El Camino Real de Los Tejas National Historic Trail runs through Bexar County

El Camino Real de Los Tejas was the main colonial road linking Mexico City to the Texas missions and forts during the Spanish colonial period. The route connected San Antonio to communities in East Texas and Louisiana. San Antonio was the central hub and supply stop along the road.

Congress made El Camino Real de Los Tejas a National Historic Trail in 2004. The trail covers about 2,580 miles. It passes through Texas and Louisiana, from the Rio Grande near Laredo to Natchitoches, Louisiana—though the historic road originally extended all the way to Mexico City. In Bexar County, parts of the historic route follow modern roads. The National Park Service manages the trail with state and local partners.

Markers and heritage sites along the trail tell the story of Native peoples, Spanish colonists, missionaries, soldiers, and later settlers who used this road for over 200 years. For trail maps and site details, visit nps.gov or the Texas Historical Commission's marker database at thc.texas.gov.