In 1821, Captain William Becknell laid the path of the Santa Fe Trail through the pass. In 1846 during the Mexican–American War, Stephen W. Kearny and his troops passed through the pass en route to New Mexico. During the Civil War, it was the primary path into New Mexico since it avoided Confederate raiders. It was later developed into a toll road by Richens Lacey Wootton.
Railroad route
In the late 19th century, it was used by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway as the railroad's primary route through the mountains. Along with the Royal Gorge in Colorado the pass was one of the focal points for the 1878–1879 Railroad Wars between the AT&SF and the smaller Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. The route over the pass required gradients of up to 3.5%, with a tunnel at the highest point of the AT&SF, at 7588 feet above sea level. The tunnel is entirely within New Mexico, with its northern portal only a few feet south of the Colorado border. BNSF Railway, which absorbed the Santa Fe railroad in 1996, and Amtrak continue to use this route. However, following completion of the Belen Cutoff in 1908, the majority of freight traffic was diverted over the Cutoff, which has gradients of no more than 1.25%. Amtrak's Southwest Chief passenger service between Chicago and Los Angeles, continues to use Raton Pass. In 2012, there was not enough freight traffic for BNSF to maintain the line up to the standards required by Amtrak for continued intercity service. This problem has placed the future of rail transportation over Raton Pass in jeopardy. BNSF operates little to no revenue freight service over the pass between La Junta, Colorado, and Lamy, New Mexico, leaving Amtrak's Southwest Chief as the only daily revenue train to occupy the route.
Highway route
In the 20th century the Pass became the route of U.S. Route 85 and later Interstate 25 between Denver and Albuquerque. The road at the pass is at an elevation of 7834 feet above sea level, and therefore is subject to difficult driving and occasional closure during heavy winter snowfalls.
The pass was part of a Townes Van Zandt song "Snowin' on Raton". During a live performance, Townes commented how he liked playing a show in Colorado because he didn't have to explain what Raton was. The 1951 western movie named Raton Pass stars Academy Award actress Patricia Neal. Raton Pass is mentioned in C. W. McCall's song "Four Wheel Cowboy", from his album Wilderness. "Four Wheel Cowboy" also appears on his compilation release, titled "The Best of C. W. McCall". Clint Black makes reference to the Raton Pass in the song "The Goodnight-Loving" from the album "Put Yourself in My Shoes." In the 1951 Randolph Scott film Santa Fe there is a part about how the Santa Fe rail road aquired Raton Pass for the use of the rail road.
