There’s a well-known saying about the Old Spanish Trail: it isn’t
old, and it isn’t Spanish. But from 1829 until 1848, more or less, it was an
important trade route linking Santa Fe to Los Angeles. Mexican traders (and
others) loaded strings of pack mules with woolen goods in New Mexico, trailed
them to California, and traded for horses and mules. The animals—many thousands
of them—were trailed back to New Mexico then sold on to Missouri, Old Mexico,
and other markets. Thieves also raided California ranches for horses and mules
for the same purpose, as well as selling them to the U.S. Army for use in the
Mexican-American war. Traders in Indian slaves used parts of the route as well.
Not long ago, I had the privilege of exploring the Old Spanish
Trail through Utah with the Utah Westerners. Through slickrock and sagebrush,
deserts and mountains, sand and shadscale, we followed the route as nearly as
possible, almost from border to border. Along the way, we were guided and
educated by well-informed local historians as well as members of the
Westerners.
The Utah Westerners set off on such a field trip every summer, but
this was my first with the group of historians and history buffs. It will not
be my last.
(Thanks to Utah Westerner Steve Berlin for the photos.)
