Camino Real travelers.