Existing comment:
Spaniards in the Southwest:
After the conquest of Mexico, Spain claimed much of what is now the western U.S. Except for a few unofficial trading expeditions, this area was left unexplored by the Spanish until the late 1700s, when Spain began to expand its empire to thwart British and Russian colonial interests in the West.
Earlier explorers had determined that it was not possible to cross the Rio de Tizon, today's Colorado River, in the area around the Grand Canyon. With this knowledge, they sent expeditions northward to discover a route from Santa Fe to California which avoided the rugged canyon country. These routes formed part of the Old Spanish Trail through this part of Utah. |