Gila Trail, 1846: Arizona's Path to the Goldfields

The southern overland route to California and the Pacific Ocean through present-day Arizona has been in use for centuries — first by Native Americans then by Europeans throughout the 16th to the 19th centuries. This braided trail became nationally important in mid-19th century when the Mexican War and subsequent gold discoveries in California set off unprecedented westward migration. Thousands made their way over the various routes of the Gila Trail.