On this day 250 years ago–August 5th, 1776–the Domínguez-Escalante Expedition entered what is now Colorado.
Tasked with finding an overland route to California via Santa Fe, Franciscan priests Domínguez and Escalante began their journey on July 29th, 1776, heading north/ northwest.
While the expedition failed to reach California, their journey is no less interesting. Relaying their arduous trek in journal format, Fathers Escalante and Domínguez survived 159 days in land that was terra incognita for Europeans.
As the Domínguez-Escalante Expedition celebrates 250 years in 2026, my goal is to reflect upon la Expedición de Domínguez y Escalante, with my blog posts. To aid in my research, I’ll be referring to the following:
- the English translation of the Domínguez-Escalante Expedition journal
- Escalante’s Dream: On the Trail of the Spanish Discovery of the Southwest, by David Roberts
- Domínguez-Escalante Expedition Project (DEEEP), deeepcolorado.com: : A phenomenal online resource that dives deep (yes, pun intended) into D&E’s days traversing through what is now Colorado. Complete with interactive map and Colorado journal entries, you can now follow the padres journey through the Centennial State.
Welcome to the (Future) Centennial State
The Domínguez-Escalante team, consisting of 10 men at this point, had crossed about 21 miles of terrain, dealing with “some troublesome tree growth” along the way. Heading northward, the men likely traversed Carracas Canyon. Upon crossing the San Juan River, they camped on the north bank, just barely inside the (future) Colorado state line.
Nearly 100 years later to the day–August 1st, 1876–Colorado officially became a state. With Colorado just celebrating it’s sesquicentennial, or 150th birthday, I can only imagine how the Franciscan priests would feel about the land they explored no longer belonging to Spain…
D&E’s First Colorado Campsite
Where exactly did the Domínguez-Escalante team camp out in their first day in Colorado? Experts speculate the August 5th campsite in or around near Carracas, Colorado, what is now an abandoned railroad station.
They named their campsite Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, or Our Lady of the Snows, named after the snow-capped peaks to the north (the San Juan mountain range).
According to the Domínguez-Escalante Expedition Education Project (DEEEP), the land around the San Juan River today is a blend of private land, Southern Ute Reservation, US Forest Service, and State Parks properties.
The Things They Carried…Or Didn’t?
A frustrating aspect about the Domínguez-Escalante journal: they didn’t record what provisions they brought along.
While scholars and amateur historians praise Escalante’s attention to detail regarding terrain and landmarks, readers are left in the dark about the exact supplies carried on the trip.
As David Roberts writes in Escalante’s Dream, “Among the many omissions in Escalante’s admirable journal is any record of gear, provisions, or beasts of burden. We are left to guess how much baggage the men brought with them, on how many and what kinds of animals, and what exactly their saddlebags contained.”
If only we knew exactly what they carried on their trek! As we’ll see later in the expedition, a lack of supplies forces the D&E crew to make dire decisions…
Exploring Colorado
D&E spent 40 days total traversing through Colorado. While I’d like to provide a post per D&E Colorado journal entry, realistically that may be tough. For now, I may focus on specific events and individuals within the expedition that catch my attention.
So, if you’re a history buff like me, a student of southwest history, stay tuned as I embark on my own writing quest, reflecting on the intriguing Domínguez-Escalante trek, 250 years on.
~LMC