Image: Old Spanish Trail near Nevada-California border

Description: The Old Spanish National Historic Trail recognizes the land route traveled by traders from 19th-century Mexico - today's New Mexico - and California. From 1829 to 1848, this trail was the shortest-known route from Santa Fe to Los Angeles, through red-rock mesas, below snow-capped peaks, and fording untamed rivers, following a loose network of Native American footpaths across the Colorado Plateau and Mojave Desert. The Old Spanish National Historic Trail is composed of three main routes: the Main Route, the Armijo Route, and the North Branch. Use would depend on peril, weather, or simple opportunistic stops. Mules were the highest-valued pack animals, as they had incredible strength and endurance, fared better than horses where water was scarce and forage poor, and recovered more rapidly after periods of hardship. Photo by Jesse Pluim, BLM
Title: Old Spanish Trail near Nevada-California border
Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/blmcalifornia/49362877626/
Author: Bureau of Land Management California
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No