Old Spanish Trail

The Old Spanish Trail consisted of a network of trails that passed through six western states. These trails probably originated with seasonal migrations of large game animals but later served as paths followed by nomadic hunters. Through time the trail segments evolved into a trade route that linked the villages of northern New Mexico to Los Angeles. Blankets, furs, and sheep traveled westward while much valued horses and mules made the trip eastward. The North Branch of the Old Spanish Trail carried traffic through the San Luis Valley from the 1820s until Colorado territory became part of the United States.