Santa Fe National Historic Trail

Santa Fe National Historic Trail

Santa Fe National Historic Trail
4.5
About
Once a major commercial route that connected Santa Fe and Missouri, today visitors can hike, drive, bike or horseback ride along sections of this scenic trail.
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Top ways to experience Santa Fe National Historic Trail and nearby attractions

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles28 reviews
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13
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RetiredTravelerTN
Nashville, TN3,919 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
While looking for ruts of the Santa Fe Trail, we found a wonderful, expansive sculpture named Journey’s End located on Camino Lejo at Old Santa Fe Trail intersection. The vignette tells the story of westward expansion in the facial expressions and the pull of the mules to take the wagon uphill. Statues of the wagon master and horse, a boy, and dog complete the scene. This site is surely worth a short stop and a couple of photos.
Written October 31, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BigMrE
Medina, OH6 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2018
Easy walk, many shops, restaurants, and entertainment. We enjoyed the old Santa Fe area. Parking is anywhere you can find and is free. Just don't forget where you parked as we did!
Written November 12, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Deborah P
Castlegar, Canada159 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2018
We only drove a short portion of the trail, then walked a few blocks of it once arriving in Santa Fe from the north, but our time in the plaza was wonderful. We were in awe of the adobe buildings and how they have been preserved to give the area a special historic feel. There are lots of souvenir shops and restaurants to choose from plus other attractions just a quick walk away. I didn't expect to enjoy the Georgia O'Keefe musuem, but it's very well laid out and shows her evolution as an artist. The vendors set up their wares later in the morning and it's always a treat to see what they have to offer.
Written April 2, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

undertaker01
Newburyport, MA711 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2017 • Couples
If you fly in or out Albuquerque airport, somewhere along the line drive this trail from Albuquerque to Santa Fe or vice versa. It's the true landscape with small towns scattered along the way giving you the real feel of New Mexico. You will encounter a trading post, interesting small town shops, see coal mining as it might have been in it's hey day. I mean .... where else will you find a place called "Hog Diner".
The road is easily traveled at a leisurely pace. The was our favorite trail, even over the High Road & Low Road to Santa Fe. Why .... because it was more personal.
Written February 13, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

David B
Rayong, Thailand9,813 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2017 • Solo
I, along with seven other people, did the Santa Fe National Historic Trail as part of a Loretto Line Tram tour (cost $15 each).

We had an excellent guide, full of knowledgeable information, history and off-beat trivia that bought everything alive for us, including his knowledge of the Santa Fe Trail.

He explained the Trail's history from its Mexican origins through to its American ownership and the fact that some stages all goods and products needed by the early colony had to be bought up from Mexico.

He also told us the amusing fact that the horse, mule or ox wagons had to pull up outside Sante Fe and offload their goods for re-transportation into the town so that the animals did not foul the streets.

Make sure you don't miss the large and impressive bronze statuary on the trail depicting a horse drawn wagon painfully making its way up the trail. Alongside is a bronze of an Indian woman, and you can almost hear here saying, "There goes the neighbourhood". The art work is called "Journey's End" by sculptor Reynalda Rivera.

I
Written June 11, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

on_the_go_98765
Tucson18,350 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2016 • Couples
Located at the corner of Old Santa Fe Trail and Lejo (at the Museum Hill marker), there is a larger than life bronze sculpture of the first in a mule-pulled wagon train caravan, struggling to make it up a hill. The artist captured the powerful raw energy of this frozen-in-time scenario.

During the 1800's,the Santa Fe Trail connected New Mexico with Missouri; it was a major transportation route. It has been both an international trade route with Mexico and later it served as the Mexican invasion route during the Mexican-American War. The Old Santa Fe Trail is the city street that roughly follows the wagon path.

A muleskinner sits astride one mule, while reaching down to help out another mule that is falling down. The 6 animals are working so hard, even one of the lead mules is having great difficulty completing the trip.

An "outrider" on horseback looks back, ready to help if only he know how. Spectators include a Puebo woman wrapped in a blanket and a young boy with his dog drawn here by the excitement.

The setting for the sculpture only adds to the drama and realism. The name of the sculpture is "Journey's End" and the sculptor is Reynalda Rivera. It was dedicated in 2003. What a gift to the city, it is a real treasure.

There is a bus that travels to this museum complex.
Written October 2, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andrea D
54 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2016 • Couples
We bought Mark Simmons' SFT guide and used it on our drive from northeastern Kansas to Santa Fe along the Mountain Route. We enjoyed many of the sites along the way, especially those administered by the National Park Service. Council Grove, Ft Larned, Bent's Fort, Fort Union and Pecos NHS were some of our favorites. Santa Fe is a beautiful city. Be sure to explore the plaza.
Written August 7, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KateJourney
Exeter, Canada185 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2015
When you take this route, try to imagine being in the driver`s seat of a covered wagon, coming around some of the curves into wide open vistas of plains. Really takes you back and helps imagine what a trek it was to open up the west.
Written May 2, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

J5649CFmichaelt
Middletown, OH97 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2016 • Couples
Finished the trail today, what a wonderful drive! So many interesting places to stop, for views as well as shopping/
Written March 26, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

rollngstone
Milwaukee, WI1,403 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2016 • Couples
We've driven Rt 66, and done most of the main highways in the SE, so this roadtrip we decided to follow some of the Santa Fe Trail Scenic Byway (from SW Kansas / through SE Colorado / through NE New Mexico to Santa Fe.

Best scenery starts once you enter NM. Lots of interesting routes to take through Taos to Santa Fe without doing the highway.
Written March 19, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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SANTA FE NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)