án ▁remained ▁at ▁their ▁resident ▁miss ions ▁during ▁their ▁terms ▁as ▁Father - Pres idente , ▁therefore ▁those ▁settlement s ▁became ▁the ▁de ▁fact o ▁headquarters ▁( until ▁ 1 8 3 3 , ▁when ▁all ▁mission ▁records ▁were ▁perman ently ▁re located ▁to ▁Santa ▁Barbara ). ▁ ▁Mission ▁locations ▁▁ ▁There ▁were ▁ 2 1 ▁miss ions ▁accompanied ▁by ▁military ▁out posts ▁in ▁Al ta ▁California ▁from ▁San ▁Diego ▁to ▁Son oma , ▁California . ▁To ▁facil itate ▁travel ▁between ▁them ▁on ▁horse ▁and ▁foot , ▁the ▁mission ▁settlement s ▁were ▁situated ▁approximately ▁ 3 0 ▁miles ▁( 4 8 ▁kilom eters ) ▁apart , ▁about ▁one ▁day ' s ▁journey ▁on ▁horse back , ▁or ▁three ▁days ▁on ▁foot . ▁The ▁entire ▁trail ▁eventually ▁became ▁a ▁ 6 0 0 - mile ▁( 9 6 6 - kil ometer ) ▁long ▁" Cal iforn ia ▁Mission ▁Tra il ." ▁He avy ▁fre ight ▁movement ▁was ▁practical ▁only ▁via ▁water . ▁Trad ition ▁has ▁it ▁that ▁the ▁pad res ▁spr ink led ▁must ard ▁se eds ▁along ▁the ▁trail ▁to ▁mark ▁it ▁with ▁bright ▁yellow ▁flowers . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁old ▁Cam ino ▁Real ▁north wards , ▁from ▁San ▁Diego ▁through ▁to ▁the ▁northern - most ▁mission ▁in ▁Son oma , ▁California , ▁north ▁of ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Bay , ▁the ▁miss ions ▁were : ▁ ▁Military ▁districts ▁▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Mission ▁Period ▁Al ta ▁California ▁was ▁divided ▁into ▁four ▁military ▁districts . ▁Each ▁was ▁g arrison ed ▁( com and an cias