The Santa Fe Trail in New Mexico – End of the Journey
The Santa Fe Trail, a vital artery of commerce and cultural exchange, carved its way across the vast American landscape, linking the burgeoning United States to the distant, alluring city of Santa Fe, the capital of the province of New Mexico. During its heyday, the Santa Fe Trail stretched from Independence, Missouri, to Santa Fe. Unlike the well-populated East, the land between these two hubs was sparsely settled, dotted with few white settlements and only a handful of permanent Native American villages. Santa Fe, a city with roots reaching back to approximately 1610, thrived on this trade, its population swelling to around 3,000 during the peak years of the Santa Fe Trail’s influence.
The genesis of this transformative route is attributed to Captain William Becknell, a man whose successful trading expedition in 1821 etched the Santa Fe Trail into the annals of history. On September 1st of that year, Becknell, accompanied by four trusted companions, embarked from Arrow Rock, a point on the Missouri River near Franklin, Missouri. Their destination was Santa Fe, a journey fraught with challenges and uncertainties. Upon reaching Santa Fe on November 16, 1821, and realizing a substantial profit, Becknell envisioned a return journey, thus establishing the path that would become renowned as the Santa Fe Trail.
Within the borders of New Mexico, the Santa Fe Trail branched into two primary routes: the Cimarron Cutoff and the Mountain Route. These were not rigid, unyielding paths but rather flexible corridors, giving rise to numerous alternate routes that catered to the growing number of settlements that sprang up along the way. These communities served as vital support systems, providing essential goods, services, food, shelter, and water to the wagon trains that traversed the landscape. Eventually, these smaller trails converged again along the Las Vegas-Santa Fe Corridor, forming a unified pathway towards the heart of New Mexico.
Today, the Santa Fe Trail New Mexico National Scenic Byway offers a tangible connection to this historic route, tracing the highways and roads that closely parallel the original Santa Fe Trail paths. By following this byway, travelers can experience a sense of the challenges and triumphs of those who journeyed along this vital corridor.
The Cimarron Route: A Journey Through the Plains
The Cimarron Route marked the entry point of the Santa Fe Trail into New Mexico. The route entered New Mexico from the Oklahoma panhandle, north of present-day Clayton. This segment of the trail boasts several significant historical sites, including McNees Crossing, Point of Rocks, and the Rock Crossing of the Canadian River. These landmarks served as crucial navigational aids and provided essential resources for travelers.
McNees Crossing, now intersected by New Mexico Highway 406, represents the point where the trail forded the North Canadian River. Located 3.8 miles southwest of the Oklahoma state line in Union County, the crossing of Corrumpa Creek is still visible. The site is named after Robert McNees, a young trader tragically killed by Native Americans in 1828. Besides its significance as a river crossing, McNees Crossing also served as a popular campground, with traders celebrating the Fourth of July here as early as 1831. Traveling west from Clayton on U.S. 56, the byway passes by the Rabbit Ear Mountains, distinctive geological formations that served as a prominent landmark for those navigating the trail.
Point of Rocks, another notable marker, lies north of U.S. 56, about 22 miles east of Springer in Colfax County. This location was a frequented campsite, valued for its nearby spring. The site bears a somber history, as it was near here in 1849 that the party of Santa Fe merchant J.W. White was attacked, resulting in 11 graves. Today, Point of Rocks is located on a private ranch and is open to the public.
The Rock Crossing of the Canadian River, also located in Colfax County, has a long history of use by Native Americans and later by travelers on the Cimarron Route. The crossing features a natural stone floor for a short distance. Upstream, the riverbed is sandy and difficult to traverse, while downstream, a deep and rocky canyon renders crossing impossible. This strategic spot was often considered the true gateway into Mexico, with Mexican troops occasionally dispatched to escort traders to Santa Fe. The crossing was also a frequent site of Indian raids on caravans. The Rock Crossing is located on private land two miles south of US Highway 56.
The town of Springer, situated six miles west of the Canadian River crossing, is home to the Santa Fe Trail Museum, housed within the historic 1882 Colfax County Courthouse. From Springer, the byway follows the east I-25 frontage road towards Wagon Mound, the last significant landmark on this stretch of the Santa Fe Trail. In 1850, a group of ten men accompanying an express mail wagon on the Cimarron Route were killed by Jicarilla Apache near Wagon Mound.
