Comprising (from east to west) old US 1, US 90, US 290, and US 80, the 2,743-mile-long Old Spanish Trail passes through a landscape rich in culture and scenery. From its start in St. Augustine, a city steeped in old Spanish history, to its finish in balmy San Diego, the OST provides a wide view on Spain's and Mexico's historic and continuing influence on the American landscape and people.

But the highway isn’t all romance. Driving the trail one experiences an America much changed from the 1920s. At times the OST cuts through a contemporary landscape blighted by suburban sprawl and a generic feeling of “Anywhere USA”. Along the highway are deep pockets of poverty and signs of the continuing struggle to secure the border. But don’t despair — today's reality is tempered by slow, curving, roads through Cajun Country, long stretches across purifying desert, and, yes, the famed missions and forts, as well as plenty of old motels, neon signs, and gas stations to get your kicks off Route 66.

About us

Drive the Old Spanish Trail is dedicated to the identification, interpretation, and preservation of the old road and its historic roadside resources, as well as to the appreciation of its contemporary reality — the real road. To get the most out of this endeavor, we need information from you. Please send any information you can contribute as well as corrections to this site.

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