FOLLOW THE LANDSCAPE. DISCOVER THE STORY.

The stories of
Kansas.

Explore by name. Choose a walk, a heritage drive or a historic place to visit.
Header: Wagon at Register Rock in City of Rocks National Reserve · NPS Photo · Public domain, NPS · Photo credits
CHOOSE A STORY TO FOLLOW

Trails, roads & places to remember

7 ideas

A white canvas wagon sits in front of a large rock buttress with mountains in the distance.
Historic sites & driving sections

California National Historic Trail

Follow the many routes used by westbound emigrants seeking new lives and gold. Trail ruts, desert crossings and interpretation reveal both the difficult journeys and their consequences for Native peoples.

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Every route has a story.
Cattle-trail heritage corridor

Chisholm Trail

Explore the cattle-driving era through museums, town stories and surviving landmarks. Route interpretations and feeder trails vary, so a series of well-chosen stops makes a more useful visit than chasing one exact line.

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From a rocky knoll, the Colorado River gently flows downstream with the magnificent Trails Arch Bridge in the background. The River forms the natural boundary separating Arizona and California. Once on the California side, Route 66 travelers could rest and prepare themselves for an incredible and dangerous journey. Looking forward a once-in-a-lifetime adventure on Route 66 across the desolate but beautiful Mojave Desert. Looking back, the graceful, refreshing waters of the Colorado River.
Designated byway

Historic Route 66 · U.S. Road Trip

Explore selected surviving sections of the Mother Road, from Midwestern towns to Southwestern desert and the California coast. Build a trip around specific signed alignments, roadside history and the communities that make the journey distinctive.

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Small waterfall with brown rocks and green moss
River history & driving sections

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

Explore the extended expedition corridor from the Ohio River to the Pacific. River overlooks, tribal museums and interpretive centers reveal a journey made possible by existing Native knowledge and trade networks.

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A wagon swale is cut deep into limestone rock with trees in background.
Historic sites & driving sections

Oregon National Historic Trail

Trace overland migration through river valleys, prairie and mountain passes. Surviving ruts and interpretive centers connect personal stories with the profound changes migration brought to Native homelands.

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Warm light from the setting sun gives an orange glow to a rock bluff overlooking a grassland.
Historic sites & driving sections

Santa Fe National Historic Trail

Explore the nineteenth-century commercial trail between Missouri and Santa Fe, including its Mountain and Cimarron routes. Trading towns, forts and surviving ruts reveal a corridor of commerce and conflict.

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