San Rafael Swell Country - Emery County, Utah

Old Spanish Trail

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

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