Experience the Old West as you have never done before by taking a trip along the Santa Fe Trail in Colorado. Your car will become a time machine as you become immersed in the history and culture found on this fascinating byway.
Madonna of the Trail Statue (CO) [2]
Begin your trip in Lamar. At the Colorado Welcome Center, absorb the history represented by the “Madonna of the Trail.” This statue honors the pioneer mothers of covered wagon days. Dedicated by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution on September 24, 1928, this Madonna of the Trail is one of only 12 in the world. Don't miss this historical statue as you travel the Santa Fe Trail.
Boggsville National Historic District on Highway 101 (CO) [3]
One of the most famous people to have traveled the Santa Fe Trail before you was the legendary frontiersman, Christopher Houston “Kit” Carson. You'll find many places along the Santa Fe Trail where you can learn about his life and times. Browse the various exhibits in the Las Animas Kit Carson Museum to learn about the life of this remarkable trapper, scout and soldier. Just two miles south in Boggsville is one of Carson’s homes, his last before he died in 1868. Stroll the nature trail and see the museum at Kit Carson's Last Home, a National Historic Site.
Visit Bent’s Old Fort near La Junta to see one of Colorado's most evocative historic sites. The fort was a trading post for mountain trappers and Indians-- a supply point, a social center, and a beacon of safety, rest and relaxation. Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, Comanche, Ute, and Lakota Indians all were seen at the fort as well as famous mountain men like John C. Fremont, Francis Parkman and Kit Carson. Special presentations throughout the year will show you more about the fort’s illustrious history. Take a hike behind an ox-drawn wagon or watch your kids learn 19th Century blacksmithing, carpentering, or other skills such as cooking for a group of soldiers or learning how to trap animals. Whatever you choose to do, the fort will show you the West when it was still “wild.”
Connect the past and the future on Colorado’s Santa Fe Trail with a visit to the Koshare Indian Museum and Kiva in La Junta. Come here during the winter and summer ceremonials to witness authentic Pueblo Indian Dances, performed by Boy Scouts from Troop 232 and Venturing Crew 230 of the Rocky Mountain Council for over 65 years. The museum itself also holds much acclaim as the largest self-supported log roof in the world. The museum houses extensive collections of Indian paintings and artifacts that are sure to entice your historical spirit.
To see one of the trail’s most beautiful views, visit Sierra Vista Overlook, located on Highway 350 just 13 miles southwest of La Junta, CO. Take a short walk up the side of the bluff to see the incredible view of the Rocky Mountains and surrounding prairie. Be sure to notice the Spanish Peaks, a landmark and guide for early pioneers on their journey across the prairie.
Stop at the Iron Spring Historic Area 11 miles west of Timpas, CO., which was once an important source of water for travelers along the Santa Fe Trail. Between 1861 and 1871, Iron Spring was also a stagecoach station, as well as the scene of several Indian attacks. Look just west of the parking lot to see centuries-old trail ruts still visible next to the spring, as well as a few ruins nearby.
In Trinidad you can find a museum that consists of four main attractions and takes up an entire city block! The Trinidad History Museum overlooks the Santa Fe Trail and includes the Baca House, the Bloom Mansion, Historic Gardens and the Santa Fe Trail Museum. See extensive collections of books, artifacts, and travel brochures in any of these four places. More specifically, take a moment at the Santa Fe Trail Museum to learn more about famous Santa Fe Trail characters like Bat Masterson, Billy the Kid, and Mother Jones, and to see Kit Carson’s buckskin coat.
After your museum visit, rest and relax in the Victorian bandstand at Kit Carson Park. This park contains the largest Daughters of the American Revolution marker on the Santa Fe Trail. The Daughters of the American Revolution were one of the first organizations to mark historical places in the nation, and they started with the Santa Fe Trail. As you visit the park, notice the cast bronze statue of Kit Carson, widely considered to be the finest equestrian statue in the U.S.
As you travel through Colorado’s past, soak in the rich history of the Santa Fe Trail. Whether you are visiting the Trinidad History Museum or watching winter ceremonials at the Koshare Indian Museum and Kiva, you will truly discover that your car is the perfect time machine to discover more about Colorado’s portion of the Santa Fe Trail.
