Cattle Drives have taken place in the United States since the mid-1800s. Ranchers moved their herds to stock yards, or to the rail heads, for shipment. Many hundreds (if not thousands) were moved over hundreds of miles. The Salt Grass Trail was from southern-central Texas to the port of Houston. In 1959, four men in Brenham Texas (Reese Lockett, Pat Flaherty, E.H. Marks, and John Warnasch) rode the old trail into Houston as a tribute to those earlier cowboys who moved cattle this way many decades before. The Salt Grass Trail has grown to include thousands of people, and with the other trail rides going to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo comprise the largest trail rides in the world (or so they say).
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I cannot remember for sure, but my Dad might have ridden part of the Salt Grass Trail. I know he wanted to participate. Along with being a Deputy Sheriff, Dad was also a rancher at times. He performed at some rodeos as part of a troupe of horseback square dance riders. I know I've been to about 50 rodeos. My son once showed a pig at the Livestock show in the late 1980s.
- Travels with Phil copyrighted by Phil Konstantin -
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Trail Rides which go to the Houston Rodeo:
Mission Trail Ride
Est. 1991: celebrates the early vaqueros and cowboys who drove cattle east to New Orleans
Starting point: San Antonio’s Mission Espada
239 miles
Northeastern Trail Ride
Est. 1990: pays homage to the Buffalo Soldiers
Starting point: Cheek
109 miles
Old Spanish Trail Ride
Est. 1956: covers the second-longest route
Starting point: Logansport, Louisiana
216 miles
Prairie View Trail Ride
Est. 1957: first African American Houston Rodeo trail ride
Starting point: Hempstead
89 miles
Salt Grass Trail Ride
Est. 1952: longest-running and largest trail ride
Starting point: Cat Spring
103 miles, 1,200 riders, 24 wagons
Sam Houston Trail Ride
Est. 1955: approximates
General Sam Houston’s route from Montgomery to Houston in the mid-1800s
70 miles
Southwest Trail Ride
Est. 1993: honors the heritage of the black cowboys
Starting point: Rosenberg
123 miles
Southwestern Trail Ride
Est. 1973: plans stops at elementary schools to educate and empower youth
Starting point: West Columbia
100 miles
The Spanish Trail Ride
Est. 1961: family ride dedicated to teaching youth about the hardships and rewards of pioneer life
Starting point: Shepherd
109 miles
Texas Independence Trail Ride
Est. 1961: ride splintered off from Salt Grass to allow riders not affiliated with a wagon group a way to participate
Starting point: Brazoria
100 miles
Valley Lodge Trail Ride
Est. 1959: nicknamed “Champagne Ride” for its gourmet meals
Starting point: Brookshire
71.5 miles
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Other Famous Cattle Drive Trails:
Chisholm Trail, Goodnight-Loving Trail, Texas Trail, Shawnee Trail, Dodge City Trail, Chihuahua Trail
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Links:
saltgrasstrailride.com/about/
memory.loc.gov/diglib/legacie...
/ sgtra
visitbrenhamtexas.com/riding-...
htexas.com/New/salt-grass-trai...
www.texasmonthly.com/being-te...
www.cowgirlmagazine.com/salt-...
texashighways.com/culture/his...
houstonhistorymagazine.org/wp...
www.saltgrasstrailride.org/Sag...
vimeo.com/142805387 - Robert McSpadden
vimeo.com/search?q=%22salt%20...
texasarchive.org/2012_00136
www.houstonpublicmedia.org/ar...
vimeo.com/157459064 - Mark Whitehead
www.rodeohouston.com/trail-ri...
vimeo.com/257312236
vimeo.com/120850061 - Honking Goose - OK, I Think
tpwd.texas.gov/education/reso...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_W...
texastimetravel.com/travel-by...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_...
minnesota.agclassroom.org/mat...
genealogytrails.com/tex/state...
www.slps.org/cms/lib/MO010011...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steer_w...
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Photo Credits:
My Own
Google Maps
Houston Rodeo
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Video Credits:
Mine-Santa Fe Trail - • Unedited - Santa Fe Tr...
Rob McSpadden - vimeo.com/142805387
Honking Goose - vimeo.com/120850061
Jim Thomas - • Salt Grass Trail Ride ...
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Music Credits:
Purchased License - AudioHero.com - Lemonade-Summer - Trucks-and-Hats
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