| Santa Fe Trail Site
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Description
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| Kozlowski's Stage Station and Spring (NHL)
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Kozlowski's Stage Station is about 3.4 miles north
of I-25 on New Mexico Highway 63, on the former Kozlowski Ranch (now known as the
Forked Lightning Ranch). This was a trading ranch and a stage station on the
Santa Fe Trail and it was known for its excellent food. Part of the ranch
house and a stage station make up the present-day Pecos National Historical Park. The
Kozlowski ranch also figured in the Civil War battles at Glorieta Pass,
serving as Union headquarters before that engagement on March 28, 1862.
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Pecos National Historical Park (NHL)
21K
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Pecos National Historical
Park is on New Mexico Highway 63, north of I-25. This is the site of the
Pecos Pueblo, which was the easternmost pueblo visited by Francisco Coronado in
1541. The pueblo was still inhabited when the Santa Fe Trail opened in 1821. The
few remaining people left to live at the Jemez Pueblo in 1838. Pecos was well
known and mentioned in the journals of Trail travelers. It was used as a
campsite by the travelers. Ruts of the Trail are present. Pecos National
Historical Park is a National Park Service area that is open to the
public.
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| Pigeon's Ranch and Glorieta Battlefield (NHL)
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Pigeon's Ranch is on New Mexico 50, about 3.4 miles
southeast of the I-25 exit at Glorieta. The ranch was founded by Alexander
Valle and was a stage station on the Santa Fe Trail. A section of the original
ranch house remains today. The Civil War Battle of Glorieta Pass was fought
on March 28, 1862 about 0.5 mile west of the ranch. The Confederate forces
initially drove the Union troops from the battlefield, which extended across
the Santa Fe Trail. As the Confederates were apparently winning this battle,
other Union forces raced across the top of Glorieta Mesa to capture and
destroy the Confederate supply train at Johnson's Ranch in Apache Canyon. This proved to
be the decisive blow and the Confederate forces were soon driven from New
Mexico.
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| Glorieta Pass (NHL)
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Glorieta Pass is on I-25 between the Glorieta Mesa
in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, just west of Glorieta. In use by Indians
since ancient times, this was not an easy pass to traverse. Because
of the intensity of use, it was constantly improved by both Santa Fe Trail
travelers and the U.S. Army. Kearny's Army of the West marched unopposed
through this pass in 1846 on its way to Santa Fe.
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Apache Canyon (NHL)
32K
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Apache Canyon is at the western side of Glorieta pass and near
Johnson's Ranch site on I-25. Once a narrow wagon gap on the Santa Fe Trail, the
canyon was enlarged during the construction of the Santa Fe Railway and I-25.
Governor Manuel Armijo thought about fortifying this gap in 1846 to
prevent U.S. forces from reaching Santa Fe. He withdrew without fighting. The
Battle of Apache Canyon, which was the first Civil War engagement in the area,
occurred on March 26, 1862. Union forces included Colorado and New Mexico
volunteers. The Confederates were driven from the battlefield and many were
captured.
A small bridge in Apache Canyon was constructed by soldiers in
the 1850s and it figured into the Battle of Apache Canyon. When retreating
Confederates crossed this bridge, they cut it and dropped the decking to the
narrow ravine below, believing that would stop the pursuing Union soldiers.
Mounted Union troops were ordered to jump their horses across the gap and all
but one made it. Both sides were reinforced the next day, preparatory to the
major engagement near Pigeon's Ranch on March 28.
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| Johnson's Ranch (NHL)
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The Johnson's Ranch site is on the western side of
Glorieta Pass at the town of Cañoncito, north of I-25. Founded in
1858, the ranch was a trading ranch and a stage station on the Santa Fe Trail.
In March 1862, while Johnson was absent, Confederate forces used the ranch
as their headquarters during the Battle of Glorieta Pass. Nothing remains of
this ranch today but the town of Cañoncito is located on the site.
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Logo Indicates
Certified Santa Fe National Historic Trail Sites