The Santa Fe Trail was one of the most heavily traveled routes in the nation during the 1800s. Starting from Franklin , Missouri , the trail took traders from the east to Santa Fe , New Mexico and the rich cultures of the untamed west.

Even though Native Americans and Spanish explorers had used a pass through the mountains of southern Colorado for centuries, it was too rough for wagons on the Santa Fe Trail to use until 1866 when mountain man and Indian scout "Uncle Dick" Wooten blasted through a larger trail, shortening the wagoners' trip by a hundred miles.

Town of Raton was founded at the site Willow Springs, which as the first stop of Raton Pass along the Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail . Raton quickly developed into an important railroad, ranching and trading center for all of northeastern New Mexico Territory .

Today, one can still find ruts worn into the earth by the wheels of countless wagons. And in the spirit of these pioneers, Santa Fe Trail Traders carries on the custom of offering only the finest traditional and contemporary Native American handcrafted artifacts.