Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 275 million visitors every year. But our work doesn’t stop there.
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The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
How do I obtain a park entrance pass?
Only 118 of your 417 park sites charge entrance fees. You can obtain park entrance passes by visiting a park site that charges an entrance fee. Entrance fee sites have passes available; we recommend calling a park prior to your visit. (See the park search to locate a specific park.) There are a number of entrance passes available, including park-specific passes as well as passes that offer entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites in addition to the national parks (Annual, Military, Senior, 4th Grade, Access, and Volunteer passes). Learn more about the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.
About this location:
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Missions San Juan and Espada are open 10:00 am – 5:00 pm daily. All sites closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day
Standard Hours
Park District
Mission Espada and Mission San Juan
The two southern sites, Mission Espada and Mission San Juan, open one hour after Mission San Jose and Mission Concepcion.
Standard Hours
A New God and King
After 10,000 years, the people of South Texas found their cultures, their very lives under attack. In the early 1700s Apache raided from the north, deadly diseases traveled from Mexico, and drought lingered. Survival lay in the missions. By entering a mission, they foreswore their traditional life to become Spanish, accepting a new religion and pledging fealty to a distant and unseen king.
Park Headquarter’s is located 4 miles south of downtown San Antonio. The four mission sites lay as a chain south of downtown. Mission Concepción is 3 miles, Mission San José and the park visitor center is 6 miles south, Mission San Juan is 3 miles south of San José, and Mission Espada lays another mile beyond. Written directions and GPS addresses can be found at the link below.
Visitor Center at Mission San José
Open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; The park is closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1. Park and area information Movie: Gente de Razón Shown on the hour and half-hour beginning at 9:30 am, with the last show at 4:30 pm. Close-captioned Museum: The displays exhibit authentic and replicated artifacts explaining the diverse tasks found within the Spanish missions Park Store: Operated by Western National Parks Association
Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 40°F to 95°F and is rarely below 29°F or above 100°F. The warm season lasts from May through September with an average daily high temperature above 90°F and a low of 75°F. The cold season lasts from November through February with an average daily high below 68°F and an average low of 40°F. The relative humidity ranges from 40-80% over the course of the year, which can be very uncomfortable to many people.