FOLLOW THE LANDSCAPE. DISCOVER THE STORY.

Santa Fe National Historic Trail

America’s stories are written into its landscapes.
Header: Visit Cimarron National Grassland to experience the Santa Fe Trail. · NPS Photo · Public domain, NPS · Photo credits
PLACES THAT KEEP THE PAST CLOSE

A story worth following.

Explore the nineteenth-century commercial trail between Missouri and Santa Fe, including its Mountain and Cimarron routes. Trading towns, forts and surviving ruts reveal a corridor of commerce and conflict.

Warm light from the setting sun gives an orange glow to a rock bluff overlooking a grassland.
Visit Cimarron National Grassland to experience the Santa Fe Trail.
NPS Photo · Public domain, NPS
A wide river with green grass parks on the side.
The Neosho River in Council Grove was an important crossing on the trail.
NPS Photo · Public domain, NPS
BUILD YOUR OWN CHAPTER

Places to begin

  • Council Grove
  • Bent’s Old Fort
  • Fort Union

Suggested starting points, not a turn-by-turn route. Choose a manageable local section; stops may be far apart.

Make the visit work for you

Choose a branch and a manageable regional section. Confirm site hours and avoid driving on fragile historic traces.

Give the story time

Allow time for interpretation, a short walk and conversations. One well-chosen historic place can be more rewarding than a rushed list of stops.

Bring your group comfortably

Confirm parking, restrooms, walking surfaces and group reservations with each site. A historic trail designation does not guarantee coach access.

Official visitor information ↗

U.S. visits only. Historic routes may cross private property or have disconnected public sections. Official links provide current maps, access and operating information. Photographs may show earlier conditions.