San Antonio Yanaguana & Spanish Missions Bike Tour

• Day tours by bike
• United States
• San Antonio, TX

Ride the riveting Mission Reach Trail

Embark on an extraordinary bike ride of discovery along the northern route of the Mission Reach Trail, exploring Mission Concepcion and Mission San Jose to gain fascinating insight into life in these Spanish village-inspired compounds. As you glide along the radiant San Antonio River, you’ll also encounter the captivating CoCobijos art installation, the River Return art installation, and the breathtaking Hot Wells of Bexar County. With bike rental and e-bike upgrades available, there’s no better way to cycle to San Antonio’s sensational missions.

Mission Concepcion bears the noble title of being the oldest unrestored church in the USA. Although the dazzling geometric designs of the exterior have been worn away over its 300 year history, fabulous original frescoes can still be found in the incredible interior. Catholic mass is still held here every Sunday, at the site where Pajalats once lived and worked under the direction of the friars. It was also here that the ‘first major engagement of the Texas Revolution’ took place, when the Battle of Concepcion was fought between James Bowie and James Fannin (Texan insurgents) and Mexican troops led by Domingo de Ugartechea. An exploration of the Mission Concepcion compound reveals a sanctuary, nave, convento and granary.

Your brilliant bike tour leads you onwards to the largest of the missions, San Jose, nicknamed the ‘Queen of the Missions’. This area was almost fully restored to its former glory in the 1930s by the Works Projects Administration (WPA), providing an atmospheric experience in an area seemingly frozen in time. The Mission San Jose turned 300 years old in 2020, and still displays many of the relics of its first founding. As you explore, you can view the Rose Window, considered to be the finest example of Spanish colonial ornamentation anywhere in the US, and thought to be named either after the creator’s partner, Rosa, who was tragically killed on her sea voyage from Spain, or after the first Saint of the New World, Saint Rose of Lima. It is thought that during its 104 years of operation as a Spanish mission, San Jose baptized over 2,000 individual Indians.

As you ride the Mission Reach Trail to the tranquil lappings of the San Antonio River, you’ll come across the CoCobijos art installation, bridging the area between the river and Mission San Jose. The name means ‘co-shelters’, appropriate to a sculpture depicting two cactus-like shapes in a supporting embrace, each appearing to hold the other up. Atop the art installation are several sun-bleached cacti, creating a living canopy atop this fascinating feature of the Mission Reach Trail.

Riding a little further, you’ll reach the River Return art installation, a piece telling the fascinating story of the founding of the five Spanish Missions and the sensational San Antonio River. The textured stone walls curve and bend in a way that mimics the flow of the San Antonio, naturally leading visitors towards the Mission Concepcion.

Your day tour winds its way to the Hot Wells of Bexar County, a captivating urban restoration project that has taken the ruins from surrounding land along Mission Reach and rejuvenated them into a world-class community engagement area. Back in the 19th and 20th centuries, these wells were enjoyed for the therapeutic powers of their hot sulfuric waters, but suffered two catastrophic fires in 1894 and 1925. Now, the wells have become the county’s newest park, restored to their former glory and providing an intriguing recreation opportunity.

Embark on an unmissable biking adventure to two of San Antonio’s magnificent missions, leaving with authentic insights, magical memories, and a true appreciation for the unbounding beauty of the Mission Reach Trail and San Antonio River.

View more photos

Highlights

Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission Reach Trail, San Antonio River, CoCobijos art installation, River Return art installation, Hot Wells of Bexar County

What’s included

• Bike, helmet, and lock rental
• English-speaking guide
• Bluetooth earpiece

Meeting place & directions

The tour starts and ends at the same location, just south of Mission San Jose on Mission Road. Directions and instructions will be provided in your confirmation email once you book a tour.