Trail Characteristics by Category

Water Resource Property Types

abajo - downstream

agua de – headwater

aguage - water hole

arroyo - wide intermittent drainage with inset bed – suitable for pack trail

“Arroyo de los Hayatas” – Mohave River

boca del - mouth of

cienega - marsh

hedionda - stinking [sulpherous]

“Canon de agua hedionda” – Pah Tempe Springs

laguna - lagoon, pond

ojito - spring source, seep usually in lateral or side slope

rio - river

rito - stream, small river

“Rito del canon de la ceja”; stream in the canyon of the ridge; Paria River

salado - salty

“Arroyo salado”

salitroso - very salty

“Rio salitroso” - Salt Creek

vado - ford, crossing

“Vado de los Padres”

 Topography Property Types

artenesales de piedra - Crafted stone [ Comb Ridge]

artenejal - sculpted, crafted, worked

 “Artenejal de la ceja Colorado” – Cockscomb

bajada - descent

canada - gentle sloped narrow drainage pack trail w/ easily ascended laterals

canon - Steep walled gorge – difficult or impossible to ascend laterals

canoncito - short steep walled canyon with periodic ascents and descents

“Canoncito del arroyo de Chelli” – steep, short canyon with drainage suitable for packtrail

ceja - ridge, brow

fragoso - rough, craggy trail

laguna sin agua - dry lake, playa

llano - plain

“Llano del Coyote” – Pipe Valley

mesa - tableland

milpitas - little corn fields

montuosa - wooded mountain slopes

“La ceja montuosa” – Buckskin Ridge

picacho - pinnacle, peak

Pueblo Colorado - red house rock [red top?]

puerto - opening, pass through, saddle

punta - point, headland

sierra - mountain, mountain range

subido - ascent

Substrate Property Types

caloso - limey, caliche

“Canon Caloso” – un-named west of Canaan Gap

malpais - bad country, lava field

Travel Property Types

camino – road

cruzamos – (we) crossed, crossing

huella - track

jornada - day’s trip

“Jornada sin agua” – Day’s trip without water

parage/paraje- camp site, camp ground

“Parage de San Jose”

pueblos - small towns

“Pueblos de Cucha Payuches y Hayatas” – perm. Settlement of Chemehuevi and Mohave

rancheria - settlement with impermanent structures

“Rancheria de Navajoes”-

“Rancheria de Payuches”-

“Rancheria de indios con zarcillos en las narices”-

rancho - farm settlement

“Rancho San Bernardino” – mission farm

vieja - witches cap rock formation

“Agua de la vieja” – headwater at the witches cap – Moccasin Springs or Pipe Springs

Narrative Descriptions

When completing the National Register Nomination Form's Narrative Statement, use the following questions as a guideline for its preparation:

1. Describe environmental setting—natural features that have contributed to the selection of the site for the significance event, other natural features that characterize the site at the time of the significant event or activity, its present condition—and how it differs from period of significance
2. Period of time when it is know or projected to have been occupied or used. If relevant, include comparisons with similar sites that have assisted in identification.
3. Identify persons, ethnic groups, or archaeological cultures who, through their activities, created the archaeological property. Include comparisions with similar sites that have assisted in identification.
4. Site type; cultural remains or other manmade evidence of the significant event or activities: features, artifacts, ecofacts; projected depth of archaeological deposits; known or projected dates for the period when the site was used with supporting evidence; vertical and horizontal distribution of features, artifacts, and ecofacts; natural and cultural processes (environmental and land use); non-contributing cultural remains;
5. Likely appearance of the site during its periods of occupation or use; if applicable include comparisons with similar sites that have assisted in description;
6. Current and past impacts on or immediately around the property (modern development, vandalism, road construction, agriculture, soil erosion, etc.); type and degree of alterations to natural and cultural features since significant event or activity and the impact on the historic integrity of the site). Explain how the current pysical environment and remains of the site reflect the period and associations for which the site is significant.
7. Previous investigations of the property: archival and literature research, extent of archaeological recording—dates, researchers/affiliations, bibliographic references.

Establishing a basis... the MPDF

The National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form (MPDF) for the Old Spanish Trail is being prepared under a contract between the Old Spanish Trail Association (OSTA) and the National Park Service, BLM, and State of New Mexico Historic Preservation Division. 

The MPDF will develop a historic context for the three routes (the Armijo, Route, the Main Route and the North Branch), focusing on the established period of significance between 1829 and 1848, and will include a discussion of property types, geographic boundaries, a summary of identification and evaluation methods, and a list of bibliographical references and citations. 

This can be the basis of any individual nominations you might wish to pursue. Obtain the MPDF after September 2011 from the Old Spanish Trail Association.

