The Butterfield Overland Mail Stagecoach Route was the first interstate system in the United States of America, and pivotal in our development as a coast-to-coast thriving economic powerhouse… it was the predecessor to the Pony Express, railways, and the interstate systems we all use today.
Hopefully this documenting of my journey may bring awareness to this awesome piece of American history, and inspire others to get out and explore it!
For the past year, I’d read books, articles, listened to lectures on YouTube, and immersed myself in the history of the trail… Finally, in April and May of 2018, I solo-traversed a large section of the trail (Divisions 2-4) from Southern California to Texas. Driving, hiking, biking, running, and climbing my way across the storied American Southwest was an incredible journey full of challenges, unexpected turns, and extremely refreshing solitude.
This is my account of the adventure… I hope you enjoy!
I will be trying to finish a new video each week, as I edit and process through the hours of film I shot along the way… please let me know what you think or if you have any questions about the Butterfield Trail//if you’ve done any segments yourself… While this is just a hobby for me, I enjoy sharing it with y’all, and hope to get others excited about an area so rich in our history!
The day prior, I lined out all of the gear I’d be taking on a trip in order to create an itemized inventory and confirming the positioning of each piece of gear so I’d know how to access it quickly… the road ahead was uncertain and would present many dilemmas in which I would rather know where something was than sitting and looking for it.
Day one kicked off by getting on the road from my home of Joshua Tree, California and joining my cousin and friend at Alps Village in Palm Desert.
From there it was down the highway, passing the Salton Sea, and leaving the Coachella Valley behind… a short drive brought me to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the largest State Park in California, and one of my favorite places in Southern California to explore.
Upon arriving to AB, I traveled to Font’s Point, one of the most iconic areas in Anza Borrego to watch a joint sunset and moonrise… it was awesome watching the simultaneous set/rise over the desert badlands, perched high above the point.
I then ventured through the small town of Borrego Springs to my camp at Culp Valley Primitive Camping Area, the highest elevation campground in the park, and enjoyed the Dark Sky night sky… paired with a 97% illuminated night sky.
The next morning, I finally linked up with the trail and pushed farther down the road to the location of the Vallecito Stage Station, my first stop at an actual station from the original trail!