Old Spanish Trail

Life-size metal trail markers in Kingston Canyon, Utah

The Old Spanish Trail, one of America's long distance pioneer trade routes, is recognized by Congress as a National Historic Trail. From the early 1800's to abt. 1850, traders and pack mules took the Old Spanish Trail on a six-week trek from northern New Mexico to Southern California, where woolen goods from New Mexico were swapped for horses and pack stock raised on California's ranchos. Many took the trail - traders, frontiersmen, trappers, families, military expeditions, and Indian guides. The trail has been called the "longest, most crooked, most ornery pack trail in the history of the United States." The central route of the Old Spanish Trail, which had to swing north to avoid the impassable Grand and Glen Canyons on the Colorado River, ran northwest from Santa Fe through southwestern Colorado. It crossed the difficult and wide Colorado River and then turned northwest to cross the treacherous Green River near present day Green River, Utah. The route then passed through the San Rafael Swell. Sites mapped & listed below.

Old Spanish Trail Intersections	Latitude	Longitude	15. Huntington Creek	39°12'08.8"N	110°54'36.9"W
1. Quichupah Creek	39°19'36.1"N	110°57'53.3"W	16. Red Seeps	39°12'03.5"N	110°51'34.1"W
2. Consolidated Coal Road	38°51'75.1"N	111°15'74.3"W	17. Buckhorn Flat Road	39°11'08.0"N	110°47'26.0"W
3. Miller Canyon Road	38°53'02.8"N	111°13'21.2"W	18. Furniture Draw	39°10'09.0"N	110°41'50.0"W
4. The Muddy Creek	38°55'08.0"N	111°11'14.2"W	19. Summit Pond	39°09'25.9"N	110°38'29.9"W
*5. West Moore	38°58'51.1"N	111°10'26.1"W	20. Box Flat Road Junction	39°08'54.8"N	110°37'19.6"W
6. Moore Road - Intersection	38°58'10.7"N	111°09'00.0"W	* 21. Chimney Rock - East	39°10'46.0"N	110°31'13.0"W
7. Dutch Flat Road	39°03'44.8"N	111°03'46.6"W	22. Big Hole (The Tanks)	39°07'32.0"N	110°31'53.0"W
8. Molen Road - Cemetery	39°05'19.1"N	111°03'22.3"W	23. Cement Crossing	39°09'02.0"N	110°28'26.0"W
9. Paradise Valley Road	39°07'45.0"N	111°01'45.6"W	24. Cottonwood Wash	39°03'43.0"N	110°24'54.0"W
*10. Clawson - North	39°08'19.3"N	111°05'49.1"W	25. Trail Springs	39°01'55.0"N	110°20'36.0"W
11. Wilsonville, Cottonwood Creek	39°10'33.0"N	110°57'18.0"W	26. Saleratus Wash	39°00'38.0"N	110°19'46.0"W
*12. Castle Dale - South	39°12'26.6"N	111°01'27.0"W	*27. Green River - Northwest	39°04'07.4"N	110°18'54.1"W
*13. Castle Dale - East	39°12'41.3"N	111°00'11.0"W	*28. Green River - West	38°59'34.4"N	110°15'10.9"W
*14. San Rafael Access Road	39°13'14.7"N	110°59'47.8"W	29. Green River Crossing	39°01'34.4"N	110°08'22.1"W
* Not on original trail route