Old Spanish National Historic Trail

New Mexico, Colorado,Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California

...the longest, crookedest, most arduous pack mule route in the history of America...

Palace of the Governors Photo Archives, 155329

Profit could be made transporting New Mexico serapes and other woolen goods to Los Angeles, and wrangling California-bred horses and mules back to Santa Fe. But a viable overland route across the remote deserts and mountains of Mexico’s far northern frontier had to be found.

It took the vision and courage of Mexican trader Antonio Armijo to lead the first successful commercial caravan in 1829. Following a combination of indigenous footpaths, and early trade and exploration routes, he forged a trail network that collectively became known as the Old Spanish Trail.

Walking Gunsight Pass, Utah 80

80 H nake River u le S m Gree itt b n L o Rive ld r t River Salt Lake City mpa River Today you can follow the approximate route of the Ya 25

er mule pack trains by visiting the locations noted Riv White 15 Explore Today on the map. The landscape across the rugged Denver r e 70 iv R ver h o Ri and scenic American Southwest is in many ways c rad it lo P o Some of the Old Spanish Trail has been reclaimed C r n e a iv S unchanged from R when the mule pack trains passed e Green River s e Grand Junction by nature or modified by later use. However, e Salina R enroute from New Mexico to California. 70 Do lo re s G most of the landmarks that guided trail travelers u R nn Gunnison iv is iver e o n R F r r e r mont Rive Moab can still be seen today. sh a

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r y e e ll COLORADO v a i V R UTAH e w it o Rio Gran h d de NEVADA a Rive W e Enoch r For more information, including historic site M iver San Ju R an Durango n O R a irgin River i r u w V ve J locations and trip planning tools, please visit San Luis e n n S a s Teec Nos Pos

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er o o o v C ern Ri 15 lo K rad CALIFORNIA o Rive Searchlight r P 40 ecos Riv 5 er 40 Verde Ri National Park Service ve r Barstow ARIZONA National Trails Intermountain Region 17 Los Angeles (505) 988-6098, www.nps.gov/olsp Scan this code San Bernardino r e iv

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a r r 10 o l o 25 C er Phoenix NEW MEXICO Old Spanish Trail Association Gila Riv 5 (505) 425-6039, www.oldspanishtrail.org 15

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