It was a landmark on the old Santa Fe Trail before the development of the Cimarron Cutoff.

Originally, due to the heightened chance of meeting marauding Indians on the plains, the Santa Fe Trail kept as close to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains as possible, passing through Rayado to the community of Ocate and passing west of Ocate Peak.

After Fort Union was established in 1851, the trail took the easier route east of Ocate Peak, but still west of the Turkey Mountains.

Ocote is a Nahuatl word meaning "pine".

This New Mexico state location article is a stub.