The Old Spanish National Historic Trail was used between 1829 and 1848 by Mexican traders taking woolen goods (serapes and blankets) from the Santa Fe area to the Spanish colonies in southern California by mule caravans to trade for horses and prized quality mules.
The original 1829 trail was blazed by Antonio Armijo over largely uncharted territory with a party of 30 men leading 60 mules. His route took them across the Colorado River at the Crossing of the Fathers (now under Lake Powell), traversed by the Escalante and Dominquez party north of Page in 1776.
The caravan proceeded into unknown territory west along Wahweap Creek near Big Water, Utah, then overland to the Ceja Colorado (Cockscomb Ridge) where they encountered a group of Paiutes, who undoubtedly directed them 10 miles northward along the Paria River to what is known as “The Box.”
They then continued west and into the White Sage flats to Ram Creek (Kanab Creek) just below Fredonia, Arizona. The next day they camped at Pipe Springs, and two days later atop the Hurricane Cliffs before reaching the Santa Clara, Utah, area the day after.
This route was only used once as subsequent caravans followed two different routes through western Colorado before going through the Green River-Richfield area where there was more predictable water and feed sources. These large cut iron silhouette figures were produced by Alva Matheson of Cedar City, Utah, to commemorate the efforts of these pioneer traders. They are found in a few locations along the Old Spanish Trail and will soon be placed along the Armijo route near the Paria kiosk on Hwy 89.
