Places To Go

Following the Expedition of Juan Bautista de Anza

In 1776, while American patriots fought for their independence from England, Spanish Lt. Colonel Juan Bautista de Anza led more than 240 men, women, and children some 1,800 miles to establish a settlement at San Francisco Bay. These families were the first colonists to come overland across the frontier of New Spain into present-day California. The 1,200-mile Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail connects history, culture, and outdoor recreation across 20 counties of Arizona and California. Each site along the Anza Trail is independently operated. Hours, fees, and use rules vary.

The National Park Service administers the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail through partnership with other federal, state, county, and municipal parks and agencies, local volunteer groups, non-profit organizations, and private landowners.

An Auto Route approximates the areas where the expedition traveled. Several communities and parks offer Anza Recreation Trail for walking, hiking, horse riding, and bicycling. A Historic Route comprises a variety of historic sites related to the Spanish Colonial era. If an area belonging to a private landowner is not open to visitors, permission must be obtained to enter the property.

Explore the Juan Bautista de Anza Trail

Historic & Cultural Sites in Arizona

Historic & Cultural Sites in California

Premier Recreation Trail Experiences

Night Skies along the Anza Trail

Major Annual Events Along the Anza Trail

Passport to Your National Parks: Anza Trail Stamp Locations

Experience the Anza Trail on Amtrak: Trails & Rails

Note: For an interactive map of all Anza Trail resources, visit our partner website, http://www.anzahistorictrail.org

 

The historic Martinez Adobe at the John Muir National Historic Site. Houses The Anza Trail exhibit.

 

The Anza Trail Exhibit
(Closed for Structural Repairs)

Martinez, California

For safety reasons, access to the Martinez Adobe is blocked off from the public and remains closed for all use until the structure is stabilized. Currently, there is no timeline for the repairs to be complete. We are creating a webpage with some of the content from the exhibit. We will post a link to this page here once it is created. Read the news release about this closure.

The historic 1849 Martinez Adobe at the John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez, Calif., hosts the only permanent exhibit of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.

This multi-sensory experience engages visitors through evocative images and an ambient soundscape of life on the trail, a detailed diorama portraying the vast scope of the expedition party, and interactive displays. The exhibit encompasses perspectives representing the diversity of people whose lives were changed by this significant journey.

John Muir National Historic Site
4202 Alhambra Avenue
Martinez, CA 94553
925-228-8860
https://www.nps.gov/JOMU
Open daily for self-guided tours, 10AM - 5PM

 

Interactive Map & Online Trail Experience

Visit our partner website, http://www.AnzaHistoricTrail.org, for a dynamic online Anza Trail experience:

• Points of Interest for recreation trails, and historic sites along the Anza Trail
• Custom Maps of the Anza Trail's Historic Corridor, Auto Route, and Recreation Trails
• Local Events
• Expedition Diaries (courtesy of Web de Anza) and toggle an expedition timeline to follow the colonists as they traveled north
• County Guides and Maps to download of trail resources (adapted from the Anza Trail Guide by 1775-1776 Anza Colonizing Expedition descendant Greg P. Smestad, Ph.D.)
• Earn your Junior Ranger badge by completing a virtual expedition
• And much more!

AnzaHistoricTrail.org is a partnership of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail and the Anza Trail Foundation.