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The Most Awesomely Epic Oregon Trail Road Trip You’ll Ever Take

From Vale, Oregon to The Dalles, we give you a breakdown of all the Oregon Trail sites you'll want to visit for a historical road trip through history.

oregon trail road trip

Do you love Oregon history? Maybe you want to take the kids on an interactive and educational experience. I'm already thinking of fun spring break activities for our family, and learning about early pioneer history may just be the perfect bonding experience. This Oregon Trail road trip will send you back in time on an epic journey (and you won't even have to die from dysentery).

oregon trail game died of dysentery

If you're scratching your head at the dysentery reference, it comes from the Oregon Trail game I played as a kid . In it, you traveled by wagon from Independence, Missouri to The Dalles, Oregon just as 80,000 people did in the 1840s. The number of pioneers is actually around 200,000, but many settlers on the Oregon Trail chose to make their homes elsewhere, like Utah and California. For this road trip, we'll focus on the Oregon leg of the trail from near the Idaho border to The Dalles, Oregon.

Expect to spend anywhere from four days to a week of travel time for this road trip. It really depends on how much or how little you want to see, and that's the brilliant part of this journey. What would have taken over a month to pioneers we can now plug away at our own pace. You will experience parts of the historic trail, walk in the ruts of pioneer wagon trains, and explore carefully curated museums.

We highly recommend that you take this road trip anywhere from late spring to early fall for the best odds that locations will be open and the weather will be accomodating.

oregon trail wagon trip

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Your epic adventure begins at:

Keeney pass interpretive site, vale, oregon.

keeney pass oregon trail road trip

After a rather harrowing time crossing the Snake River from Old Fort Boise in modern-day Idaho, pioneers found themselves setting foot for the first time on what would come to be the state of Oregon. Some travelers actually chose a more southerly route that bypassed the Snake River crossing altogether, but both trails rejoined each other at the juncture of Keeney Pass .

The site offers a 2/3-mile round-trip hike along a section of the original Oregon Trail and visible wagon ruts near an interpretive shelter. Wayside exhibits tell the stories of the overland experience and the native peoples of the area.

From Keeney Pass, head north on Lytle Blvd to Vale, Oregon. Take a moment to view the Stone House Museum , then take US-26 West and continue several miles north to take a right on 5th Avenue East. Go left on Hill Rd./Old Oregon Trail. The first site you'll arrive at is:

Alkalai Springs and Tub Springs Interpretive Site

alkalai springs blm map oregon trail

The springs laden with Alkali were a major hazard for the Emigrant's livestock which often died if they drank too much of it. Humans as well fell victim to the bad water. Tub Springs, on the other hand, was a critically important water source on this leg of the journey.

tub springs oregon trail road trip

Continue north on Hill Rd./Old Oregon Trail to:

Birch Creek Interpretive Site

birch creek oregon trail site

According to the Bureau of Land Management, Birch Creek provided much relief to emigrants after the hot, dusty, and parched segment of the Oregon Trail from Alkali Springs. In the early years of the Oregon Trail, there was plenty of grass for livestock and fresh water for animals and people. Emigrants often held over at this location for one of two reasons: some were sick from drinking the stagnant water at Alkali Springs, while others rested for the long haul up the Burnt River Canyon - the roughest part of the trail to come.

The site contains a 300-foot gravel trail that leads to interpretive panels. The trail is not barrier-free. The actual Birch Creek crossing and emigrant camp is located on private land and is not accessible to the public.

The road to the site can be rough, particularly going uphill.

Go north on Lockett Rd. and cross over I-84 onto Old Hwy. 30. to:

Farewell Bend State Recreation Area, Snake River, Ontario, Oregon

farewell bend eastern oregon road trip oregon trail road trip

Pioneers named it "Farewell Bend" as they would be saying goodbye to the Snake River before turning their wagons northwest and overland. Today's Farewell Bend finds a lovely State Recreation Area with camping facilities (April 15 - Oct. 31), fishing, sand volleyball and basketball courts, as well as picnic areas. Settlers would have spent a few days here, resting and watering their livestock.

oregon trail farewell bend wagon

From Farewell Bend, the choice is yours to follow the more historically accurate Hwy. 30, or the faster I-84 W.

