Midland Trail – First Transcontinental Auto Trail – Legends of America
Hey there, fellow road trip enthusiasts! Ever heard of the Midland Trail? Nah, it’s not some fancy hiking trail in the middle of nowhere. It’s actually one of the OG transcontinental auto trails that stretched across the United States way back in the day. Think of it as the Route 66 of its time, but maybe not as famous (yet!).
Back in 1913, when cars were still a novelty and road trips were a real adventure, the Midland Trail was born. It started in Washington, D.C., and went all the way to Los Angeles and San Francisco, California. Can you imagine driving that far on the roads they had back then? Talk about a bumpy ride!
The Brainchild Behind the Road
So, who came up with this crazy idea? Well, there was this group called the National Highways Association. These guys were all about making roads better for everyone. Their motto was "Good roads for everyone!" They wanted the federal government to build and maintain a massive network of highways, like 50,000 miles worth! This network would include main highways, trunk highways, and link highways, connecting everything like a giant spider web.
Hitting the Road: The Original Route
Let’s take a trip down memory lane and follow the original route of the Midland Trail. Starting in Washington, D.C., you’d cruise through Richmond and Clifton Forge in Virginia, then head to Charleston, West Virginia. Next up was Kentucky, with stops in Morehead, Lexington, and Louisville.
From there, you’d roll into Indiana, passing through Vincennes, before hitting Salem, Illinois, and then the bustling city of St. Louis, Missouri. The trail continued through Sedalia and Kansas City, Missouri, before reaching Topeka, Kansas. Finally, you’d make your way to Limon and Denver, Colorado, ready for some mountain adventures.
Conquering the Rockies
Speaking of mountains, things got a bit tricky once you reached Denver. The original route split into several options to cross the Rocky Mountains. You could choose from Berthoud Pass, Tennessee Pass, Cochetopa Pass, or Monarch Pass. All these routes eventually met up in Grand Junction, Colorado, before heading into Utah through Green River and Salt Lake City.
But the journey wasn’t over yet! The trail then took you south across the Salt Lake Desert, passing through places like Iosepa, Orr’s Ranch, Fish Springs Ranch, and Ibapah, Utah. Sounds like you’d need a good mechanic and a whole lot of spare tires for that part of the trip.
Across the Desert and into California
Next up was Nevada, where you’d cross the Great Basin Desert through Ely and Tonopah. Then, at Goldfield, you’d turn south into the Amargosa Desert and head west into California at Lida. From there, you’d navigate the Inyo Mountains and the White Mountains through Westgard Pass. Phew, that’s a lot of desert driving!
Finally, at Big Pine, California, in the Owens Valley, the route split into four different options:
- Option 1: Headed to Los Angeles via Mojave and the Cajon Pass.
- Option 2: Went through Bakersfield and over the Tehachapi Pass to Los Angeles.
- Option 3: Took you to San Francisco through Yosemite.
- Option 4: Also aimed for San Francisco but via the Pacheco Pass.
The Ultimate Road Trip Guide
If you were planning a trip on the Midland Trail back in the day, you’d definitely want to get your hands on the official Midland Trail Tour Guide. Published in 1916, this guide had all the details you needed, with mile-by-mile directions from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco.
The End of an Era
Fast forward to 1926, and there were over 250 named highways in the United States. Can you imagine trying to figure out which one to take? It was a total nightmare for travelers! That’s when the National Highway Association decided to replace the highway names with numbers. It was a merciful move that made traveling a whole lot easier.
Unfortunately, with the new numbering system, the memory and name of the Midland Trail slowly faded into history.
The Midland Trail Today
So, if you’re feeling adventurous and want to experience a piece of history, you can still follow parts of the old Midland Trail. Using today’s road names, the highway roughly follows these routes:
- U.S. Route 60 from Newport News, Virginia, to Richmond, Virginia.
- A mix of U.S. Route 1, State Route 54, U.S. Route 33, State Route 22, and U.S. Route 250 from Richmond to Staunton, Virginia.
- Two alternate routes from Staunton to Covington, Virginia: U.S. Route 11 and U.S. Route 60 or State Route 42, State Route 39, and U.S. Route 220.
- U.S. Route 60 from Covington to Louisville, Kentucky.
- U.S. Route 150 and U.S. Route 50 from Louisville to Kansas City, Missouri.
- K-10 in Kansas and U.S. Route 24 from Kansas City to Limon, Colorado.
- U.S. Route 40 from Limon to Denver, Colorado.
- U.S. Route 40, former Colorado State Highway 11, U.S. Route 6, and U.S. Route 89 to Salt Lake City.
- The Old Lincoln Highway from Salt Lake City to Ely, Nevada.
- An alternate route, approved in 1922, followed U.S. Route 6 from Santaquin, Utah, to Ely.
- U.S. Route 6 from Ely, Nevada, U.S. Route 395, State Route 14 in California, and San Fernando Road, San Fernando Valley, to Los Angeles.
A Road Trip Worth Remembering
The Midland Trail might not be as well-known as Route 66, but it’s a fascinating piece of American history. It represents a time when road trips were a true adventure, and the open road was calling out to those brave enough to explore it. So, next time you’re planning a road trip, why not consider following parts of the old Midland Trail? You might just discover some hidden gems and experience a bit of the past along the way. Happy travels!