Built in the 1700s to connect all the Spanish missions in Texas, El Camino Real de los Tejas has been a major road for people traveling to and from Texas for a long time. Starting in Mexico City, El Camino Real went to Laredo, continued through San Antonio, wound through the Pineywoods to Nacogdoches, and finally reached Louisiana. The Old Spanish Trail, which later became the path for the southern transcontinental railroad, crossed the state horizontally from El Paso to Beaumont. These trails were used by both the military and regular people. Buffalo Soldiers traveled on them to visit their families in the east or to move their families out west. You may already be familiar with this route: A portion of the historic El Camino Real is still used today as Texas Highway 21! This modern highway follows the road’s original route for a significant stretch through East Texas.
The lands around McKinney Falls State Park, near Austin, were mostly settled in the days of the Buffalo Soldiers but still benefited from the U.S. Army's presence in the late 19th century…
Lockhart State Park, located in the heart of Central Texas, is nestled in an area that saw significant traffic on both the El Camino Real de los Tejas and the Old Spanish…
Nestled in the Lost Pines of Central Texas, Bastrop State Park is in a region where the Old Spanish Trail and El Camino Real de los Tejas were primary routes. For the…
Lake Somerville State Park sits near the paths of both the Old Spanish Trail and El Camino Real de los Tejas, which provided routes westward for settlers in the late 19th century…
Fort Boggy State Park lies between the major routes of the El Camino Real de los Tejas and the Old Spanish Trail in East Texas. During the late 19th century, this region…
Mission Tejas State Park is on the path of the El Camino Real de los Tejas, a historic trail that linked the Spanish missions, and, in the late 19th century, was a…
Fort Parker State Park sits near the paths of both the Old Spanish Trail and El Camino Real de los Tejas, which merged into what was known as the "Old San Antonio…
Daingerfield State Park is in a region that was once connected to the old Spanish missions via El Camino Real de los Tejas. The troops would have crossed or followed segments of…
Purtis Creek State Park is located in a region that was connected to the rest of the state by the El Camino Real de los Tejas. Buffalo Soldiers used this historic road…
El Camino Real de los Tejas passed near what is now Tyler State Park, making the area a critical route for both civilian and military travel. Buffalo Soldiers traveled these routes as…
Caddo Lake was a prominent landmark for Buffalo Soldiers whose journeys took them through the Pineywoods of East Texas. These trails in this region were essential for travel for civilians and the…
Huntsville was a major stop along El Camino Real de los Tejas in East Texas, and the surrounding Pineywoods region benefited from the stabilizing presence of the Buffalo Soldiers, who used the…
El Camino Real de los Tejas passed near what is now Lake Livingston State Park, making the area a critical route for both civilian and military travel. Buffalo Soldiers traveled these important…
Located on Wright Patman Lake near Texarkana, this charming, wooded park has a west-facing shoreline that allows visitors to sit in the peaceful evening and watch brilliant red and deep blue sunsets…
Martin Dies, Jr. State Park lies between the major routes of the El Camino Real de los Tejas and the Old Spanish Trail in the East Texas Pineywoods. The military's use of…
High ground in East Texas bears silent testimony to a people long gone: the platform mounds of the Caddo civilization, rising around 800 CE along ancient trade routes that Spanish colonists later…
In the decades following the Civil War, African American troops known as Buffalo Soldiers served across the American frontier, including East Texas. These soldiers often traveled along historic routes such as El…
Known as the “Birthplace of Texas,” Washington-on-the-Brazos was where delegates declared independence from Mexico in 1836. By the late 19th century, the site lay along routes traveled by Buffalo Soldiers moving between…
Nestled on the Brazos River at Washington-on-the-Brazos, Barrington Living History Farm once thrummed with the ambitions of Anson Jones, the last president of the Republic of Texas. Here, cotton fields, period kitchens…
Fanthorp Inn, located in Anderson, served as a stagecoach stop, post office, and lodging for travelers during the Republic and early statehood periods. Positioned along key travel routes such as El Camino…
Marker #12325 Text: The earliest origins of this cemetery are undocumented. African American burials likely began with development of the local cattle industry and area railroads during the 1840s and 1850s. By…
Marker #23829 Text: This burial ground represents generations of early African American history in Conroe. Locals remember the site referred to as the “Community Cemetery” or “Conroe Cemetery.” The cemetery lay overgrown…
With more than 160,000 acres of dense woodlands just west of Lufkin, the Davy Crockett National Forest is considered one of East Texas’ premier destinations for scenic hikes and drives. It’s also…
Located just east of Lufkin, the 153,179-acre Angelina National Forest is one of East Texas’ most popular destinations for fishing and boating excursions, thanks to the enormous Sam Rayburn Reservoir within its…
The 160,656-acre Sabine National Forest is the easternmost of Texas’ national forests and is dominated by the massive Toledo Bend Reservoir along the Louisiana border. According to the Texas Almanac, Toledo Bend…
Founded in 2001, the Center for African American Military History also known as Buffalo Soldiers National Museum (BSNM) is dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and sharing the history of African Americans in the…
Or, continue scrolling to view the sites located on this trail segment.
Forest Trail Region
111 Walnut Bridge Rd Zavalla, TX 75980 (936) 897-1068 Website
Independence Trail Region
23400 Park Rd. 12 Washington, TX 77880 (936) 878-2214 Website
Independence Trail Region
3816 Caroline Houston, TX 77004 (713) 942-8920 Website
Forest Trail Region
1649 State Hwy. 21 West Alto, TX 75925 (936) 858-3218 Website
Forest Trail Region
439 N. 10th Street Conroe, Texas 77301
Forest Trail Region
455 Park Road 17 Daingerfield, TX 75638 (903) 645-2921 Website
Forest Trail Region
18551 State Highway 7 East Kennard, TX 75847 (936) 655-2299 Website
Brazos Trail Region
579 South Main Street Anderson, TX 77830 (936) 873-2633 Website
Brazos Trail Region
4994 Hwy 75 South Centerville, TX 75833 (903) 344-1116 Website
Independence Trail Region
intersection of Bowie Street and Lawndale Street Houston, Texas 77012
Independence Trail Region
Forest Trail Region
565 Park Road 40 West Huntsville, TX 75948 (936) 295-5644 Website
Forest Trail Region
300 State Park Rd. 65 Livingston, TX 77351 (936) 365-2201 Website
Brazos Trail Region
14222 Park Road 57 Somerville, TX 77879 (979) 535-7763 Website
Independence Trail Region
2012 State Park Road Lockhart, TX 78644 (512) 398-3479 Website
Forest Trail Region
634 Park Road 48 South Jasper, TX 75951 (409) 384-5231 Website
Hill Country Trail Region
5808 McKinney Falls Parkway Austin, TX 78744 (512) 243-1643 Website
Forest Trail Region
701 South Broadway San Augustine, TX 75972 (936) 275-3815 Website
Forest Trail Region
120 State Park Rd. 44 Grapeland, TX 75844 (936) 687-2394 Website
Forest Trail Region
5050 Hwy 21 East Hemphill, TX 75948 (409) 625-1940 Website
Independence Trail Region
12300 Park Road 12 Washington, TX 77880 (936) 878-2214 Website