| The
Management and Use Plan
Introduction
Vision
Mission
n I think it safe to say that no pioneer routes of such great length in any country's history have ever been so thoroughly explored and identified as I have explored and identified these. Anza traveled twice and back from Mexico City to Monterey (once to Suisun Bay), a distance of more than ten thousand miles. Between these points I have retraced...his entire journeys. n The
Historic Route
After crossing the Colorado River near Yuma, the route drops south into Mexico to avoid a large expanse of sand dunes, and continues in that country for approximately 46 miles before reentering the U.S. southwest of El Centro. The route then continues north through the Yuha Desert, Borrego Valley, Coyote Canyon, Bautista Canyon, and the San Bernardino/ Riverside metropolitan areas before reaching the site of the San Gabriel Mission and the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The route northwest from this mission passes through the Santa Monica Mountains, descends to the coastline near Oxnard, and follows the coast through Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties before moving inland at the northern edge of Vandenberg Air Force Base. The route continues to San Luis Obispo, crosses Cuesta Grade to Atascadero, and turns northwest to Mission San Antonio before joining the Salinas River enroute to Monterey. The route north from Monterey is inland past San Juan Bautista, Gilroy, and San Jose to the San Francisco peninsula. The route along the peninsula commences through the low uplands facing the bay before turning inland at San Bruno and continuing to the vicinity of the Presidio of San Francisco. In addition to the trip to San Francisco, the main goal of the Anza party, the expedition also included a reconnaissance expedition to the eastern portion of San Francisco Bay. From San Francisco, the route basically follows the northbound route south before traversing the south end of San Francisco Bay. It then follows the general course of the bay, northward, and the Carquinez Strait eastward to Suisun Bay, where the party headed south through the hills and valleys to rejoin the northbound route in the vicinity of Gilroy and return to Monterey. Within Mexico. Anza began his recruitment for the colonizing expedition approximately 600 miles south of Tubac in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico today. His first staging area was at the Royal Presidio of Horcasitas in Sonora, Mexico. The expedition journals and campsite numbering start at this point. From Horcasitas, he followed the Río Zanjón north to the Río Magdalena to Nogales Wash on the approximate alignment of today's Mexico Highway 15. In addition, after leaving the Colorado River, Anza traveled for several miles in what is Baja California, Mexico today. Much interest was expressed during the planning process by individuals on both sides of the international border to recognize the full length of Anza's colonizing expedition by making the trail the Juan Bautista de Anza International Historic Trail. This route was not designated by Congress, and therefore, is not considered in this plan; however, the National Park Service will actively explore the potential for an international trail. Table 1 illustrates approximate trail miles by state and country. TABLE 1: ROUTE MILES BY STATE/COUNTRY
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| Trail
as Corridor
The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail commemorates a trip of settlement made on horseback and on foot and the overland route of settlement opened through that trip. The trail was probably a fairly narrow track. As a military man, Anza would have kept his travelers together and in a defensible line, although the livestock may have cut a wider swath. The journals refer to "el camino," the road or path. For most of his trek, Anza followed American Indian trails, often described as "well-beaten," which in most cases had become Spanish routes of travel by the time of Anza's journey. Only from the Colorado River to San Gabriel Mission and on the east side of San Francisco Bay was Anza treading territory new to the Spanish. The trail location can be identified from several archeological sites which can be tied to the expedition journals. Also, in specific topographical areas, such as Coyote Canyon in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, it is obvious just where the colonists walked. On the other hand, these well-traveled routes were often a series of parallel tracks distinguished by seasons, a "high road" during the rainy season and a "low road" more closely aligned with a water course in the drier seasons. The expedition journals may not clarify which particular route he would have traveled nor the precise location of the river channels at that time. No trail ruts, graffiti, or architectural fabric exist for either the trail route or the campsites. However, the journals of the trek depict the route closely enough to define a corridor with identifiable landmarks. Therefore, for the purposes of this plan, the Anza Trail is defined as a historic trail corridor, an area of varying width depending upon the specifics of the terrain and the historic and archeological evidence. Even though the archeological record may identify American Indian villages near which the expedition camped, the campsites would have encompassed a large area to accommodate the numbers of people and livestock. Even though particular mission campsites are known, none of the buildings of the time are extant. Thus, for the purposes of this plan, campsites are defined as a vicinity rather than as a specific spot. Trail Map. The general trail corridor is shown on the Historic Route Map and described in more detail on the county maps included in appendix C. The maps in the separate Map Supplement volume constitute the official route map required by the National Trails System Act, as amended. Its description was published in the Federal Register. If new research identifies more accurate trail locations, an official notice of correction will be published in the Federal Register. High
