 The 187-mile long Santa Fe Trail Scenic and Historic Byway parallels the historic Santa Fe Trail which first traversed the short grass prairie in the early 19th century. Starting at the Kansas border, the byway continues in a southwesterly direction through Lamar, La Junta and Trinidad, then climbs Raton Pass to the New Mexico border.
Driving the byway takes the traveler through
time as well, from a huge expanse of prehistoric dinosaur tracks,
to glimpses of the Santa Fe Trail, to the bustling life at Bent’s
Fort, to the tragedy of the Dust Bowl, and to the injustices of
the Japanese-American internment camp at Amache. While the memories
of the past remain strong, the regeneration of wildflowers and
grasses in the Comanche National Grasslands gives hope for the
future.
|
