More Sights Along the Santa Fe Trail

We followed the Santa Fe Trail south and west out of La Junta which for the most part of our 35 plus miles was on the original route of the trail.  Unlike the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails farther north where roadways were built away from the trails, the route we took yesterday said we were on the actual trail (they paved over the original but you got the flavor of the landscape and topography).

36 of these granite stones are along the Colorado trail

Surprised how flat!

One of the biggest problems we had was the road AND our subsequent hikes was littered with moving tarantulas. Lots of them!  I have seen them in the past in the desert by us in Arizona but not here or anywhere else.  And they are really big!  I kept thinking of my sister who has a tremendous aversion to spiders - she would have gone into cardiac arrest.  Knowing that tarantulas were not poisonous, I was able to get close to one and take some pretty neat pictures.  We had to be very diligent when we were driving and hiking - they were everywhere, especially on the road.  These were males migrating, the females stay close to the dens.  The experts say they make great pets.  Buddy would love to have one.

Could get a job a Walmart - as a greeter!  Hello!!

About 6 inches long

We stopped at Timpas Creek where between 1869 and 1871 a stage coach station was located.  Once thriving town of 120 folks, dance halls, saloons, school, church, hotels, stores, restaurants - now is mostly deserted.  There are a few foundations left but the homes left standing - wow! looks like they would fall in any minute.  Limestone markers show where the trail came by and we were able to see many markers along the trail during the day.  Water was the uppermost importance and the trail followed one creek after another with stops along the way.

Part of the Comanche National Grassland

Nature trail down to Timpas Creek 

Spotted these along the roadway

Look closely - there is water in that ravine (Timpas Creek)

We also stopped at the Sierra Vista overlook which explained that this was a major milestone on the emigrants journey - they finally could spot the Rocky Mountains in the distance.

If it was clearer day, we could have seen Rockies much better

From a journal of 1839

A little farther down the road was Iron Springs which was an important water stop for travelers.  Between 1861 and 1871 Iron Springs served as a stagecoach station.  It was also a scene of several Indian attacks.  Trail ruts are still visible but we were hard pressed to find them.  With the heavy rains this spring and summer in the area, we think that contributed to the high vegetation growth and therefore we had trouble finding the ruts.  Did see the ruins of the stagecoach inn.

With all the rain this spring and summer, the vegetation was quite high,
hard to see the ruts.

The Grasslands

Now I can see the ruts!