Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail

The Royal Road of the Interior Land ran 1,590 miles from Mexico City to Ohkay Owingeh in present-day New Mexico — a Spanish colonial route used from 1598 to 1882, carrying silver, soldiers, missionaries, and wagon caravans through some of the most unforgiving desert on the continent. Long before the Spanish arrived, indigenous peoples had already traced these paths. The 404-mile U.S. section was designated a National Historic Trail on October 13, 2000, and remains walkable in segments across New Mexico today.