Annual El Paso County Wagon Train is a Unique Colorado Tradition

Colorado is rich in Western traditions, that all help to tell a story of the Centennial State's historic past.

One event that celebrates Colorado's early days, and especially its Western roots, is the annual El Paso County Wagon Train.

The first authentic El Paso County Wagon Train took place in 1989, as a way to promote the  El Paso County Fair. The inaugural ride included 26 wagons, pulled by horses or mules, and 75 riders. Rubber-wheeled wagons were forbidden to participate in the train.

The 25-mile trek started at Latigo Ranch, just north of Falcon, Colorado. The route crossed the 4 Way Ranch (known as Bob Lee's at the time), then on to the Dawson Ranch north of Peyton, CO. Because it was hard to make 25 miles in one day, the riders would stay overnight in their wagons and tents. That evening was filled with food and festivities. The horses and mules were tied on picket lines, and wranglers watched over them during the night.

After breakfast and Cowboy Church on Sunday morning, the riders traveled onward on the trail to Calhan to kick off the El Paso County Fair. They would arrive at the rodeo arena by the afternoon.

This format of the El Paso County wagon train continued for 10 more years, under all kinds of weather conditions, with almost the same route across the pastures of eastern Colorado.

However, in 1998, the Wagon Master retired and the wagon train discontinued the ride.

Fortunately, in 2007, several interested parties started up the wagon train again. Since it was hard to find enough vintage wagons, the rules were changed to accept rubber-tired wagons. That summer, the route went from the El Paso County fairgrounds to the Paint Mines and back to the fairgrounds, for a total of 10 miles to kick off the fair.

A year later, the route was changed once again. Now, the starting point is one mile north of Simla along the eastern plains at Bailey Ranch. Saturday consists of a half-day five-hour round-trip trail ride with lunch down on the Big Sandy Ranch. Once riders return to the Bailey Ranch, the horses can be put in corrals or an outdoor arena until Sunday morning. Riders relax for the night and can take a tour of the Bailey Saddle Museum which has over 300 collectible saddles, bridles, and antique cars. On Sunday morning, breakfast at the ranch is followed by a Cowboy Church service. Then, there's another three-hour wagon ride across the Colorado prairie to the Big Sandy Ranch for lunch, before heading back to Bailey Ranch.

Nowadays, besides coordinating with the fair, the El Paso County Wagon Train is about celebrating the heritage of Colorado's settlers and promoting quality horsemanship. It also gives people who are interested in the Old West a chance to observe an old-fashioned trail ride with wagons, draft horses, and outriders.

This year's event is happening on July 27 and 28, 2024.