Old Spanish Trail 1829 - 1848 -Outlaws on the Trail - Red Rock Canyon, NV - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

The Old Spanish Trail was a 19th century cattle and horse driving route that passed through here on its way to CA from UT. As such, thieves took advantage od the wide-open terrain to rustle animals.

Marker text reads:

Look at the valley in front of you and imagine it full of hundreds of horses. That was the scene in May 1840, after a particularly infamous raid occurred in California. Ute Chief Walkara and several American mountain men raided ranches simultaneously from San Jose to San Diego. They used different routes to escape the authorities. Famous frontiersman William S. "old Bill" Williams took part in this caper. He drove his share of the horses back to Utah along the Old Spanish Trail. He hid out here while the animals recovered from their fast pace through the desert.

Mormon freighters of the 1850s passed frequently through southern Nevada. They learned of Old Bill's exploits and named the site of his hideaway camp the Bill Williams Ranch. Today the ranch is a Nevada State Park known as Spring Mountain Ranch.

Marker is located in the Red Rock Canyon overlook off NV 160.

Group that erected the marker: Old Spanish Trail Association URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Las Vegas, NV USA 89161

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