Freight wagons no longer cross the prairies,
but the Trail's legacy endures as buildings, historic sites, landmarks,
and original wagon-wheel ruts. The National Park Service, working with the
Santa Fe Trail Association, coordinates efforts to preserve, develop, and
enjoy the Trail and provides technical and limited financial help to Trail
projects. Private landowners, nonprofit groups, and federal, state, and
local agencies manage most Trail resources.
Private individuals and organizations own much of the Santa
Fe Trail. Not all sites are open for public use, and some only for certain
hours and days. Consult guidebooks and ask locally before going onto private
land.
Many state, county, and city museums, chambers of commerce,
and tourist information centers provide Trail information. Distinctive signs
with the Santa Fe National Historic Trail logo
mark the auto tour route that parallels the Trail.
Even if you live hundreds of miles - or halfway around
the world - from the Santa Fe Historic Trail, you can still follow the trail
with the aid of trail maps. Here at the Website Visitor Center, you can
travel east-to-west or west-to-east, just as the freighters, traders, explorers,
and emigrants did more than a century ago. Along the way, you can check
out the many trail sites that still remain along the entire length of the
Trail. Click below for your city of departure and follow the Santa Fe
National Historic Trail!
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Exploring the Santa Fe Trail Today
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The traveler who wants to explore the Santa Fe Trail would
do well to pick up both of the following guidebooks. Taken together, the
modern explorer will have a complete guide to the Trail.
Franzwa, Gregory M. The Santa Fe Trail Revisited.
St. Louis: The Patrice Press, 1989.
- The Santa Fe Trail Revisited
provides the most complete directions to virtually every known Santa Fe
Trail site, though each site is generally directed from the previous site,
not from main highways. Limited maps. Generous photographs. A wonderful
writing style makes this a very readable guide.
Simmons, Marc. Following the Santa Fe Trail: A Guide
for Modern Travelers. Santa Fe, New Mexico: Ancient City Press, 2001 [1984].
- Following the Santa Fe Trail
does not cover quite as many sites as the above mentioned guide, but does
a great job of directing the explorer to and from to the main highway and
has a generous, if simple, collection of maps. There is also a new edition
out that makes it more current than the other guide.
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Also arm yourself with a good state map or atlas, a full
tank of gas, lunch, a camera, and a strong sense of adventure. Don't forget
that many of the sites are on private land and you will need to seek permission
from the landowners to visit the sites.
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The Santa Fe Trail on Foot, Wagon, or Horseback
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 Actual recreational travel
along the existing trail remnants is discouraged. The Trail is a fragile
piece of history and the passage many new feet, hooves, and wheels will
destroy the unique nature of the Trail itself.
While existing trail remains constitute only about 15%
of the Trail route, there are several places where you can experience the
Santa Fe National Historic Trail in much the same way the original Trail
travelers did on foot, on horseback, or behind an animal drawn wagon, by
traveling on a "companion trail" that parallels the original route. The best site for this experience is:
Cimarron National Grassland, Elkhart, Kansas
242 Highway 56 E., Elkhart, Kansas
Twenty-three miles of the historic
Santa Fe Trail are accessible for viewing. A 19-mile companion
trail offers exhibits and recreational opportunities for bicycling, horseback riding, hiking, and
animal drawn wagons.
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 As you travel,
you can follow the route of the Santa Fe National Historic Trail along the
State and Federal highways. Watch for the official Trail logo along the
roadside. Many state and local road maps also indicate the approximate route
of the Trail.
There are several guidebooks
that can help you in your highway travels. You can also check with the various
National Park Service areas that
are associated with the Santa Fe National Historic Trail.
Check too with state
travel and tourism offices for additional information regarding routes,
museums, and other related attractions.
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Certified Trail Properties
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Non-federal historic sites, trail segments, and interpretive
facilities that meet National Park Service standards for resources preservation
and public enjoyment may become part of the Santa Fe National Historic Trail
through voluntary certification. If you are an individual or organization
that is interested in obtaining certification for your Santa Fe Trail site,
review the Certification Guide
for information. Certified Trail properties display the official Trail
logo.
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