Last updated: February 3, 2026
Place
Caches Monument
Photo/Larry Short
Quick Facts
Location:
The Caches Marker is located along US 50 about 1.3 miles west of the US 50 By-pass junction on a dirt road.
Significance:
The Caches was a well known landmark and campsite on the Santa Fe Trail west of Dodge City, Kansas. Near here in 1822, a blizzard stopped Santa Fe–bound traders, forcing them to hide ("cache") their goods and come back for them later.
Amenities
1 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
In 1812, James Baird and Samuel Chambers took part in an ill-fated expedition to Santa Fe. Inspired by the journals of Capt. Zebulon Pike, they envisioned a profitable trade with northern New Spain; instead, they were captured and imprisoned by Spanish authorities, who were enforcing a prohibition on trade outside the empire. Such a fate would have stopped most traders, but Baird and Chambers were not so easily deterred.
More than a decade later, Baird and Chambers headed to Santa Fe once more. They set out from Missouri in late 1822 but lost their stock after a blizzard struck, stranding them along the Arkansas River. They made camp on a river island where they sheltered for three long, cold months. In early spring, they dug deep pits and buried their trade goods to protect them from theft. Then, they proceeded to Taos on foot for fresh stock. They later returned to their camp, retrieved their goods, and traded them as planned in Taos. The pits left behind became a trail landmark known as “The Caches.”
Baird, Chambers, and the rest of their party took great care in digging these jug-shaped holes. They piled the excess soil onto buffalo robes and then dumped it all into the river—removing any evidence of their digging. Each pit was lined with sticks and leaves and covered with grass and soil. Although they have since vanished, the holes persisted for many years. When Susan Shelby Magoffin traveled the trail with her husband Samuel in 1846, she described the Caches in her diary:
“‘the caches’ . . . Are large holes dug in the ground somewhat the shape of a jug. . . . They are situated about a quarter of a mile from the river, on rather an elevated piece of ground, and within a hundred yards of the road, which runs at present between them and the river. They are quite as noted as any point on the road and few travelers pass without visiting them.”
From here, you can easily visit the 100th Meridian Marker, Fort Dodge, Mulberry Creek Crossing, Boot Hill Museum, Fort Larned National Historic Site, Dodge City, and more.
Site Information
Location (The Caches Marker is located along US 50 about 1.3 miles west of the US 50 By-pass junction on a dirt road.)
Caches Monument is a large monument on the side of a dirt road close to a highway. The monument is located within a rural environment with fields and farmlands.
Safety Considerations