Points of Interest Along the Sante Fe Trail

Santa Fe Trail
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The 1200 mile trail was opened in 1821. For more than 60 years it carried adventurous traders across five states. The trail played a great role in the westward expansion of the United States. The trail began in the Kansas City area and wound southwest. Between present-day Larned and Dodge City were two routes. The Dry Route, which followed the ridges and higher ground, and the Wet Route which lay along the bottom lands near the Arkansas River. West of Dodge City the trail divided again. It was divided between the Cimarron Route that crossed the river many times through Dodge City and the Lakin vicinity, and also divided by the Mountain Route which followed the north bank of Arkansas. All over Kansas there many historic sites and preserved remnants along the trail. There are famous stopping points, wagon ruts, unique landmarks, and many other reasons for you to come and experience the Santa Fe Trail.

KANSAS CITY- GRINTER HOUSE & FERRY	Located in Kansas City, the two-story farm house was built in 1857 by Moses Grinter. He was an operator of an early trading post and the first ferry on the Kansas River.
OLATHE- MAHAFFIE FARMSTEAD	Built in 1857 by farmer J.B. Mahaffie, the farmstead was used as a Santa Fe Trail stagecoach stop. The basement was used as a dining room for travelers. Visitors can see the wood peg barn, stone icehouse, and the house built by mahaffie.
COUNCIL GROVE	The last outfitting post in Kansas and a natural stopover on the Santa Fe Trail. In 1825 the U.S. government negotiated with the Osage Indians for passage across the lands. The stump of Council Oak still stands where they signed the treaty.
MCPHERSON-MAXWELL GAME PRESERVE	A 2500 acre preserved prairie just a few miles north of the Santa Fe Trail. Elk, deer, and the buffalo run free. With more than 200 buffalo the herd is one of the largest in the state.
LYONS- CORONADO- QUIVIRA MUSEUM	See Santa Fe Trail artifacts, artifacts from Francisco Vazquez de Coronado's 1541 arrival in Kansas, a Stan Herd mural, and a replica of a Quiveran Indian lodge.
GREAT BEND- KANSAS QUILT WALK AND FORT ZARAH	The trail ran through Great Bend where the courthouse now is. The Kansas Quilt Walk has seven historic quilt patterns built right into the sidewalk. There is a historical marker for Fort Zarah on a roadside park east of town.
PAWNEE ROCK- PAWNEE ROCK STATE MONUMENT	The red sandstone outcrop, 240 feet in circumference, was the most notable landmark along the trail. It is believed to have gotten it's name from the Pawnee Indians who met on top of the rock to hold council.
LARNED- FORT LARNED NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE AND SANTA FE TRAIL CENTER	Built to protect travelers along the Santa Fe Trail and today has nine restored buildings to appear like they did in 1860. The fort is said to be one of the best preserved vestiges of the Santa Fe Trail-Indian wars era.
DODGE CITY- FORT DODGE AND BOOT HILL MUSEUM WAGON RUTS	The historic buildings now house retired veterans. West of town you can visit the largest privately owned, continuous stretch of clearly defined ruts along the trail in Kansas.
ULYSES- WAGON BED (LOWER CIMARRON) SPRINGS-	The Cimarron Route was a shorter road to Santa Fe but water was hard to find between the Arkansas River and Cimarron River. It has been said that thirsty travelers sank a wagon bed into the quicksand so that water would seep through and fill the wagon.
ELKHART- CIMARRON NATIONAL GRASSLANDS	The Grasslands have been reclaimed as a complete ecosystem of native wildlife and plants. It's the largest area of public land in Kansas. It also includes a 19 mile companion trail where it is easy to spot elk and antelope.