Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail Historical Tour
| Departure: | Bent's Old Fort, Colorado |
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| Destination: | Trinidad History Museum, Colorado |
| Time to allow: | 1 day |
This tour begins at Bent's Old Fort and follows the trail westward towards Trinidad. Let history and adventure unfold as you explore the Santa Fe Trail.
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Start: Bent's Old Fort
A National Historic Site, this fort is a reconstruction of Bent's Fort which was originally built in the 1830s. The fort played an important role as a trading post for trappers and the Plains Indians and also as supply depot during the Mexican-American War.
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Stop 1: Sierra Vista Overlook
Directions from previous place: Drive southwest from La Junta on US 350 for 13 miles. Turn right at CO 71 for 0.5 miles, then turn left into the parking lot.
Distance from Previous Site: 13.5 miles / 21.6 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 30 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 1 hour For pioneers traveling south along the Santa Fe Trail, the distant Spanish Peaks served as one of their guiding landmarks. Take a short walk up the side of a bluff for an excellent view of the Rocky Mountains and surrounding prairie. From this overlook, see for yourself what those early travelers saw.
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End: Trinidad History Museum
Directions from previous place: Take US-350 (South-West) for 59.3 miles. Keep straight onto US-160/US-350 for 6.8 miles. The museum is at 300 East Main Street.
Distance from Previous Site: 66.1 miles / 105.8 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 1 hour 8 minutes This museum complex, operated by the Colorado Historical Society, houses five attractions in one location. Visitors to the site can visit the Santa Fe Trail Museum, Baca House, Bloom Mansion, Historic Gardens, or the Bookstore.
