Once the two routes of the Santa Fe Trail re-united at Watrous (La Junta,) the Santa Fe Trail more-or-less followed one route. This is the same route my characters, Tate and Abby, followed in my novel, "Into the Shadowlands." From La Junta the trail went south towards Las Vegas and then cut through the Kearny Gap and into the mountain pass that continued on to Santa Fe. One of the first major landmarks travelers saw when they left La Junta, would have been the towering Hermit's Peak. Although not technically on the trail, it certainly was a 'sight' from the trail. At the base of this peak is where the fictional town of Celestial is situated in my novel.
Hermit's Peak.
Las Vegas Plaza.
Las Vegas Plaza before the park was planted.
Looking down onto the Las Vegas Plaza, right at the end of the Santa Fe Trail era.
Stephen Watts Kearny reading his proclamation on a rooftop on the northeast corner of the plaza, during the Mexican War, 1846.
Kearny proclamation.
Standing at the corner of the Las Vegas Plaza where the crowd gathered to hear Kearny read his proclamation.
Kearny Gap.
The story of Kearny.
Story of William Becknell (Founder of the Santa Fe Trail.)
Wagon ruts at Kearny Gap.
View of Tecalote Mesa with the Hermit's Peak in the background.
Stone ruins of a house at Tecalote. Similar, maybe, to the kind of house Marian Russell lived in and operated as a Trading Post in her book "Land of Enchantment."
Church at Tecalote.
Bernal (AKA Starvation Peak.)
Church at San Miguel Del Vado.
Ford at the Pecos River, San Miguel.
Wagon ruts at San Miguel.
San Miguel information.
More information about San Miguel's history. Until 1835 (when Las Vegas was founded,) San Miguel was the first major settlement travelers of the trail would encounter on entry into what was then Mexico.
Looking south, at the base of Glorieta Mesa (Rowe Mesa.)
Pecos Ruins.
Sketch of Pecos Ruins.
At what was once Kozlowski's Ranch. A Stage Station at the beginning of the Glorieta Pass. Also a strategic spot during the Civil War battle of Glorieta.
Pigeon's Ranch, a stage stop and hostelry. Also a very strategic location during the "Battle of Glorieta" during the Civil War.
Pigeon's Ranch in 1880, at the end of the Santa Fe Trail era.
Sketch of wagons finally arriving in Santa Fe.
A re-creation of the arrival in Santa Fe sketch!
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