While Interstate 84 follows the basic route of the old Oregon Trail, Hwy. 30 is the more accurate route to follow in the footsteps and wagon ruts of the early pioneers.

old homestead eastern oregon

From I-84, take Exit 302 to US-86 toward Richland/Hells Canyon. Follow signs to:

National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, Baker City, Oregon

The Interpretive Center offers much to do, from the museum to a replica of a pioneer gold mine, and the opportunity to walk in the real Oregon Trail wagon ruts at Flagstaff Hill.

oregon trail interpretive center baker city

After exploring the museum, try the 2.4 mile out-and-back Panoramic and Stamp Mill Trail . You'll end up on an overlook with views of the Powder River. Wildflowers start blooming in the spring, and you may catch a glimpse of local wildlife like Marmots and Prarie Dogs.

marmot oregon

According to the National Park Service, the Oregon Trail reached Flagstaff Hill by going through the small valley, known as Virtue Flat, that lies just south of the interpretive center. Traveling through this valley was no easy task. Emigrants had to fight their way through shoulder-tall sagebrush just after spending four or five difficult days ascending Burnt River. The trek across Virtue Flats created 13 miles of still visible Oregon Trail ruts. Approximately one mile of these ruts lies on the interpretive center's grounds. The ruts can be reached by following hiking trails from the interpretive center or by driving a half-mile west of the center's entrance on Highway 86 to a turnout.

oregon trail wagon ruts baker city

Head back to Baker City and hop on I-84 W. Travel through La Grande and continue west on I-84 for 10.5 miles to Exit 248. Turn onto the Spring Creek Road/Kamela then right on Old Emigrant Hill Scenic Frontage Road (Highway 30). Take the first right, follow signs and go 2.4 miles to Park on Forest Road 1843. You'll be at:

Oregon Trail Interpretive Park at Blue Mountain Crossing

oregon trail interpretive park at blue mountain crossing

The Interpretive park is only open during the summer months , so if you're wanting to add this stop to your road trip, please plan accordingly.

Here you'll find some of the best-preserved evidence of Oregon Trail travel, from "wagon scars" on the trees to depressions made in the ground by livestock and prairie schooners. This area was a pioneer rest stop on what was a harrowing journey into the Blue Mountains. Choose a discovery trail and walk in the footsteps of Oregon Trail emigrants.

Retrace your driving route back to I-84 W. Again, here you can choose to take the more historical Old Highway 30, or the faster Interstate route. Your next destination is several miles up at:

Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area

emigrant springs oregon trail roadtrip

Just as the pioneers did, you've now summited the Blue Mountains and it's all downhill from here.

blue mountains oregon

Wagon trains would have camped in the vicinity for several days and replenished their water barrels from the spring. Today you'll find camping areas, cabins, and yurts for rent year-round . Bring your horse for camping and trail rides, or learn about the adventures of early settlers from the park’s Oregon Trail interpretive shelter and covered wagon display.

Continue 7 miles on I-84 W or the Old Emigrant Road (Hwy. 30) to the Deadman's Pass Rest Area.

Deadman Pass, Pendleton, Oregon

deadman's pass oregn trail road trip

Oregon Trail emigrants typically reached Deadman Pass, then known as Crawford Hill, after three days travel over what Edward Evans Parrish, emigrant of 1844, called "the worst road yet." The name, "Deadman’s Pass", was actually the result of an accident during the Bannock War when a teamster driving a wagon through the pass was killed.

The wagon ruts can be found near the rest area, and the viewpoint is a bit further down I-84/Hwy. 30.

From Deadman Pass, continue down the hill into Pendleton and follow signs for the Wildhorse Resort and Casino.

Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, Pendleton, Oregon

Tamástslikt Cultural Institute Oregon Trail

This beautiful museum explores the history of the Oregon Trail from the perspective of the Native American tribes who owned this land for thousands of years. Audio, artistry and historic images, rare and beautiful artifacts create a broad sensory experience depicting the Tribal world. The Institute is an incredibly immersive experience.

