Antonio Armijo

Antonio Mariano Armijo (1804–1850) was a Mexican explorer and merchant who is famous for leading the first commercial caravan party between Abiquiú, Nuevo México and San Gabriel Mission, Alta California in 1829-1830. His route, the southernmost and most direct, is known as the Armijo Route of the Old Spanish Trail.

Abiquiú was the starting point and terminal of the pioneering route of the Old Spanish Trail. This first route, the Armijo Route, was led by Antonio Armijo with a sixty mounted men and a caravan of pack animals carrying blankets and other trade goods to barter for mules in Alta California. Armijo's caravan left Abiquiú, New Mexico on November 7, 1829 and made the journey from Abiquiu to San Gabriel Mission in eighty-six days, arriving on January 31, 1830. He returned by the same route in 56 days, leaving March 1 and arriving back on April 25, 1830. Unlike the other routes of the Old Spanish Trail, Armijo's route was documented day by day by him, although in a very brief report listing dates and stopping places with few details and no distances recorded. It was submitted to the governor José Antonio Chaves and published by the Mexican government on June 19, 1830.^[1]^[2]