As a drove road, the route was originally established by tradition, following natural passes in the Pentland and Southern Upland hills. Much of the route had become impassable by the 1990s due to obstructions such as fallen trees and poor drainage. An initiative by local members and officers of the British Horse Society saw community councils undertaking a series of mapping exercises, which identified numerous routes suitable for development as designated trails: the Cross Borders Drove Road was one of the routes identified.