Tamástslikt Cultural Institute

From their website: "Come to Tamástslikt Cultural Institute and experience the storied past, rich present, and bright future of our tribes through interactive exhibits, special events, and informative programs. More than just a museum, Tamástslikt celebrates the traditions of Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla Tribes. With dramatic exhibits, renowned artwork, and interesting — and yes, fun — events year-round, Tamástslikt Cultural Institute offers a 10,000-year journey in a single afternoon."

Backtrack to I-84 Westbound. Here, Old Hwy. 30 merges with the Interstate for this portion of the journey. Take I-84 W to exit 207 and follow signs toward Reith, Oregon. Keep on Reith Road, following the Umatilla River to:

Corral Springs Oregon Trail Site

corral springs oregon trail site echo

The Corral Springs site is on private land owned by the Ramos family. The family has given permission for public access to the 1.4 miles of two parallel sets of Oregon Trail ruts that descend into the canyon. Approaching the site you will see No Trespassing signs, but a closer look reveals the land graciously allowed by the owners. Please be respectful.

Continue west on Reith Road to reach the town of Echo, Oregon. Make a right on S Thielsen St, drive three blocks, and take a left on Oregon Trail Rd.

Fort Henrietta Park / Umatilla River Lower Crossing, Echo, Oregon

fort henrietta park echo oregon trail road trip

The National Park Service has listed Fort Henrietta as a National Historic Trail Site because it was a campsite and river crossing for Oregon Trail emigrants. The river ford known, as the Lower Crossing (Pendleton was the site of the Upper Crossing), was located at the south end of the park.

The park includes several historic displays including a covered wagon museum and antique fire equipment museum. The museums are unmanned with push-button recorders that provide information to visitors. The first Umatilla County jail is in the park as is a replica blockhouse. Interpretive panels provided by the National Park Service and storyboards with information on Echo history are also located in the park.

Continue southwest on Oregon Trail Rd. and follow Oregon Trail Site signs to take a right on a gravel road.

Echo Meadows

echo meadows oregon trail road trip

Echo Meadows is a 320-acre site managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Walk the site's half-mile (one way) paved path to visit the remaining one-mile-long stretch of swales. If you walk the wagon ruts, stop at the property line; do not trespass onto the adjacent farm. A pavilion near the parking lot contains interpretive exhibits that tell the stories of the trail and the area's native people.

BLM.gov: When travelers along the Oregon Trail began using a more direct route to The Dalles from the Umatilla Crossing, Echo Meadows became a rest stop to prepare for the windy, hot, and dusty trek to Butter Creek and Wells Spring. Some chose to camp here based on the availability of feed for livestock. Some remarked the grass was “hip-high to a horseman.”

echo meadows oregon trail site

The sandy sagebrush-covered interpretive site is a fair representation of what emigrants encountered in late spring and early fall after crossing the Umatilla River. The interpretive site is a stark reminder of what the Columbia River plain was like before water was pumped from the ground. A trace of the trail is barely discernible in nearby farm fields where thousands of wagons compacted the soil.

From Echo Meadows, return to Oregon Trail Road and take a right. Make a left on US-207, Lexington/Echo Highway. There are many backroads that will lead you to the Wells Spring site. If you're feeling adventurous, Google Maps will take you there. For a more reliable route, follow US-207 to Lexington, then make a right on US-74, Heppner Highway to Ione, Oregon. Make a right on Ella Road, and continue north to veer right on Ione-Boardman Road. Several miles up you will make a left turn onto Immigrant Lane and follow the signs to Wells Spring.

Wells Springs, Boardman, Oregon

wells spring oregon trail road trip

The Wells Spring segment of the Oregon Trail is an extremely isolated section that traverses what was the Boardman Bombing Range during WWII. This location includes a pioneer cemetery, stage station, and rusted wagon remains. The public access point is available to everyone, however, to hike the 7-mile segment within the old bombing range you must obtain permission from the Naval Weapons Station by calling 541-481-2565.

wells spring oregon trail wagon remains

The road to reach this site is long and graveled, so plan accordingly with water, snacks, and a reliable vehicle.

