Cattle drives involved cowboys on horseback moving herds of cattle long distances to market. It was a major economic activity in the American west, particularly between the years 1866 - 95, when cattle were herded from Texas to rail heads in Kansas for shipments to stockyards in Chicago and points east. (Wikipedia)
Blazed by rancher and trail driver, John Lytle, The Great Western Cattle Trail was the last great northern cattle trail. The Great Western Trail was not as well documented as its counterpart, The Chisholm Trail. Cowboys who took to the trail, found the terrain decidedly more rugged and parched, with formidable barriers, such as the canyons in Texas, the Wichita mountains in Oklahoma Territory and the Great Basin in Kansas. These obstacles of nature made the cowboys really earn their keep.
Enchanted Springs Ranch's 86 acres sits right on The Great Western Trail. A visit to the ranch will take you back in time to the Old West as you roam the streets of the 1800's town. Riding on down to the springs, you'll find the herd of longhorns grazing in the pasture. This ranch is unique, in its desire to replicate the Old West and keep the history alive, while teaching the truth about the cowboys or cowgirls that blazed the trail. A day spent at Enchanted Springs Ranch, will make a memory that won't be forgotten in lifetime.