Potential Sites and Route Segments
Historic sites. Criteria for historic sites are those included in the definition of high potential sites in the NTSA Sec. 12 (1). They include historical significance, at least one direct tie to the Anza Trail, the presence of visible historic remains, scenic quality, and few intrusions. Historic sites certified for the Anza Trail automatically have the potential for interpretation and will be encouraged to offer it. Interpretive sites. Criteria for certification of interpretive sites include at least one significant, direct connection to the Anza expeditions, and a high potential to commemorate the trail's historical significance or to interpret American Indian, Spanish colonial, or natural history related to the expedition, even though the sites may not retain their historic integrity. Many sites important to the Anza Trail story do not retain the integrity of the historic scene due to subsequent development. For example, many campsites are now in the midst of urban areas, but they offer interpretive potential even though the historic scene is gone. Several California Registered Historic Landmarks, which the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) asked to be included in this plan, fall into this category. American Indian sites, although changed by development, are frequently located along the historic route and provide opportunities for cultural interpretation. Members of the expedition and their offspring owned ranchos, built adobes, and participated in mission and community building during the Spanish colonial period. The sites and remains of these missions, pueblos, and adobes offer places to tell the story of the Anza expeditions and the Spanish colonial life they engendered in California. |
Historic Route with Interpretive Sites
Full-size map
| During the planning process, the NPS and
the county task forces inventoried historic and interpretive sites and
high potential route segments. They identified a total of 35 historic sites,
102 interpretive sites, and 17 route segments including federal components.
The sites are listed on the foldout Historic Route Map and briefly described
in Appendix B. [Some points on the map represent more than one historic
or interpretive site. Therefore, there is not a one-to-one correlation
of numbers of sites and numbers on the map.] Segments are listed in tables
2 and 3. Even though all Anza expedition camp sites have the potential
for interpretation, the plan lists only those which have some possibility
for public use today. Additional sites and segments may be identified in
the future.
In accordance with the NTSA, both federal and nonfederal trail components were identified. Trail resources on federal lands are automatically designated as federal protection components. Nonfederal sites and segments must be certified to become official components of the trail. The criteria and procedures for certification are described under "Site and Segment Certification" ( page 38). TABLE2: FEDERAL TRAIL COMPONENTS
Federal Protection Components. The Anza Trail passes through lands managed by the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and Department of Defense (DOD). The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) and Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) management areas are also involved. National Park System Areas —NPS sites associated with the Anza route include Tumacácori National Historical Park, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Channel Islands National Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area/the Presidio of San Francisco, and John Muir National Historic Site. Resources within National Park System units would be fully protected and interpreted according to NPS management policies and guidelines. U.S. Forest Service Area —The San Bernardino National Forest in California encompasses about eight miles of the Anza Trail between the towns of Anza and Hemet on the approximate alignment of Bautista Canyon Road. Bureau of Land Management Areas — Portions of the trail pass through several areas managed by the BLM, descriptions of which follow: Phoenix District, Lower Gila Resource Area: approximately 25 miles of the Anza Trail within Maricopa County in Arizona pass through this area. The trail cuts through an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) which is managed for its cultural values. The trail also passes through a portion of the North Maricopa Wilderness which is managed to maintain its primitive character. The district has plans to interpret the Butterfield Overland Mail Route, a subsequent use of the Anza Trail corridor. The NPS and BLM will coordinate marking and interpretation of the two trails. Yuma District: approximately 31 miles of the historic route, including several campsites along the Gila River, are within this district in Yuma County, Arizona. This district also manages sensitive cultural resources and plans to interpret the Butterfield Overland Mail Route. |