The Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway passes through multiple New Mexico MainStreet communities. The historic trail had two routes over time: the Mountain Route that went through Raton with its important pass into Colorado; and the Cimarron Route, which cut across the eastern plains of New Mexico and passed through Clayton. Both routes converged near and went through Las Vegas, NM.
In 1821, the Santa Fe Trail was established as an important international trade route, bringing goods and services to the quickly growing population in Santa Fe.
For the next 60 years the Santa Fe Trail was the conduit which brought goods and cultural exchange to New Mexico from as far away as Missouri. The route continues to bring visitors to the towns along route. In Raton, the byway follows Moulton Street southeast to Second Street in Raton, first known as Willow Springs. It became a water stop for stagecoaches and a freight stop on the Santa Fe Trail. The Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway picks outh of Raton on U.S. 64. In Clayton, the byway travels west on U.S. 56 past the Rabbit Ear Mountains. The frontage road of I-25 through Las Vegas, which was a major trading center on the trail, traverses all the way to Glorieta Pass, the site of a pivotal Civil War battle.
Raton, NM
