It is worth pointing out that there was a cut off called the Cimarron Cut Off, at which, there are two options in pursuing the Trail. One Trail heads in a North Westerly direction following the Arkansas River further into Colorado, whereas the other cuts across open land to the South West before following the Cimarron River. Both of these Trails leave their respective rivers crossing them at their easiest points and converge at Fort Union, near the Mora River and head into Santa Fe. From the accounts I have read the majority of the accounts take the route via the Cimarron River (Figure 1). When referring to the Trail in later sections, it is this part of the Santa Fe Trail that I am making reference
It is worth pointing out that there was a cut off called the Cimarron Cut Off, at which, there are two options in pursuing the Trail. One Trail heads in a North Westerly direction following the Arkansas River further into Colorado, whereas the other cuts across open land to the South West before following the Cimarron River. Both of these Trails leave their respective rivers crossing them at their easiest points and converge at Fort Union, near the Mora River and head into Santa Fe. From the accounts I have read the majority of the accounts take the route via the Cimarron River (Figure 1). When referring to the Trail in later sections, it is this part of the Santa Fe Trail that I am making reference