El Paso Mission Trail: Texas' Oldest Missions in Ysleta, Socorro and San Elizario

Some of the best things to do in El Paso are also the oldest. The El Paso Mission Trail runs nine miles through the Mission Valley, linking Ysleta Mission, Socorro Mission, and the Presidio Chapel of San Elizario — the oldest missions in Texas, founded in the 1600s and 1700s along the Rio Grande. They are not museum pieces: all three are still active parishes.

How the Mission Trail Began

The story starts in 1680, with the Pueblo Revolt in New Mexico. Spanish colonists, Franciscan friars, and Native allies — Tigua and Piro families among them — fled south over 300 miles to El Paso, a crossing on El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, the Royal Road from Mexico City to Santa Fe. Within two years they had raised permanent missions along the river — the road today's trail follows.

Ysleta Mission: The Oldest Mission in Texas

Start at Ysleta Mission, founded in 1682 and considered the first and oldest mission in Texas. The Tigua people of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo built it and worship here still, making Ysleta the oldest continuously occupied settlement in the state. Floods destroyed the church more than once; the present adobe church rose on higher ground in 1851, with its silver-domed bell tower added in 1897. When fire gutted it in 1907, parishioners rebuilt within a year. Visit in mid-June for the Feast of St. Anthony, with Tigua dancers and drumming.

Socorro Mission: The Church the River Could Not Take

A few miles southeast stands Socorro Mission, also founded in 1682, for Piro families who made the same journey south. Its first permanent church (1691) was swept away by flood in 1744; a second was lost when the Rio Grande cut a new channel in 1829. The stepped-facade church standing today was completed in 1843 and has been in continuous use ever since — note the hand-carved ceiling beams salvaged from the earlier church. In the 1990s, the community made 22,000 new adobes by hand to restore it.

San Elizario: A Presidio Chapel, an Art Colony, and an Outlaw Story

The trail ends in San Elizario, where the third church is different: the Presidio Chapel of San Elizario served a Spanish military fort established in 1789. Flood destroyed the first chapel in 1829; the bright white chapel overlooking the plaza today was rebuilt in 1877. Then linger in the historic district: art galleries on Main Street, the Los Portales Museum, and the Old El Paso County Jail Museum, dating to about 1850 — the only jail Billy the Kid ever broke into, freeing his friend Melquiades Segura.

Visiting the Mission Trail: What to Know

• Start at the Mission Trail Visitor Center at 9065 Alameda Avenue for maps and background.
• An easy half-day drive. The churches sit a few miles apart along Socorro Road and Alameda.
• These are working churches. All three hold regular services — check each parish's current visiting hours before you go.
• Save time for San Elizario. The galleries, museums, and plaza reward a slow wander.
• Bring water and good shoes. Mission Valley sun is strong, and you will explore on foot.

Heads up: Adobe this old is fragile. Stay on paths, never touch historic walls or artwork, and keep voices low inside — people may be praying.

Local Tip: Missions in the Morning, Ride Red Sands in the Afternoon

Here is how locals build a perfect day: walk through 17th-century history in the morning cool, then take the wheel of our brand-new Can-Am Maverick X3 with Rent a UTV El Paso at Red Sands — 14,000 acres of beautiful sand dunes, winding serpentine trails, and rugged rocky landscapes, with an expert pace-rider out front like a rally co-pilot clearing the way so you focus 100% on the drive.

Tours run solo, or with up to four riders sharing one machine, helmets (with eye protection) and fuel included — see the booking calendar for current pricing. Honest note: Red Sands is not an official OHV park — a mix of private and public lands, mostly private — so respect no-trespassing signs and stay on established routes. Riding with us, our crew knows exactly where to go.

El Paso Mission Trail FAQ

How long is the El Paso Mission Trail?

About nine miles through El Paso's Mission Valley, linking Ysleta, Socorro, and San Elizario. Most visitors spend half a day on it.

What is the oldest mission in Texas?

Ysleta Mission, founded in 1682 — considered the first mission in Texas, in the state's oldest continuously occupied settlement.

Are the Mission Trail churches still active?

Yes — all three are active Catholic parishes with regular services. Check visiting hours before you go and be respectful during services.

One of the Essential Things to Do in El Paso

Few American cities offer a morning inside churches older than the country itself — raised by Tigua and Piro hands and rebuilt after every flood and fire. Drive the trail, then round out the day with an exhilarating Red Sands UTV tour. Old El Paso and wild El Paso, in one unforgettable day.