The Fish Lake Cut-off on the Old Spanish Trail - Wagon Roads and Trails on Waymarking.com

The Fish Lake Cut-off on
the Old Spanish Trail
Pathway to Grassy Meadows and Water

An Historic Trade Route Passed This Way

In the early 1800s, thousands of men, mules, and horses plodded along a well-travelled trail that paralleled Fish Lake. Can you imagine the dust, noise, and smells of a trading caravan on the move?

Why Did Traders Come This Way?
You are actually standing on the Fish Lake Cut-off of the Old Spanish Trail. The cutoff was a 72-mile shortcut that skirted the western shores of Wahsatch Lake (Fish Lake). Reaching elevations near 9,000 feet, the trail crossed mountain valleys that provided abundant quanities (sic) of fish, grass, water, and cool summer temperatures for travelers using this alternate route. This "southern branch" rejoined the main Old Spanish Trail near Kingston, Utah.

The Old Spanish Trail This pack trail, known as the Old Spanish Trail, stretched 1,200 miles and linked Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the Pueblo de Los Angeles (L.A.) in the Mexican Territory of California. Between 1829 and 1848, traders used the trail to carry New Mexican woolen goods--rugs, blankets, and serapes--that were traded for California mules and horses.

Road of Trail Name: The Old Spanish Trail State: Utah County: Sevier Historical Significance: The Old Spanish Trail was the original trade route between the Spanish settlements of New Mexico and coastal California. Years in use: 19 How you discovered it: Was waymarking in the vicinity of Fish Lake when I spotted the historical marker. Why?: Spanish merchants took raw wool and woolen textiles to California to trade for horses and mules that had been brought to California by ship or raised on local ranchos. Directions: Near southwest corner of Fish Lake. One-half mile southwest from Lakeside Resort store on Utah Highway 25 to Lakeside Trail parking lot. Book on Wagon Road or Trial: Not listed Website Explination: Not listed

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