Dominquez Escalante Trail

About Dominquez Escalante Trail

On July 29, 1776, Father Francisco Atanasio Dominguez and Father Silvestre Velez Escalante set out from Santa Fe with eight men to explore trading routes to California and establish new missions with the Indians.In early October 1776, faced with a blizzard and short supplies, the party had to decide whether to proceed to Monterrey, California or return to Santa Fe. At a point just south of Thermo Hot Springs, "lots were cast" to make the decision. The historic decision was made and the party turned south to Santa Fe.

How to Get There

Delta city's main city park

Plan Your Visit to Dominquez Escalante Trail

Heading to Dominquez Escalante Trail? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)