The Santa Fe Trail-Last updated 01/04/02 This page from over-land.com contains a listing of links to information about the Santa Fe Trail. The trail that enabled the United States to trade with Mexico, at Santa Fe, Now New Mexico. The trail officially opened in 1821 when William Becknell traveled to Santa Fe and would close when the Railroad finally ran to Santa Fe New Mexico in the late 1800s. with economicsinternationalregionsstatestradeunited