RonnieAdventures: February 2025

The Old Spanish Trail was about 700 miles long and ran from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Los Angeles, California. Along the way there were high mountains, arid deserts, and deep canyons. One of the stops along the Trail was "The Meadows," which is now known as Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Nevada State Museum currently has a special exhibit describing the Trail and the people that used the trade route.

Picture by Kolohe

The first U.S. publication about The Old Spanish Trail was a report for the U.S. Topographical Corps by John C. Fremont, who in 1844 was guided along the Trail by Kit Carson. At that time, the lands belonged to Mexico. Then, in 1848, Mexico ceded the lands to the United States as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Once the lands were part of the United Sates, settlers followed the trail to Nevada and California.

During the years of documented historical use, the trail accommodated Indians, trappers, prospectors, traders, and immigrant settlers. When traveling westward from Santa Fe, cargo typically consisted of sarapes (shawls), frazadas (blankets), colchas (quilts), and jergas (rugs). On the return trip from Los Angeles to Santa Fe, mules and horses were herded along the trail. Sometimes, the herds consisted of up to 4,000 animals.

Caravans typically left Santa Fe in the early fall and arrived in Los Angeles about three months later. Winters were spent in California gathering horses and mules and then in the spring the herds were driven to Santa Fe where they were sold to waiting customers.

Rio Grande Blankets from the Santa Fe area were made by people from the Navajo Pueblo using hand-spun wool. The blankets were typically made from two panels joined by a central seam, which is typical for textiles produced on a vertical loom. The hand-spun wool made the blankets ideal for bedding, padding, and warmth.

I have gone backpacking with a Navajo friend and I showed up with a metal frame backpack, while he showed up with a frazada. He tied the corners together to make a backpack for carrying food, and at night he would untie the corners, find a nice soft spot of dried leaves, and use the blanket to keep warm. He had a pack that was considerable lighter and more efficient than the one I was carrying.

Picture by Kolohe

Riding coats were made of leather and had long slits in the back from the waist down so that the flaps could be used as chaps. The riding coats were made in all sizes, from adult to child.

Picture by Kolohe

Shown below is the type of saddle that would have been owned by a wealthy landowner, politician, or public figure. A ranchero's saddle would be similar in design, but less ornate without embossed leather and metal trim.

Picture by Kolohe

Owners of fancy saddles had a lightweight leather cover called a "mochila" (saddle cover) that could be put over the saddle to protect it.

Picture by Kolohe

Saddle pads were typically made from two pieces of rawhide sewn together, stuffed with twigs, grass, and straw for padding. Saddles were not used with the pack animals, just the pads were used to cushion the loads. Leather blinders were often used to restrict the pack animals' vision from the rear and sides.

Picture by Kolohe

A men's Californo suit was designed to show wealth, social status, and individual character. This was the basic formal suit worn by Californio men.

Picture by Kolohe

Colorful sarapes were a Mexican men's garment that became a symbol of pride after Mexico achieved independence from Spain in 1821. Sarapes were a valued trade item along the Old Spanish Trail and were prized for their designs and colors. Weavers used tight, finely spun cotton and wool, dyed with natural dyes, primarily indigo and cochineal.

A Saltillo sarape is larger than a standard sarape and worn different ways; e.g. over one shoulder, wrapped and draped like a shawl around the body, or as a poncho. When not in use, it was rolled and tucked behind the saddle.

Picture by Kolohe

Women wore rebozo's, which were very similar to a shawl. A rebozo was typically wrapped around the head and/or upper body to shade from the sun or provide warmth during cold weather.

Canteens were made of metal, but water buckets were wood with a leather wrapping. A common dipper was used for drinking water from the bucket. Plates, bowls, and other utensils were made of wood.

Picture by Kolohe

Flintlock rifles and cap-and-ball pistols were popular firearms that were carried by people traveling the Old Spanish Trail. Powder containers were made from animal horns.

Picture by Kolohe

Important documents were carried in hand-crafted pouches or containers.

Picture by Kolohe

During down times on the trail, the men told stories, played cards, gambled, and made music. Playing cards were introduced to the Indians and soon the Indians made their own playing cards by painting designs on horsehide.

Picture by Kolohe

There were numerous different Indian tribes that lived along the Old Spanish Trail and traded with travelers passing through the area. Early traders had a hand written dictionary that translated English words into the Indian language.

Photographer Unknown

Picture by Kolohe

After the Europeans introduced horses to the Indians, many tribes started using horses to raid other Indian camps. The Ute people became known as a "mounted society" with the warriors capturing women and children to be sold or traded as slaves.

Slaves were used for domestic chores and women were forced to weave textiles that could be traded or sold. The Navajo Slave blankets were woven on traditional Navajo upright looms and contained distinct patterns and colors. Some blankets contained lazy lines, which were a homage to the mythical Spider Woman of Navajo tradition.