Climate, Physiography, and Ecoregions II - OST Specific

Eco & Physiographic Regions (same except as noted)

Arizona 
20        Colorado Plateaus (North American Deserts) 
22        Arizona / New Mexico Plateau (North American Deserts) 
[ECO]  (Skirts just north of the) Arizona/New Mexico Mountains 
[PYS]   (Passes just north of the) Mogollon Rim

California
[PYS]   Basin and Range
[PYS]   Central and Southern California Coast and Valleys
[ECO]  
6          Southern and Central California Chaparral and Oak Woodlands (Mediterranean Ca.)
8          Southern California Mountains (Mediterranean California) 
14        Mojave Basin and Range (North American Deserts) 

Colorado 
20        Colorado Plateaus (North American Deserts) 
21        Southern Rockies (Northwestern Forested Mountains) 
22        Arizona / New Mexico Plateau (North American Deserts) 
[PYS]   Mesa and Plains

Nevada
[PYS]   Basin and Range 
14        Mojave Basin and Range (North American Deserts) 
22        Arizona/New Mexico Plateau (North American Deserts) 

New Mexico
21        Southern Rockies (Northwestern Forested Mountains) 
22        Arizona/New Mexico Plateau (North American Deserts) 
[PYS]   Mesa and Plains
[PYS]   Colorado Plateau 

Utah 
13        Central Basin and Range (North American Deserts) 
19        Wasatch and Uinta Mountains (Northwestern Forested Mountains) 
20        Colorado Plateaus (North American Deserts) 
21        Southern Rockies (Northwestern Forested Mountains) 
[PYS]   Mojave Desert

           

US Geological Regions

Rocky Mountain System

One branch of the Cordilleran system.

Intermontane Plateaus

A system of plateaus, basins, ranges and gorges between the Rocky and Pacific Mountain Systems, divided into the Columbia Plateau, the Colorado Plateau and the Basin and Range Province. Includes the Great Basin and Death Valley.

Pacific Mountain System

The coastal mountain ranges on the west coast.

US Vegetation Regions (from Kroeber)

            Semi-desert (CA)

            Desert (all)

            Northern mesophytic evergreen forest (NM & CO)

US Climate Regions

            BSK – Semiarid Steppe (NM, AZ, & UT)

            H – Highland Alpine (CO & AZ)

            BWH – Midlatitude Desert (CA, UT, NV, & AZ)

            CSA – Mediterranean (CA)

US Historic Cultural Regions (from Wissler et al)

            Apache (NM) farmers, hunters, shepherds?

Great Plains Shoshone (NV & UT) & Utes (CO & UT) hunters

Mojave (AZ, NV& CA) seed gatherers / desert dwellers

Navaho (CO) shepherds

Southern Californians seed gatherers?

Puebloan & Tewa (NM) farmers

Zuni (CO& NM) farmers, hunters, shepherds?

US Modern Cultural Regions

            Hispanic Borderland (NM & CA)

            Midland (CO, NV, CA)

Mormon (UT plus a tiny bit of AZ & NV)

Native American (4 corners)

Property Types or Trail Characteristics

Water Resource Property Types

abajo - downstream

agua de – headwater

aguage - water hole

arroyo - wide intermittent drainage with inset bed – suitable for pack trail

“Arroyo de los Hayatas” – Mohave River

boca del - mouth of

cienega - marsh

hedionda - stinking [sulpherous]

“Canon de agua hedionda” – Pah Tempe Springs

laguna - lagoon, pond

ojito - spring source, seep usually in lateral or side slope

rio - river

rito - stream, small river

“Rito del canon de la ceja”; stream in the canyon of the ridge; Paria River

salado - salty

“Arroyo salado”

salitroso - very salty

“Rio salitroso” - Salt Creek

vado - ford, crossing

“Vado de los Padres”

Topography Property Types

artenesales de piedra - Crafted stone [ Comb Ridge]

artenejal - sculpted, crafted, worked

 “Artenejal de la ceja Colorado” – Cockscomb

bajada - descent

canada - gentle sloped narrow drainage suitable for pack trail but easily ascended laterals

canon - Steep walled gorge – difficult or impossible to ascend laterals

canoncito - short steep walled canyon with periodic ascents and descents

“Canoncito del arroyo de Chelli” – steep, short canyon with drainage suitable for packtrail

ceja - ridge, brow

fragoso - rough, craggy trail

laguna sin agua - dry lake, playa

llano - plain

“Llano del Coyote” – Pipe Valley

mesa - tableland

milpitas - little corn fields

montuosa - wooded mountain slopes

“La ceja montuosa” – Buckskin Ridge

picacho - pinnacle, peak

Pueblo Colorado - red house rock [red top?]

puerto - opening, pass through, saddle

punta - point, headland

sierra - mountain, mountain range

subido - ascent

Substrate Property Types

caloso - limey, caliche

“Canon Caloso” – un-named west of Canaan Gap

malpais - bad country, lava field

Travel Property Types

camino – road

cruzamos – (we) crossed, crossing

huella - track

jornada - day’s trip

“Jornada sin agua” – Day’s trip without water

parage/paraje- camp site, camp ground

“Parage de San Jose”

pueblos - small towns

“Pueblos de Cucha Payuches y Hayatas” – perm. Settlement of Chemehuevi and Mohave

rancheria - settlement with impermanent structures

“Rancheria de Navajoes”-

“Rancheria de Payuches”-

“Rancheria de indios con zarcillos en las narices”-

rancho - farm settlement

“Rancho San Bernardino” – mission farm

vieja - witches cap rock formation

“Agua de la vieja” – headwater at the witches cap – Moccasin Springs or Pipe Springs

Climate, Physiography, and Ecoregions I - Overview

How did the environment affect the way that your trail segment was used? Seasonal flooding, winter snows, desert conditons, and in the case of leaving Las Vegas - a 55 mile segment without access to water... played an important part in determining the location and the timing of trail use.

Here are the maps you'll need to do the research to discover exactly what this means for you.

US Physiographic Regions

US Ecoregions

US Climate Regions

Culture Areas

An important thing to consider when nominating any trail trace is the people of the area that were exposed to the trails. Were they friendly? Dangerous? Did they benefit from the trail's use, or were they harmed? Here is a map of the major Native American and colonial areas in the US.