Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 275 million visitors every year. But our work doesn’t stop there.
We are proud that tribes, local governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individual citizens ask for our help in revitalizing their communities, preserving local history, celebrating local heritage, and creating close to home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun.
Taking care of the national parks and helping Americans take care of their communities is a job we love, and we need—and welcome—your help and support.
The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
How do I obtain a park entrance pass?
Only 118 of your 417 park sites charge entrance fees. You can obtain park entrance passes by visiting a park site that charges an entrance fee. Entrance fee sites have passes available; we recommend calling a park prior to your visit. (See the park search to locate a specific park.) There are a number of entrance passes available, including park-specific passes as well as passes that offer entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites in addition to the national parks (Annual, Military, Senior, 4th Grade, Access, and Volunteer passes). Learn more about the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.
About this location:
Old Spanish National Historic Trail
OPERATING HOURS VARY FROM SITE TO SITE. There are many historic sites, museums, and parks (federal, state, and local) along the Old Spanish National Historic Trail in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California for you to visit. Please contact individual sites for more information by going to the Passport Program web page, where sites are listed by state, and there is an interactive map to search for site. www.nps.gov/olsp/planyourvisit/passport-program.htm
Standard Hours
An Arduous Adventure of Rich Trade
Follow the routes of mule pack trains across the Southwest on the Old Spanish National Historic Trail between Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Los Angeles, California. New Mexican traders moved locally produced merchandise across what are now six states to exchange for mules and horses.
Old Spanish Trail includes a wide variety of sites and organizations across Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, or Utah. Plane: Fly into a number of airports, including Santa Fe, New Mexico; Alamosa and Durango, Colorado; Las Vegas, Nevada; St. George, Utah; Flagstaff, Arizona; and Los Angeles, California. Look for site-specific directions organized by state on the Passport Program web page. www.nps.gov/olsp/planyourvisit/passport-program.htm
Due to the length of Old Spanish National Historic Trail, be sure to consult local weather sources for the region you’ll be visiting. Here’s a link to the South Central US: www.accuweather.com/en/us/south-central/weather-radar