Lucio Vasquez / Houston Public Media
Rodeo trail riders reach Memorial Park in Houston on Feb. 28, 2020.
Starting this weekend, a dozen trail rides from across Southeast Texas will begin their dayslong journeys to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
This will be the 74th year of the iconic trail rides, in which cowboys and cowgirls ride horses and wagons, camp out and interact with local residents during their trips. The first trail ride took place in 1952 when four men traveled on horseback from Brenham to Houston to promote the rodeo. One year later, 80 people joined the trail ride and, by 1954, 800 people participated, according to the Houston rodeo.
Now, more than 70 years later, more than 2,000 trail riders and 102 wagons are expected to participate, traveling over 1,300 miles across 12 different trails before converging at Houston’s Memorial Park and riding in a downtown parade on Feb. 28. The rodeo begins March 2 at NRG Park.
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Below is a rundown of all the trail rides scheduled for this year, along with their start times and starting locations. More information about each trail ride, including a map of their planned route, is available on the Houston rodeo website.
Mission Vaqueros
The Mission Vaqueros trail ride has been participating for 35 years and was established by the Fort Bend County Vaqueros. They will begin their ride on Saturday, Feb. 21, starting in Goliad, located southwest of Houston.
The Mission Vaqueros’ ride will span 206 miles and include approximately 200 riders and eight wagons.
Northeastern
The Northeastern trail ride has been participating for 31 years. Fifty-five riders and five wagons will depart from Cheeks — located northeast of Houston — on Sunday, Feb. 22, and travel 110 miles.
Prairie View
The Prairie View trail ride was established in 1975 and has been participating for 69 years. This year, approximately 300 riders and eight wagons will depart from Hempstead, located northwest of Houston, on Sunday, Jan. 22. They will travel 80 miles.
Eric Stone/Houston Public Media
Prairie View trail riders approach Memorial Park, the end of their 84-mile journey, in 2019.
Salt Grass
The Salt Grass trail ride was established in 1952 and has been participating for 75 years. It is the largest trail ride, featuring 1,000 riders and 19 wagons. The group will depart Saturday, Feb. 21, from Cat Spring, located west of Houston, and travel over 105 miles.
Sam Houston
The Sam Houston trail ride was established in 1955 and has been participating for 71 years. The group of approximately 50-75 riders and four wagons will depart from Montgomery, located north of Houston, and travel 70 miles.
Southwest
The Southwest trail ride was established in 1993. The group will depart from Rosenberg, southwest of Houston, on Friday, Feb. 20, and travel 120 miles. Approximately 294 riders and eight wagons are expected to participate.
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Southwestern
The Southwestern trail ride, established in 1973, will depart from West Columbia — located south of Houston — on Saturday, Feb. 21. The group’s 250 riders and 12 wagons will travel 97 miles.
Texas Cattlemen’s
The Texas Cattlemen’s trail ride will depart from Plantersville, northwest of Houston, on Monday, Feb. 23. The group of 35 riders and two wagons will travel 60 miles. The Texas Cattlemen’s trail ride was established in 1985 and has been participating for 38 years.
Texas Independence
The Texas Independence trail ride, established in 1961, will depart from La Marque, southeast of Houston, on Saturday, Feb. 21, with 75-200 riders and 14 wagons. The group will follow a 75-mile route.
The Spanish
The Spanish trail ride was established in 1961 and has been participating for 66 years. The group’s 125 riders and 11 wagons will depart Saturday, Feb. 21 from Shepherd, northeast of Houston, traveling 109 miles.
Eric Stone/Houston Public Media
The Spanish trail ride’s longtime trail boss, Joe Cantrell, with his great-grandson, Clay Yates, in 2019. Cantrell died in 2022.
True Western
The True Western trail ride is the newest group to participate, taking part in its first ride this month from Brookshire, northwest of Houston. The group of 150 riders and six wagons will travel 89 miles. The True Western trail ride did not have a start date listed on the Houston rodeo website as of Friday.
Valley Lodge
The Valley Lodge trail ride was established in 1959 and has been participating for 67 years. The group of 75 riders and four wagons will travel 75 miles, departing from Simonton, located west of Houston, on Saturday, Feb. 21.