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The Santa Fe Trail got it's start in 1821, with an advertisement in the Missouri Intelligencer by William Becknell, seeking men willing to join and invest in a trading expedition to the west. Becknell started on this expedition September 1, 1821 from the Franklin and Arrow Rock area of Missouri, ending at the Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico in November of the same year. His first trip was made with pack animals, the next trip to trade in 1822, Becknell used wagons. The Trail soon became a highway of trade and supply, connecting the southwest area of Santa Fe, New Mexico with eastern trade centers.
Our Santa Fe Trail Research site contains information about trail projects undertaken and research articles by several noted trail historians who gave our site permission to put their work on the internet. Read about Trail history, view markers and photos of important landmarks along the length of the Trail. View sites traders passed as they traveled the Trail. Wagon ruts can still be seen even though the wagon trains carrying trade goods have not trod its length for over one hundred and eighty five years. We've tried to make it simple, no special programs or registration is required to view our site other then the browser of your choice, this was done so everyone can read about the history of the Road to Santa Fe. We have over a thousand pages of documented history, well researched articles and hundreds of photos on our site, so enjoy!
Travel with us down the Santa Fe Road from its eastern terminal in Old Franklin, Missouri to the western trade center, The Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Trail follows or is very near these highways. US 60 & US 24 from Franklin, Missouri to Kansas City, Kansas, take I-35 from the Missouri/Kansas line to Gardner, Kansas. At Gardner, Kansas you will find the junction of the Santa Fe and Oregon Trail. Leaving Gardner follow US 56 highway to Fort Larned National Historic Site and on to Dodge City, Kansas. The Trail splits near this point. At Dodge City, follow US 56 out the southwest corner of Kansas, across the northwest corner of Oklahoma to Springer New Mexico. This route was called the Cimarron Cutoff, or Desert Route, the shortest route to Santa Fe, New Mexico. At Springer you will join the Mountain Route of the Santa Fe Trail.
The start of the Mountain Route on the Santa Fe Trail, is located at Dodge City, Kansas, take US 50 to west of Las Animas, Colorado and Bent's Fort before turning south to cross the Arkansas River. The trail has followed the Arkansas River from near Ellinwood, Kansas to Bent's Fort in Colorado. Leaving the National Historic site of Bent's Fort, take US 350 in La Junta, southwest to Trinidad, Colorado, over the Raton Pass on I-25 to Santa Fe, New Mexico and The Plaza where traders ended their trip to trade their goods. If you follow these highways, you will never be more then a few miles from the original route traveled by traders and merchants. In many places the highway you are driving on was the Santa Fe Trail. In other places you will be able to view the same wagon tracks or ruts created by the heavy weight of the freight wagons from the highway, our site will show you where to look.
In Hamilton County, Kansas the Aubry Cutoff crossed the Arkansas River, taking a South/Southwest route into Colorado and New Mexico. The Fort Hays/Fort Dodge Road has been marked as it crosses Ellis, Rush, Hodgeman, Ness and Ford Counties in Kansas. There are auto tours of the Wet/Dry Routes, Cimarron Cutoff, Rice County, Kansas and Lexington, Missouri areas.
You may ask, "What can we see and do along the Santa Fe Trail?" This link will help you find your own answer to that question with trail maps, mileage charts and sites to visit. This list by no means covers all the sites, but then again the Santa Fe Trail is an adventure of discovery.
A very important thing to remember as you visit these Santa Fe Trail sites, most of the Trail is on "Private Property and should be treated as such!"
Santa Fe Trail Research Site
St. John, Kansas
Forts Associated With The Santa Fe Trail
Fort Osage, Mo. Fort Leavenworth, Ks. Fort Riley, Ks.
Fort Zarah, Ks. Fort Larned, Ks. Fort Coon, Ks.
Fort Dodge, Ks. Fort Mann, Ks. Fort Atkinson, Ks.
Fort Aubrey, Ks. Fort Ellsworth, Ks. Fort Harker, Ks.
Fort Fletcher/Hays, Ks. Fort Wallace, Ks. Camp/Fort Supply, Ok.
Bents Old Fort, Co. Fort Union, Nm.
"Santa Fe Trail Research"
Research Articles Page"Wagon Tracks Index"
First Ten Years"Search Our Site"
Search Our Site & SFTrail Book List"News and Photos of Interest"
Trail News and Link Page"Santa Fe Trail Pictures"
Photo's & History"Last Chance Store"
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Santa Fe Trail Research Site
www.santafetrailresearch.com/
santafetrail@santafetrailresearch.com
Maintained & Copyright
by
Larry & Carolyn
St. John, Kansas
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