From Wells Spring, head west on Immigrant Lane and follow it as it bends around to the hamlet of Cecil, Oregon . Pioneers crossed Willow Creek near here. In Cecil, make a right onto Heppner Highway, then a quick left onto Cecil Lane. Take another quick left onto Cecil Road/Fairview Lane and follow it a few miles to make a right on Fourmile Canyon Road. Follow the signs to:

Fourmile Canyon Historic Site

fourmile canyon oregon trail road trip

This segment of the Oregon Trail was part of the difficult transit of the Columbia Plateau. Interpretive panels explain the site’s deep rut scars and the emigrants’ ascent out of the canyon. North is the modern city of Arlington on the Columbia River, but historically it was named Alkalai after the canyon that runs south of it.

Pioneers could choose to continue overland to the Fourmile Canyon site, but others chose to pack up their wagons at Arlington and head down the Columbia to The Dalles. Settlers would raft down the river in Hudson's Bay Company boats or Native American canoes.

While you can take McDonald's Ferry Road from the Fourmile Canyon site, the next area can only be accessed from the west bank of the John Day River. Two travel options are:

1. To closely experience the Oregon Trail route, follow Fourmile Canyon Road north to make a left and follow US-19 John Day Highway south to Cedar Springs Lane where you will turn right. Keep on Cedar Springs Lane for several miles to the locale of Rock Creek where you'll make another right on Lower Rock Creek Lane. Keep heading east to take a right on McDonald Ferry Road. This turns into Klondike-John Day Road. At the point where the road first meets the river is where McDonald Crossing was. Continuing north along the river will lead to the primitive Hoag Road and an eventual left on Heritage Lane, then Quinton Canyon Road to I-84.

webfoot school sherman county oregon

2. For a more reliable paved (mostly) highway drive, follow Fourmile Canyon Road north to make a right on US-19 John Day Highway. Follow signs to Arlington and onto I-84 Westbound. Take Exit 104 to US-97 Bend/Yakima and keep left to US-97 South/Sherman Highway. After several miles, take the exit to US-206/Wasco. Stay on US-206 through the town of Wasco, then make a left on Klondike Road. Keep on the gravel Klondike Rd. as it turns into McDonald Ferry Lane and follow it all the way to the John Day River.

McDonald Ford / McDonald's Crossing

mcdonald crossing john day river oregon trail road trip

Where Klondike Road changes from east-west straightaway to meandering gravel road you will be driving on the actual Oregon Trail all the way to the river.

Today this area of Sherman and Gilliam Counties is encompassed by windfarms. In the 1850s, this was a shallow ford on the John Day where it was safe to make the river crossing. Here you'll find an interpretive monument and gorgeous views of the wild and scenic John Day River.

mcdonald crossing john day river oregon trail road trip

Retrace your path back down Klondike Road to Wasco, and US-97 to Biggs Junction where you left I-84. This time you'll be taking a left on Biggs-Rufus Highway just before the freeway interchange.

Biggs Junction to The Deschutes River

If you love interesting and less well-known places to hike you're in for a treat here. As you travel this last part of the overland Oregon Trail journey you'll be overlooking the Columbia River as pioneers did 175 years ago. It's a bit tricky to find the trail as it's not well marked, but check the Google Map below for the location you're looking for. There will be two Oregon Trail markers on the left and an inclining path between them. This goes up to Biggs Arch, a stunning natural rock formation with incredible views of the Gorge. There are wagon ruts along the path, so be on the lookout.

biggs arch oregon trail road trip

From Biggs Arch, continue west on Biggs Rufus Highway, which becomes US-206.

Heritage Landing / Deschutes River State Park

At this point, you're almost at your journey's end. The mouth of the Deschutes River is where pioneers made the crossing to the last leg of the trip that would bring them to The Dalles and the fertile Willamette Valley beyond.

deschutes river state park

Travelers frequently camped at the mouth of this large tributary of the Columbia River before crossing. In order to cross, some emigrant parties used the rocky islands near the river's mouth as stepping stones, while wagons were floated across and stock animals swam. Others forded the river using rafts.

deschutes river state park

Pioneer Joel Palmer wrote on September 28, 1845:

" The river is about one hundred yards wide, and the current very rapid; the stream is enclosed by lofty cliffs of basaltic rock. Four hundred yards from the Columbia is a rapid or cascade. Within the distance of thirty yards, its descent is from fifteen to twenty feet. The current of this stream was so rapid and violent, and withal of such depth, as to require us to ferry it. Some of the companies behind us, however, drove over at its mouth by crossing on a bar. "

Today you can camp, hike, and fish at the Deschutes River State Recreation Area .

