Although many consider the battle to have been a Confederate victory, Union forces succeeded in holding the fort and half of the Confederate’s supply wagons were destroyed. The Battle of Valverde took place upstream from Fort Craig at Valverde Crossing. On February 21, 1862, Sibley’s troops engaged Union troops led by Colonel R.S. Sibley continued up the Rio Grande after capturing military installations to the south. In 1862, troops under the command of General H.H. Troops from Fort Craig included companies of Buffalo Soldiers who were garrisoned here while involved in struggles with Native Americans deemed at the time to be hostile.Īt the outbreak of the Civil War, Fort Craig remained a Union Army Post manned by regular army troops. It was was the epicenter of a battle that involved thousands of Union and Confederate troops, many of them New Mexico volunteers under the command of Kit Carson. These outposts played a key role in the settlement of the American frontier.įort Craig was host to the largest U.S. Located along the travel routes were numerous military forts, designed to protect travelers and settlers. In the mid-1800s the New Mexico territory was crossed by a large number of trails. This road served as New Mexico’s lifeline with Mexico for 223 years and was recognized in 2000 as a National Historic Trail. The fort was situated on El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (the Royal Road to the Interior Lands) - the 1,200-mile Spanish colonial trail from Mexico City to Santa Fe. Passes can be obtained in person at the Fort, or by calling the Socorro Field Office at (575) 835-0412.įort Craig played a significant role in 19th-century New Mexico history.Military, Access, Volunteer, and 4th.Grade passes are issued free of charge with required documentation.Senior Annual, Senior Lifetime, and Annual Passes are available for purchase.The Fort Craig Historic Site sells and issues the America the Beautiful, National Parks and Federal Recreational lands Pass.

The area has an ADA accessible trail, picnic facilities, interpretive signs, restrooms and drinking water.

Self guided interpretive trail and picnic area open 7 days a week from 8 a.m.

Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution.

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