The Camino Fray Junípero Serra: Walking Through the History of the Sierra Gorda

If you are researching hiking routes through the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro, you will eventually come across the Camino Fray Junípero Serra.

Named after the Franciscan missionary Fray Junípero Serra, the route follows a historic corridor associated with his journey through the Sierra Gorda in the eighteenth century. It connects places that played an important role in the history of the Franciscan missions and the evangelization of the region.

For anyone interested in the history of the Sierra Gorda, the Camino is an interesting concept. But if you are looking for a true mountain hiking adventure, I think there is an important distinction to make.

Who was Fray Junípero Serra?

Fray Junípero Serra was a Franciscan friar who arrived in New Spain in the eighteenth century and became one of the most important figures in the Spanish mission system in what is now Mexico and the United States.

Before his better-known work in Alta California, Serra spent several years in the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro, where he was involved with the Franciscan missions established among the Pame communities.

The missions of the Sierra Gorda are now some of the region's best-known cultural landmarks, particularly the five beautiful Franciscan missions that are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Camino Fray Junípero Serra is connected to this history and offers travelers a way to experience the landscape and communities associated with Serra's time in the region.

A historic route, but not necessarily a hiking trail

This is where my personal perspective comes in.

I have spent years exploring the Sierra Gorda, and I tend to look at a route from the perspective of someone who wants to experience the mountains themselves.

When I think of a great hiking route, I want to be on trails.

I want to follow old footpaths through the mountains, descend into canyons, cross rivers, climb ridges and discover places that can't easily be reached by vehicle. I enjoy routes where the terrain itself is an important part of the adventure.

The Camino Fray Junípero Serra is different.

Much of the route follows roads, rural roads and established access routes between communities and historic sites. Its strength is not necessarily technical or remote mountain hiking. Its strength is the history and cultural landscape that it connects.

And that's an important distinction.

I don't guide the Camino Fray Junípero Serra because it isn't the type of hiking experience I personally want to offer my clients.

That doesn't mean I don't think it is worth doing.

If your primary interest is the history of Fray Junípero Serra, the Franciscan missions, local communities and the cultural heritage of the Sierra Gorda, the Camino can be a fascinating journey.

But if you've traveled to the Sierra Gorda because you want to hike through wild mountain country, I would recommend something different.

The Sierra Gorda Beyond the Missions

One of the things that continues to fascinate me about the Sierra Gorda is how much there is beyond the places that appear on the typical tourist itinerary.

There are old trails, remote canyons, rivers and mountain routes that connect places far away from the main roads.

Those are the experiences that interest me most.

For that reason, I'd personally choose routes such as Los Caminos Ancestrales de los Xi'uiy, El Avatar, Los Tres Estados, Amazona, Expedition Xichú and Mission Impossible.

Los Caminos Ancestrales de los Xi'uiy

The Caminos Ancestrales de los Xi'uiy is a collection of routes and adventures centered around the ancestral landscapes of the Xi'uiy (Pame) in southeastern San Luis Potosí.

These routes are very different from a conventional long-distance pilgrimage. They take you into remote country where trails, rivers, communities and the landscape itself become part of the experience.

This is the kind of exploration that I find particularly rewarding.

El Avatar

El Avatar is another route that represents the kind of Sierra Gorda adventure I enjoy.

It is about being in the mountains rather than simply traveling between destinations. The terrain, route-finding and physical challenge are an integral part of the experience.

Los Tres Estados

The name says a lot about this adventure.

Los Tres Estados crosses the rugged country where the states of Querétaro, Guanajuato and San Luis Potosí come together.

Rather than following a historical road between established destinations, the route is about moving through remote mountain terrain and experiencing the landscape firsthand.

Amazona

Amazona is another adventure that takes a very different approach to exploring the Sierra Gorda.

It is not designed simply as a way to get from one point to another. The route itself is the adventure, with rugged terrain and an experience that takes you away from conventional tourism.

Expedition Xichú

Expedition Xichú combines many of the things I love about exploring this region: mountains, rivers, remote communities and challenging terrain.

Depending on conditions, sections of the expedition can take place along the Río Santa María and through the rugged landscape surrounding Xichú.

It is an adventure where the environment dictates the experience.

Mission Impossible

And then there is Mission Impossible.

The name is not accidental.

This is one of the more demanding adventures I offer and is intended for people who are comfortable with serious physical challenges and exposed terrain.

It is about as far removed from a conventional road-based pilgrimage as you can get.

Two Different Ways to Experience the Sierra Gorda

I don't believe there is one "right" way to experience the Sierra Gorda.

The Camino Fray Junípero Serra offers something valuable: a connection to the history, culture and religious heritage of the region.

For some travelers, that is exactly what they are looking for.

For me, however, the Sierra Gorda is at its most compelling when I am off the road and in the mountains.

I want to explore the old paths, descend into the canyons, follow the rivers and see what lies beyond the obvious route.

That's why, when someone asks me which adventure I would recommend, my answer will usually be one of the less conventional ones: Caminos Ancestrales de los Xi'uiy, El Avatar, Los Tres Estados, Amazona, Expedition Xichú or Mission Impossible.

These are the kinds of routes that represent what I love about the Sierra Gorda.

The Camino Fray Junípero Serra tells an important story about the region.

The routes I explore are about discovering the stories that are still waiting to be found.

And sometimes, the best way to discover those stories is to leave the road behind.