Keep going on US-206/Celilo-Wasco Highway until it merges with I-84 W. Continue to The Dalles and take Exit 82 toward Columbia Gorge Discovery Center/Wasco County Museum.

Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Wasco County Historical Museum

columbia river gorge discovery center wasco county museum

Not only will visitors experience Wasco County and Oregon Trail history here, but the Discovery Center has so much more to offer. From exhibits on the ancient origins of the Columbia River Gorge to Native American history and raptor shows. If you love history you'll really enjoy a visit.

columbia gorge discovery center wasco county museum children sit in a dugout canoe

Follow the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center on Facebook to keep in touch with all of their goings-on.

From the SE corner of the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center parking lot, you may hike the paved Riverfront Trail to the last destination on our list, or drive there if you like.

By car, take US-30 south to the River Road Exit and make a left. Park between River Road and River Trail Way, and take the trail toward the Columbia River.

Crates Point

And now Pioneers, you have reached the end of your journey. Where Chenowith Creek meets the Columbia River you will be standing at the very last point of the true overland Oregon Trail. From 1843-1845, this was the only way to Oregon City and beyond.

riverfront trail the dalles oregon

From OCTA-trails.org : At Crates Point, a protected harbor at the mouth of Chenowith Creek, the Oregon Trail pioneers put into the river. John McLoughlin, despite orders from his superiors, sent bateaux and food here to assist (and occasionally rescue) weary emigrants. Nearby were many pine trees to cut for building immense rafts that could hold up to six wagons. Writing in 1843, explorer John C. Fremont described them as “ark-like rafts, on which they had embarked their families and households, with their large wagons and other furniture, while their stock were driven along the shore.”

After 1843, many emigrants chose to take the newly-explored Barlow Road Trail which avoided the extremely dangerous Columbia River journey. We will cover a Barlow Road Trip in a future article.

Have you taken a similar road trip or visited some of the sites along the old Oregon Trail? Let us know if we've missed anything.

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The outside of Sugarpine Drive-In. It's a white building with a cute sign.

Folks Line Up Around The Block For This 1920s Vintage Oregon Gas Station Turned Drive-In

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Last Updated on April 1, 2023 by Danielle Denham

oregon trail wagon trip

The Authentic Wagon Train Experience

2024 & 2025 seasons are full. Click here to be added to the wait list for 2025.

The chuck wagon followed by the two other wagons make up the wagon train for the week

For an exciting family vacation and a unique outdoor experience, venture into the past and relive the experiences of the American West on the Teton Covered Wagon Train and Horse Adventure! Click the photo above for more information.

Rates & Departures

oregon trail wagon trip

View our trip dates and prices for your own wagon train adventure. Click the photo above for more information.

Camp Activities

Horseback riding happens throughout the wagon train vacation.

From Horseback riding to dutch oven cooking, hiking to campfire songs and stories, there is always plenty of activities around camp. Click the photo above for more information.

A Week of Wonders

Beautiful views and incredible adventure awaits you in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

We also offer a seven day travel package. Enjoy the wagon train and other adventures in and around Jackson Hole, all while letting us do the planning. Click the photo above for more information.

oregon trail wagon trip

A Unique Wagon Train Vacation

Escape from the ordinary.

The wagons moving down the trail on Teton Wagon Train & Horse Adventure's four day wagon train vacation.

Nestled between Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, the covered wagons line out for an incomparable trek full of majestic views. Gentle riding horses are available for those who would like to ride from camp to camp or trail ride further into the back-country to visit waterfalls and viewing areas. Your wagon master and cowboy and cowgirl guides are all expert horsemen.

Your covered wagon is a modern version of the old Conestoga Wagons, equipped with rubber tires and padded seats for your comfort. Spend four days and three nights in new camps each day where moose, elk and deer are frequent visitors. Enjoy two peaceful evenings on the shores of high mountain lakes, home of the Loon and the Trumpeter Swan.

