When did the Santa Fe Trail start and end?
Between 1821 and 1880, the Santa Fe Trail was primarily a commercial highway connecting Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The route was pioneered by Missouri trader William Becknell, who left Franklin, Missouri in September 1821.
When did the Santa Fe Trail reach Kit Carson?
The Kansas Pacific (formerly UPED) reached Kit Carson, Colorado in March 1870. The primary connecting route between there and the main Santa Fe Trail was a 66-mile freight route that went southwest to the site of Bent’s Old Fort.
Where is the Santa Fe Trail in Kansas?
A highway route that roughly follows the trail’s path, through the entire length of Kansas, the southeast corner of Colorado and northern New Mexico, has been designated as the Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway . This section needs additional citations for verification.
How long was the trail from Fort Harker to Santa Fe?
Trail length from Fort Harker to Santa Fe = 623 miles: 40 miles (feeder route) from Fort Harker to Fort Zarah and 583 miles (main route) from Fort Zarah to Santa Fe. The UPED reached Hays City (near Fort Hays) in October 1867, after which wagons and stage coaches used this point to begin their westward trips.
Where did William Bent start the Santa Fe Trail?
William and Charles Bent, Ceran St. Vrain and Company led a party and wagons eastbound from Santa Fe, New Mexico in the late summer, traveled by way of Taos and Raton Pass to Bent’s Fort; then came down the Arkansas River to the Santa Fe Trail, opening the Bent’s Fort Santa Fe Trail.
Who was the father of the Santa Fe Trail?
However, Becknell had found a passable wagon route by his third trip, thus beginning the many wagon trains heading to the southwest. Credited as the “Father of the Santa Fe Trail,” Becknell continued to make multiple trips along the trail, profiting enormously on his daring travels.
When did the Santa Fe Trail reach Raton Pass?
The winner of that competition, the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad, reached the top of Raton Pass in late 1878. Additional track mileage further shortened the effective distance of the Santa Fe. Then, in February 1880, the railroad reached Santa Fe, and the trail faded into history.