National Trail Day

Did you know today was National Trails Day? What trail did you hike today?

Red Rock Canyon guide Linda Nation led a group of seven hikers including myself on the Old Spanish Trail. The trail was first used in 1829 or 1830. Historians debate the exact date. But what is agreed on is the trail began in Santa Fe, New Mexico, meandered through Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California and finished near Los Angeles.

 The trail was used long before automobiles or railroads by Spanish and Mexican traders. They brought woolen goods west and traded for horses they brought back east. The trail was in use until 1855 but many sections, including the one we hiked today near Red Rock Canyon, still exist and are protected as historic sites from further development.

Linda pointed out scratches in the rocks that were left by iron wagon wheels over 150 years ago. She said it takes up to a 1,000 years for a trail to completely disappear. We even saw two adult burros and a new-born foal along the way.