This lesser-known mission chain along the legendary El Camino Real de los Tejas includes three former mission sites (San Francisco Xavier de Horcasitas, San Ildefonso, and Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria), Apache Pass, and the natural lookout, Sugarloaf Mountain. A presidio (San Francisco Xavier de Gigedo) and an Indian village are also part of the area's history.

THC historical markers and National Park Service signs guide visitors to the general locations of the three missions. The mission lands, as well as the red sandstone Sugarloaf Mountain just north of Gause, are on private property today. Now a popular local venue, Apache Pass was once a river crossing for missionaries, settlers, and soldiers along the 2,500-mile route from Mexico to present-day Louisiana. Modern travelers of the historic trail can catch glimpses of what their 18th-century counterparts might have experienced.

View a map of the Milam County portion of the El Camino Real de los Tejas to help guide your trip.

Watch the video below to learn more about the Los Caminos Reales in Texas. This video was produced for inclusion in the Hispanic Texans mobile tour, more information about which may be found on our Hispanic heritage page at the following link: http://texastimetravel.com/travel-themes/main-hispanic-heritage