Exhibit 1 of 2 The exhibits are mounted on a large metal kiosk. There is a flat metal silhouette of traders and pack mules with small shrubs on top of the kiosk. The panel is 48 inches wide and 36 inches high. Title: The Old Spanish Trail. The exhibit has black and gray topographic line banners along the top and bottom. There is large text on the upper left portion of the panel. On the right side there is a list of local places with text and pictures. A large photograph shows an overview of a huge sandstone canyon sparsely dotted with green shrubs. There is a winding river at the bottom of the canyon surrounded by lush vegetation. It has been stylized to look like an oil painting. Primary Text: The Old Spanish Trail ran across four routes and thousands of miles. Travelers headed west from Santa Fe to Los Angeles across what was then northern Mexico, hauling woven goods to trade for horses and mules. Trading began in 1829, only eight years after Mexico gained independence from Spain. Travel along the trail diminished by the 1840s as new routes, and later railroads, offered alternatives. Today, the Old Spanish Trail is a 2,700-mile national historic trail that you can explore. The area near Castle Dale was the northern-most point of the Old Spanish Trail. Travelers veered this far north to avoid crossing the difficult and rough terrain of the San Rafael Swell. Photo Caption: This photograph was taken just south of the trail at the Wedge Overlook. Would you want to avoid traveling through this rugged landscape? At the bottom left of the photo there is a red text block with a QR code. Text block with QR code: Learn more and plan trips to these sites. nps.gov/places/museum-of-the-san-rafael.htm Audio description available.
Secondary Text: Experience the Trail. On the right side of the panel there is a list of five points of interest with pictures and labels. To the right of each of the photos is a caption detailing more information about that place. Subtitle: To the East Label title 1: Head Rock and Idol Rock AD: There is a photograph showing a sandstone cliff with a blue sky in the background. At the base of the cliff is dense green vegetation. The cliff face resembles the face of a man with a big nose and a furrowed brow facing west. Caption: These two geological features were key landmarks along the Old Spanish Trail. Head Rock indicated when to turn to follow the northernmost part of the trail. Label Title 2: Old Spanish Trail Heritage Loop AD: There is a photograph of ATVs driving toward the viewer. Vegetation is sparsely placed over the rocky landscape with smooth mountains in the background. Caption: This 30-mile OHV loop traces portions of the Old Spanish Trail, the Spirit Railroad Grade, and the old Green River to Castle Dale wagon road. This trail combines history and excitement while exploring the Old Spanish Trail. Label Title 3: Upper Cottonwood Wash Trail AD: This is a photograph of a rocky hill amidst a clear blue sky. Small shrubs and other vegetation are scattered atop the sandy ground. Caption: This five-mile trail is a stunning hike in the northern San Rafael Swell. Explore this wash with numerous rock inscriptions left by travelers through the ages. This hike follows the exact route of the Old Spanish Trail. Label Title 4: Buckhorn Wash Visitor Center AD: This is a photograph of a covered information center with many interpretive panels of local points of interest. The kiosk is surrounded by gravel. Caption: This rest area has restrooms, trailer parking, picnic tables, and more recreation information for the San Rafael Swell. See if you can spot the Old Spanish Trail silhouettes depicting a small pack mule caravan crossing the landscape.
Subtitle: To the west. Label Title 5: The Rochester Panel AD: This is a photograph of a large collection of rock art on a single boulder. There is a big arch with many figures of all shapes and sizes surrounding it. Caption: Several Indigenous Tribes lived in the region and left their enduring mark in the form of rock art. The Old Spanish Trail passes near numerous rock art sites such as the Rochester Panel.
Bottom Banner: Text: Explore the Old Spanish Trail.
Exhibit 2 of 2 The exhibit has black and gray topographic lines as the background with two red banners along the top and bottom. A large area map takes up almost all the space on the panel. Map: This is a map of all the points of interest and trails along the Old Spanish Trail, and the Old Spanish Trail itself for the western half of Emery County. The background is a gray hill shade layer of the topography of the area. A large ‘YOU ARE HERE’ label indicates you are at the Museum of the San Rafael in Castle Dale. Almost all the points on the map are labeled, but the points mentioned on the first half of this exhibit, namely Upper Cottonwood Wash, Head Rock, Idol Rock, the Old Spanish Trail Heritage Loop, the Buckhorn Wash Visitor Center, the Wedge Overlook, and the Rochester Panel, have been bolded and outlined. Dashed double brown lines show the ATV trails and green lines show the hiking trails. On the left-hand corner of the map, there is a legend, scale, and north arrow. On the bottom center of the map, there is an inset map of the entire Old Spanish Trail. It shows four routes making up the entire trail, with a ‘YOU ARE HERE’ label showing that you are on the Northern Route section of the trail. Next to the inset map is a graph showing the differences in elevations as you cross the entire trail. Caption: For 20 years, Mexican and American traders traveled different routes linking Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Los Angeles, California, which were part of Northern Mexico during this time. The first Old Spanish Trail mule caravan in 1829 took the southern Armijo Route, but later parties chose the Northern Route for its easier passages and more abundant grass and water resources. Travelers from Taos, New Mexico, used the North Branch.
Bottom Red Banner:
Text Block with QR code: You can view or download an interactive map of the Old Spanish Trail by scanning this QR code with your smartphone or tablet. Additional information, including pictures, amenities, and in-depth history, can be found in the app, along with wayfinding services so you won’t get lost! Download these maps for use offline.
A black silhouette is set to the right of the text block. It shows a man with a cowboy hat sitting on top of a pack mule, with two other mules behind him in line attached by ropes.
