Near Panguitch in Garfield County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Old Spanish National Historic Trail

Photographed by James Hulse, April 6, 2025

1. Old Spanish National Historic Trail Marker

Inscription.
...the longest, crookedost, most arduous pack mule route in the history of America...

Profit could be made transporting New Mexico serapes and other woolen goods to Los Angeles, and wrangling California-bred horses and mules back to Santa Fe. A viable overland route across the remote deserts and mountains of what was then Mexico's far northern frontier had to be found.

It took the vision and courage of Mexican trader Antonio Armijo to lead the first successful commercial caravan in 1829. Following a combination of indigenous footpaths, and early trade and exploration routes, he forged a trail network that collectively became known as the Old Spanish Trail (OST).

Traveling east back from California in 1844 John C. Fremont followed the OST all the way to the Parowan Valley before deviating from it. His maps and diaries of the western section of the OST guided the Mormon Settlers who heavily developed the trail into a path passable by wagon all the way to Los Angeles in 1847.

One of the better documented trips along the OST is from Orville Pratt's expedition in 1848. He described his descent of Little Creek as
"up the steepest of hills, then down places it would seem almost impossible to descend, again in deep and precipitious canions.

However,

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such hardships were rewarded. Upon his arrival to the Paraowan Valley, Pratt wrote,
"suddenly broke upon us one the finest and most extensive valleys I have seen in the whole western country!"

Cedar City contains fantastic collections of artifacts and information from the period of the Old Spanah Trail's significance. Southern Utah University hosts the Palmer Western History Collection, and the Iron Mission State Historical Monument is also worth a visit and boasts over 100 horse drawn vehicles in its collection.

Exploring the Old Spanish Trail in Iron County, UT
Spanish Explorers traveled nearly 100 miles through Iron County on routes that are known today as major highways. Travel on our modern day roads to get a glimps into the past.

Enoch is the second largest city in Iron County, and was once a major trading post along the Northern Route of the Old Spanish Trail in the mid-1800s.

All Routes: came together at Fork of Roads, east of present-day Barstow in the Mojave desert, and then crossed Cajon Pass between the San Gabriel and San Bernadino Mountains to Coastal California. After negotiating the pass, traders had

The view of the Old Spanish Trail and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, April 6, 2025

2. The view of the Old Spanish Trail and Marker

an easy two to three days travel to the San Gabriel Mission and beyond to Los Angeles.

The Northern Route:
First blazed by William Wolfskill and George C. Yount in 1831, this route veered northwest from Abiquiú through southern Colorado and central Utah. It avoided the rugged canyons of the Colorado River that the Armijo party had encountered and took advantage of the better water and pastore resources across central Utah before returning to the Colorado River and Armijo's route not far from Las Vegas.

The Mojave Road:
A 188-mile crossing of the Mojave Desert long used by Indians and by Spanish explorers and missionaries, it was first traveled by Jedediah Smith, an American trapper in 1826.

The North Branch:
This route followed well-known trapper and trade routes north through the Rio Grande Gorge to Taos and into southern Colorado. It then went west through Cochetona Pass, largely open during the winter when other passes were snowed in and up the Gunnison River Valley, rejoining the Northern Route near present-day Green River, Utah.

The Armijo Route:
The first complete trip across the trail began in Abiquiü, northwest

Cutout of mules along the OST image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, April 6, 2025

3. Cutout of mules along the OST

of Santa Fe. The Armijo party followed well-known trails northwest to the San Juan River, then nearly due west to the Virgin River. They used the Crossing of the Fathers, cut into rock canyon wall some 75 years earlier by the Dominguez-Escalante party. Armijo's caravan went down the Muddy River and across the Mojave Desert to the Amargosa and Mojave Rivers, through Cajon Pass and down to Mission San Gabriel.

Erected by Old Spanish Trail Association, Recreation, Iron County, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1829.

Location. 38° 0.384′ N, 112° 30.599′ W. Marker is near Panguitch, Utah, in Garfield County. It is on Upper Bear Valley Road west of Utah Road 20, on the right when traveling west. The marker is located along the Old Spanish Trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Panguitch UT 84759, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Canyon Country

and specifically in Color Country. It is also in the American Mountain West,

on the

Closeups of the mules image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, April 6, 2025

4. Closeups of the mules

Colorado Plateau,

and at the Four Corners.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Historic Fort Sanford (approx. 6½ miles away); a different marker also named Historic Fort Sanford (approx. 6.6 miles away); The Old Spanish Trail (approx. 9.7 miles away); Kate Lublin Alexander Cabin (approx. 12½ miles away); Cowboy’s Smokehouse Café / The Historic Gem Theatre (approx. 13.2 miles away); Lee’s Indian Store / NAPA Auto Parts (approx. 13.3 miles away); A Modern Handcart Company / Garfield Memorial Foundation Thrift Store (approx. 13.3 miles away); The Original Kenny Ray’s Restaurant / Historic Panguitch Inn (approx. 13.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Panguitch.

Also see . . . Old Spanish Trail (trade route). Wikipedia

The Old Spanish Trail (Spanish: Viejo Sendero Español) is a historical trade route that connected the northern New Mexico
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settlements of (or near) Santa Fe, New Mexico with those of Los Angeles, California and southern California. Approximately 700 mi (1,100 km) long, the trail ran through areas of high mountains, arid deserts, and deep canyons. It is considered one of the most arduous of all trade routes ever established in the United States. Explored, in part, by Spanish explorers as early as the late 16th century, the trail was extensively used by traders with pack trains from about 1830 until the mid-1850s. The area was part of Mexico from Mexican independence in 1821 to the Mexican Cession to the United States in 1848.

(Submitted on May 14, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 14, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 14, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 249 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 14, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.