The Santa Fe Trail continues its journey towards Watrous, where it merges with the Mountain Branch of the trail. Along the Cimarron Route, trading ranches and stage stations, such as the Samuel B. Watrous Ranch House and Store, Barclay’s Fort Site, and the Sapello Stage Station, provided crucial support and services for travelers. These establishments, also known as Gregg Tavern Stage Station or Barlow & Sanderson Stage Station in Watrous, offered respite and supplies.
The Mountain Route: A Passage Through the Peaks
The Mountain Route, entering New Mexico from Colorado, presented a different set of challenges and scenic vistas. Key sites along this route include the Lucien Maxwell House site, Ocate Crossing, and Fort Union National Monument.
Crossing Raton Pass was the most arduous part of traveling the Mountain Route. Richens "Uncle Dick" Wootton established a toll road through the pass in 1865, charging fees for wagons, horses, and livestock. Indians were allowed free passage. Today, Interstate 25 roughly parallels the old road.
The Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway follows Moulton Street southeast to Second Street in Raton, originally known as Willow Springs. This settlement served as a water stop for stagecoaches and a freight stop on the Santa Fe Trail. South of Raton, the byway picks up on U.S. 64 and continues through Cimarron. Settled around 1844, Cimarron became the headquarters of the vast 1.75-million-acre Maxwell Land Grant in 1857. Wagon trains would enter the plaza from the east after crossing the Cimarron River. Lucien Maxwell built the Aztec Mill, which still stands as the Old Mill Museum in Cimarron.
The trail then proceeded to Rayado, located 12 miles south of Cimarron. Rayado originated as a Santa Fe Trail campsite established by Lucien Maxwell in 1848. It became the point where the Mountain Route and two of its side trails converged. In the early 1850s, a military camp was established at Rayado to protect this section of the Mountain Route. Maxwell’s old home has been restored.
Ocate Crossing, situated in Mora County, served as a vital watering point and campsite. This route saw heavy use during and after the Civil War, and travelers frequently mentioned it in their journals. General Stephen Watts Kearny’s Army of the West crossed here in 1846 and camped nearby.
Fort Union National Monument in Mora County stands near the junction of the Cimarron and Mountain routes. From 1851 to 1891, Fort Union served as a major military post on the Santa Fe Trail. For a time, it was the largest American military post in the Southwest. Founded to protect the trail, the fort’s original structures deteriorated by the Civil War. A fortification was subsequently built. After the Civil War, a third Fort Union was completed, incorporating a garrison, a regional quartermaster depot, and an arsenal on the original fort’s site.
The Final Stretch: Convergence and Arrival in Santa Fe
From Watrous to Santa Fe, one of the most significant sites is Pecos National Historic Park in San Miguel County. This park encompasses the Pecos Pueblo site, the easternmost pueblo visited by Francisco Coronado in 1541. While the pueblo was still inhabited when the Santa Fe Trail opened in 1821, it was abandoned around 1838. Trail travelers used the abandoned pueblo as a campsite, often mentioning it in their journals. Along this stretch of the combined trail, other notable sites include Las Vegas Plaza, Tecolote, San Miguel del Vado, Apache Canyon, Kearny Gap, and Glorieta Pass. Trading ranches, such as Kozlowski’s Stage Station, Pigeon’s Ranch, and Johnson’s Ranch Site, offered additional support and provisions.
Ultimately, travelers reached the end of the Santa Fe Trail, the Santa Fe Plaza. Established around 1610 by Don Pedro de Peralta, the Plaza has long been the commercial, social, and political center of Santa Fe. During the 19th century, the Plaza would have been bustling with carts, goods, livestock, traders, and townspeople. The buildings surrounding the Plaza, constructed in Pueblo, Spanish, and Territorial styles, reflect the diverse cultural history of this historic place. One of the most prominent historic buildings on the Plaza is the Palace of the Governors. Constructed in 1610, the Palace of the Governors served as the seat of the Spanish, Mexican, and American territorial government in New Mexico for 300 years. It is the oldest extant public building in the United States and now forms part of the Museum of New Mexico.
The Santa Fe Trail gradually faded from extensive use by 1880, but its legacy, lore, and influence endure. For nearly 60 years, goods, ideas, and cultural interactions traversed the Santa Fe Trail. The blending of cultures and ideas created a unique experience that continues to resonate today. The Santa Fe Trail remains a testament to the spirit of exploration, commerce, and cultural exchange that shaped the American Southwest.