About the Great Western Cattle Trail

The Great Western Cattle Trail was the longest-lasting and the longest of the cattle trails, traversing one state in Mexico, multiple U.S. states, and two provinces in Canada. Over six million cattle and one million horses were trailed up the Great Western to provide food for American Indian reservations and establish open range ranching on the vast northern Great Plains grasslands.

The Great Western Cattle Trail Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Volunteers and Rotary Clubs have helped mark portions of the trail with more than 300 seven-foot white concrete pillars inscribed GREAT WESTERN TR in red.

Become a member or donate to help us continue researching, marking, communicating the legacy, and publishing the trail stories.