The Mud Walled Trading Fort On The Arkansas

The two trappers were cold but not too bad as they pushed on down the Arkansas River that afternoon in the early winter of 1834. They had made their fall hunt in the Bayou Salade and had several packs of prime beaver riding on the pack horses. Beating the heavy snow, they had come over the passes east of the Bayou and had ridden south by east until hitting the Arkansas.  Clive and his partner, Smitty had heard last summer at rendezvous on Ham's Fork of the Green that there was a new trading fort on the Arkansas not too far from the mountains east of the Bayou.  They had heard that the Bent brothers and their partner, Ceran St. Vrain had built the mud walled post to trade for furs and robes and that is where the pair were bound for, to trade their plews for some powder, tobacco and coffee; and maybe a little whiskey too...THERE! Down there on the prairie not too far from the river! There it was, shining in the afternoon sun by golly and it sure was a big thing to look at! Yessir, Clive and Smitty would have themselves a spree this night, you can lay your traps to that!

It had been years since Linda and I had been to Bent's Fort; 27 years to be exact. Too long for this old mountaineer!  We had decided to wait until next year to head back to Wyoming but we both felt the need to get away for a few days so a little road trip was planned.  We loaded the pack animals and saddled up (well actually we loaded up the little orange Hummer but my mind was back in the early eighteen hundreds so I'll stick with saddle and pack stock if that's okay with you) and headed up through the Panhandle and into southeastern Colorado to La Junta for the first night out.  We were excited and ready the next morning as we headed out of town the few miles to Bent's Old Fort which is maintained by the National Park Service.  I had figured on spending a couple of hours there which turned into over 3 hours!

Bent's Fort was built in 1833 by brothers William and Charles Bent and their partner Ceran St. Vrain. It was situated on what was known as the "mountain route" of the Santa Fe Trail along the north bank of the Arkansas River and the partners were in business to trade for furs and buffalo robes, especially with the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes but also with travelers on the Santa Fe Trail and with the mountaineers that trapped the southern Rockies.  At the fort, Clive and Smitty could trade for just about anything they could need; powder and lead, coffee and tobacco, blankets, shirts and pants, beads and trinkets, even guns and beaver traps.  It was a well stocked trade room that was kept at the fort.

As well as trade goods, the fort also offered a complete blacksmith shop and carpenter shop for the manufacture or repair of anything that might be needed.  There were even a few rooms where a mountaineer could spread his robes for the night if  he could stand to be closed up in walls and roof instead of under the stars where he usually spent his nights.

All too soon we had to leave.  We could have spent another couple of hours there for sure!  We wanted to take the hiking trail down along the river but, alas, we had to get on over North Laveta Pass and down the Rio Grande to Taos where we had a reservation for the night at the Old Taos Guest House.

A short evening in Taos with enough time to go out and eat and then walk around the old town square and then a nine hour trip home the next day left us with the desire to go back to Taos and take in the Kit Carson Museum and the Taos Pueblo as well as any other historical sights in the area.  I also want to head to Glorieta, NM and see if we can tour Jeff Hengesbaugh's museum.  So Linda and I definitely see another trip that direction in the future.

If you can make it to S.E. Colorado to Bent's Old Fort, it is well worth the trip.  Allow PLENTY of time to tour the fort and the surrounding grounds and have a BIG memory card in your camera!

Also, if you make it to Taos we highly recommend the Old Taos Guest House Bed and Breakfast; a very quaint, off the main road inn with friendly owners and comfortable accommodations. 

It was a short but memorable three day road trip that we both enjoyed tremendously.  One final note; if you happen to pass through Angel Fire, NM, there is a Veteran's Memorial there right off the highway that I would urge you all to visit.  A very moving experience!

Until we meet farther down the trail, adios and watch your back trail!

Turkey Creek