Short History of the Western Cattle Trail

Throughout the latter half of the 19th century, Texas cattlemen, with their unwavering determination, tirelessly searched for new routes to lead their herds to markets in the north. As the line of settlements moved westward, the trails that served cattlemen were gradually closed. The Shawnee Trail was the first to become unusable, followed by the Chisholm Trail. In 1874, John T. Lytle, a true pioneer, blazed a new path beyond the western edge of the settlement, stretching from the grazing ranges of Texas to Fort Robinson, Nebraska. 

When the U.S. Army successfully concluded the Red River War in early 1875, driving the Comanche and Kiowa onto a reservation, Lytle's trail became the most popular path to the railheads in Kansas and Nebraska. It remained the most used until the cattle trailing industry ended in the 1890s.
​The Western Trail, a pivotal component of the cattle-driving industry, was also known as the Dodge City Trail or the Texas Trail. It originated in the hill country of Texas near present-day Kerrville, where numerous minor trails converged. During the 1880s, the drives frequently passed by Dodge City, heading to Ogallala, Nebraska, and Wyoming. 

Some herds even journeyed to Canada. However, the more than two million longhorns that were transported up the Western Trail and shipped out of Dodge City truly underscored its immense historical significance. Once a bustling thoroughfare, the Western Trail continued to see significant traffic until 1891, when it experienced a drastic decline. In 1894, John Blocker drove his herd from West Texas to South Dakota on the Western Trail, marking its last recorded use. This was a poignant moment, signifying the end of an era. By the turn of the 20th century, the cattle-driving industry had come to a halt, and with it, the Western Trail faded into the annals of history.