Santa Fe National Historic Trail
You can almost hear the whoops and cries of "All's set!" as trail hands hitched their oxen to freight wagons carrying cargo between western Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Follow the Santa Fe National Historic Trail through five states and you'll find adventure and evidence of past travelers who made this remarkable trip before you!
You can visit many sites of the Santa Fe National Historic Trail over the 900-mile historic route that crosses five states.
- Arts and Culture
- Theater
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Museum Exhibits
- Architecture and Building
- Arts
- Photography
- Colonization and Settlement
- Commerce
- Trade
- Explorers and Expeditions
- Forts
- Military
- Native American Heritage
- Tragic Events
- Wars and Conflicts
- Indian and Frontier Wars
- Civil War
- Spanish-American War
- Westward Expansion
- Grasslands
- Rock Landscapes and Features
- Scenic Views
- Trails
Cimarron National Grassland
Visit Cimarron National Grassland to experience the Santa Fe Trail.
Neosho River Crossing, Council Grove
The Neosho River in Council Grove was an important crossing on the trail.
Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, La Junta, Colorado
After spending weeks crossing hundreds of miles of lonely and desolate prairie, a trading post appeared: a welcome respite where travelers could repair their wagon and trade for coffee, sugar, blankets, and ammunition.
Wagon Mound, Mora County, New Mexico
Wagon Mound was a landmark on the Santa Fe Trail. Coming from Raton, New Mexico, travelers looked for this wagon-like hill to know that they were close to Santa Fe. Leave Interstate 25 at the village of Wagon Mound in Mora County to find this landmark.
Fort Union, New Mexico
The Santa Fe Trail traverses through Fort Union.