Location: Santa Fe in North Central New Mexico to the Colorado and Oklahoma borders
Length: 565 miles (910 km)
Time To Allow: 12 hours

Description/Highlights/Points of Interest

Encounter the Santa Fe Trail, one of America's first great trade routes. The trail (1821–1880) was also critical to the westward expansion of the United States. Discover an undisturbed, pristine landscape while observing a wide diversity of wildlife habitats. Sites and landmarks include trading posts such as Bent's Old Fort, stage stops, pictographs, the longest dinosaur tracks in North America, Raton Pass, Pecos, Santa Fe and Fort Union National Monument, where you can see wagon ruts worn into the land over 150 years ago.

 Suggested Itinerary

The New Mexico portion of the Santa Fe Trail consists of about 400 miles (643.7 km) of pure history. The Santa Fe Trail came into existence as a trade route with William Becknell's journey in 1821 from Old Franklin, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico. His arrival coincided with Mexico's independence from Spain and, therefore, trade with the United States, which had been forbidden under Spanish rule, was now possible. The Santa Fe Trail covered 900 miles (1448 km) through five states including Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado and New Mexico. It served as an international trade route until 1879 when the first locomotive of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroads reached New Mexico. Many communities today owe their existence to the original Santa Fe Trail.

The Santa Fe Trail was used by Colonel Stephen Watts Kearny during the war with Mexico in 1846, when he led his troops down the Santa Fe Trail and marched without armed opposition into Santa Fe. In 1862, during the Civil War, the trail was again involved in military incursions and many important battles were fought at Glorieta Pass and Apache Canyon.

Beginning in Santa Fe, get out on the road early and travel north along Interstate 25. Your first stop is at Pecos National Historic Park, where you'll want to spend some time learning about the ruins of a 14th century Indian pueblo and two 17th century Franciscan missions which crown a fortress-like hill in the verdant Pecos River Valley.

Your next stop should be in Las Vegas. No, not THAT Las Vegas. New Mexico has a fantastic wildlife refuge, worth the stop and exploration along the .5 mile (.8 km) trail. Plan to spend a few hours here soaking it all in!

Head north on Interstate 25. Visit the town of Buena Vista and be sure to stop at Fort Union National Monument. The remains of this star-shaped fort are a fantastic site. The Santa Fe Trail Museum should be your next stop as you approach the town of Springer, and the major highway junction. Enjoy the Kiowa National Grassland as you drive east to the border and Clayton. While here, don't forget to stop and enjoy Clayton Lake State Park. This would be a great place to camp for the evening!

Next, leaving the byway for a few miles, take Highway 64 up to Raton. A fun experience is guaranteed at the Sugarite Canyon State Park. Back on the byway, hop on Highway 64 going south through Cimmaron. This drive is fantastic and takes you through the the Cimmarron Canyon State Park. At this point, you may choose to head over to Taos and enjoy the museums and ghost towns, or head back to Santa Fe.

These organizations offer trips along the Santa Fe Trail Scenic and Historic Byway:

Museums and Mansions: Old Santa Fe
American Driving Vacations
As America’s oldest capital city, Santa Fe has been occupied since 1050. Today’s capital was founded in 1607, the same year in which the colonists landed at Jamestown on the Virginia coast. The Palace of the Governors, the oldest continuously used public building in the United States survives from that period, when the rest of Santa Fe was destroyed by fire. For more than one hundred years, Santa Fe also served as the capital of the Province of New Mexico under Mexican rule. With all this interesting history at hand, we’ve designed a special 3-day, 2-night Break Away for you to explore Old Santa Fe: its buildings, art and cultures that are older than America itself. Accommodations at the Bishop’s Lodge, with it’s own Santa Fe history, are the perfect complement to your historic experience. Your package includes admission to the Palace of the Governors, the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, Mission of San Miguel of Santa Fe and the Loretto Chapel.

The Great Southwest Tour
Country Tours
Happy trails take you from Amarillo, Texas to Santa Fe, New Mexico where
you'll meet real cowboys on their ranches, enjoy a special rodeo and watch a wheat harvest before joining the crew for lunch in the field. Walk in the footsteps of "the good, the bad and the ugly" in historic Wild West towns. Your trip includes a stay at the pristine Angel Fire Resort in New Mexico. It's a true Southwestern adventure!