Santa Fe National Historic Trail
Sierra Vista Overlook

The Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail wound around the Sierra Vista Overlook on its way southwest (between La Junta and Trinidad) paralleling Timpas Creek. Much of the Trail consisted of short sections connecting water holes, vantage points and natural landmarks. Because water supplies and Indian presence varied with every season, the trail was really one enormous braided route.

As a traveler with a wagon train on the Trail, you didn't want someone as a Trail Boss who had just made a trip during the good, easy times. You wanted some guy who'd made the journey back and forth in the hardest of times, because he knew where everything was along the route, including the water holes you go to when there's nothing else out there. This same hard-timer would also know how to get back to the main route of the trail from wherever you might have gotten off to, because he knows the landmarks...