Presidio neighborhood

Courtesy of VisitSantaBarbara

Where the Conquistadors Walked: Key Sites Along the Anza Trail

I remember when I first walked this trail I found in Southern Arizona. Old cottonwood surrounded me, reaching for the sky with red birds chirping excitedly in the branches. A stream—not a desert wash, actual running water— was babbling nearby. I looked over to see a deer frozen in place, contemplating if it should flee. I stood quietly staring back until it had conceded that my presence wasn’t a threat and drank from the creek, and I thought, “Wait. Am I still in the desert?” As I hiked through, I noted the markers: Juan Bautista de Anza Trail. I didn’t think much of it until, months later, I was driving outside San Diego and again saw this marker 200 miles away from where I had hiked.

“Just how long is this trail?” I wondered. Turns out, it’s 1,210 miles. This trail I happened upon years ago was actually a significant marker. Juan Baustista de Anza was a Spanish expeditionary leader, and I was strolling through history, back to the 1700s where conquistadores, or Spanish Explorers, once came in through Mexico, forging their path up to San Francisco all those years ago.

Since then, I’ve tried to venture to as many parts of the Anza trail as I can. Of course, it’s not a single, open trail the whole way. But there are parts in Arizona and California restored where you can hike beautiful trails and explore historical churches and more. Here are a few key markers along the way to explore.

Tumacácori National Historical Park, Tubac, Arizona

The trail starts on the border of the United States and Mexico in Nogales, Arizona, closer to where I was hiking when I first noticed this trail. The Santa Cruz River runs up to a small art town known as Tubac, a town older than the state itself. In fact, it was an established dwelling of the Spanish settlers as far back as 1691. In nearby Tumacácori National Park, you can visit what remains of a 19th-century church. As you step inside, you can feel the remnants of the past whispering of cooperations and conflicts between the European missionaries and the O’odham, Yaqui and Apache people who dwelled here. Once you complete your tour, there’s direct access to the Anza trail to hike along the small river and look out for wildlife.

To plan your trip, visit nps.gov/tuma/index.htm.

Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area, Yuma, Arizona

At the confluence of the Gila and Colorado rivers, Anza’s expedition made its critical crossing in 1774, cementing Yuma’s role as a gateway. Today, you can walk riverside paths that trace the expedition’s route, climb Prison Hill for sweeping views of the crossing site and explore restored adobe structures at the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area. Access to the Anza Trail itself runs right through this area, with interpretive signage guiding you along stretches of the riverfront so you can quite literally follow in Anza’s footsteps.

To plan your trip, head to  visityuma.com.

El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park, Santa Barbara, California

In 1782, Spanish soldiers built El Presidio as the last of the four military outposts. If you ever find yourself wandering among the palm-lined streets of Santa Barbara, drop by the city’s original Spanish fort. The presidio grounds connect you directly to the people who carried Anza’s journey forward into permanent settlement. Wander the restored adobe soldiers' quarters and a chapel. Keep an eye out for the Buenaventura Pico Adobe, built by descendants of those early settlers.

To plan your trip, visit parks.ca.gov/?page_id=608.

San Juan Bautista State Historic Park, San Juan Bautista, California

By the time the Anza settlers had reached this fertile valley, California’s Spanish presence was expanding through missions and small communities. This charming town of San Juan Bautista grew into a hub back in the day, with a mission and surrounding plaza that would anchor life in the region. The state park preserves that story, with original structures like the Plaza Hotel, the Zanetta House and the José Castro House offering a window into 18th- and 19th-century life.

To plan your trip, head to parks.ca.gov/?page_id=563.

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California

Perhaps the most iconic modern marker of the Anza Trail is Golden Gate Park. Long before the park’s trees and gardens transformed the landscape, this area was a stretch of sand dunes the Anza party crossed on their way to the bay. Their goal was to establish a presidio and mission at San Francisco, and the route carried them across this once barren corridor. As you explore Golden Gate Park, it is worth remembering that beneath this ground lie the traces of a trail that helped shape the destiny of California.   

To plan your trip, visit sfrecpark.org/770/Golden-Gate-Park.