Following the war, he became involved in the herding of feral Texas Longhorn cattle northward from West Texas to railroads.
This "making the gather" was a near-statewide round-up of cattle that had roamed free during the four long years of war.
In 1866, Oliver Loving and he drove their first herd of cattle northward along what would become known as the Goodnight-Loving Trail.
Early in the partnership with Loving, they pastured cattle at such sites as Capulin Mountain in northeastern New Mexico.
Goodnight invented the chuckwagon, which was first used on the initial cattle drive.
Upon arriving in New Mexico, they formed a partnership with New Mexico cattleman John Chisum for future contracts to supply the United States Army with cattle.
After Loving's death, Goodnight and Chisum extended the trail from New Mexico to Colorado, and eventually to Wyoming.
The Goodnight-Loving Trail extended from Belknap, Texas, to Fort Sumner, New Mexico.

Goodnight and Loving were close friends.
Goodnight sat by Loving's bed during the two weeks the latter took to die, and reportedly kept a photograph of Loving in his pocket long after his death, and later put a photograph on his desk.
As requested by the dying Loving, Goodnight carried the body from New Mexico to Weatherford in Parker County for burial.

To take advantage of available grass, timber, water, and game, he founded in 1876 what was to become the first Texas Panhandle ranch, the JA Ranch, in the Palo Duro Canyon of the Texas Panhandle.
He partnered with the Irish businessman John George Adair to create the JA, which stands for "John Adair".
In 1880, Goodnight was a founder of the Panhandle Stockman's Association.
The organization sought to improve cattle-breeding methods and to reduce the threat of rustlers and outlaws.
After Adair's death in 1885, Goodnight worked in partnership for a time with Adair's widow Cornelia Wadsworth Ritchie Adair.

He also developed an acquaintanceship with W. D. Twichell, who lived in Amarillo from 1890 to 1918, and surveyed 165 of the 254 Texas counties.

After Goodnight had already left the JA, Tom Blasingame came to the ranch in 1918.
Blasingame worked there most of the next 73 years, having, at the time of his death in 1989, become the oldest cowboy in the history of the American West.
Following the war, he became involved in the herding of feral Texas Longhorn cattle northward from West Texas to railroads. This "making the gather" was a near-statewide round-up of cattle that had roamed free during the four long years of war. In 1866, Oliver Loving and he drove their first herd of cattle northward along what would become known as the Goodnight-Loving Trail. Early in the partnership with Loving, they pastured cattle at such sites as Capulin Mountain in northeastern New Mexico. Goodnight invented the chuckwagon, which was first used on the initial cattle drive. Upon arriving in New Mexico, they formed a partnership with New Mexico cattleman John Chisum for future contracts to supply the United States Army with cattle. After Loving's death, Goodnight and Chisum extended the trail from New Mexico to Colorado, and eventually to Wyoming. The Goodnight-Loving Trail extended from Belknap, Texas, to Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
Goodnight and Loving were close friends. Goodnight sat by Loving's bed during the two weeks the latter took to die, and reportedly kept a photograph of Loving in his pocket long after his death, and later put a photograph on his desk. As requested by the dying Loving, Goodnight carried the body from New Mexico to Weatherford in Parker County for burial. 
To take advantage of available grass, timber, water, and game, he founded in 1876 what was to become the first Texas Panhandle ranch, the JA Ranch, in the Palo Duro Canyon of the Texas Panhandle. He partnered with the Irish businessman John George Adair to create the JA, which stands for "John Adair". In 1880, Goodnight was a founder of the Panhandle Stockman's Association. The organization sought to improve cattle-breeding methods and to reduce the threat of rustlers and outlaws. After Adair's death in 1885, Goodnight worked in partnership for a time with Adair's widow Cornelia Wadsworth Ritchie Adair.
He also developed an acquaintanceship with W. D. Twichell, who lived in Amarillo from 1890 to 1918, and surveyed 165 of the 254 Texas counties.
After Goodnight had already left the JA, Tom Blasingame came to the ranch in 1918. Blasingame worked there most of the next 73 years, having, at the time of his death in 1989, become the oldest cowboy in the history of the American West.
Charles Goodnight