A ride through Squirrel Meadows on your very own wagon train vacation.

The views on the Teton Wagon Train are incomparable as our guests completely encircle the Teton Mountain Range and trek in country nestled very close to Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and two wilderness areas. In fact, you camp one night on the top of the Teton Mountain Range and trek continuously within the “Yellowstone Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone”.

FOR RESERVATIONS OR INFORMATIONAL BROCHURES CALL US AT 307-734-6101

The canoes parked on the shore of loon lake. Canoe and swim in this high mountain lake during your wagon train vacation.

Couples, families and individuals of all ages can enjoy this unique vacation experience full of adventure and outdoor educational opportunities. People from four to eighty-five years of age have experienced this covered wagon trek of a lifetime – and many return time and time again. It is not necessary to know how to ride a horse or have camping experience. Our ranch hands will be glad to give instructions!

Tomahawk and knife throwing is a fun activity to enjoy on this wagon train vacation.

Once in camp, there is plenty of time to take nature hikes, swim, trail ride on horseback, learn to handle a rope, canoe, throw tomahawks and knives, explore the beautiful country or just relax. Evenings are spent singing with the cowboys around the campfire, listening to yarns about the Old West or enjoying the western views of the stars and if you are lucky, the Northern Lights! Of course, no covered wagon train would be complete without a visit from a mountain man, as well as a few other surprises. On the last day of the trip, a Pony Express rider delivers mail to camp. As our guest, you will also be formally inducted into the Double H Bar Ranch Family and be given a “Cowboy Send Off” to be remembered forever.

Enjoy a taste of the west as savory meals are prepared in Dutch Ovens over an open fire. Our Conestoga chuck wagon is always stocked and ready to roll. We aim to satisfy even the heartiest outdoor appetite with roast beef and ham, barbecued chicken, cowboy potatoes, vegetables, salads, fruit, etc. The food is excellent and there is plenty of it! Nothing can beat our outdoor cooking! When you wake up in the morning, the smell of coffee and bacon sizzling is a great enticement to get up and start another remarkable day.

Teton Wagon Train Vacation 2024 & 2025 Seasons

We are currently full for our 2024 & 2025 seasons.

Click here to be added to the wait list for 2025.

See rates and dates below for 2025 season.

Please call with any questions.

Teton Wagon Train Vacation 2025 Season Dates

2025 departure dates.

Coffee, hot chocolate and songs and stories around the campfire complete your wagon train vacation.

*Sales Tax & Gratuity Not Included

—Prices Subject To Change Without Notice—

Families Welcome – Minimum Age of 4 Years Old

Discounts For Large Groups Available!

WE GUARANTEE – ABSOLUTELY NO HIDDEN COSTS

The Adventure Includes:

  • 4 day/3 Night Unforgettable Wagon Train Vacation
  • Covered Wagon Trek through Pristine Back Country
  • Wondrous Views of the Grand Tetons
  • Covered Wagon Rides
  • Plenty of Horseback Riding, Including Side Trail Rides
  • Nature Hikes in Beautiful Country near Yellowstone
  • Canoeing & Swimming
  • Campfire Entertainment
  • Delicious Dutch Oven Food
  • A Digital Detox Experience

Click Here to Check Out Our Jackson Hole/Yellowstone Outdoor Adventure Travel Package

On one day of your wagon train o on a trail ride around beautiful Bergman Reservoir

Adventure Gift Packs

Already booked? Click Here to Check Out Our Adventure Gift Packs. Souvenirs that ride the trail with you!

Choose from two different premade packs or decide what items to include in your own personalized adventure gift pack.

Options include:

  • Teton Wagon Train Tote Bag
  • Wild Rag (100% Silk Scarf)
  • Leather-Covered Cowboy Canteen
  • Teton Wagon Train Enameled Tin Cup
  • Teton Wagon Train Ball Cap
  • Teton Wagon Train T-Shirt (Long or Short Sleeve)
  • Teton Wagon Train Hoodie
  • 6′ x 7′ Heavy Acrylic Camp Blankets With Beautiful Southwest Designs
  • Antler-handled Belt Knife with a leather sheath
  • Antler-handled Boot Knife with double edge blade and a leather sheath

oregon trail wagon trip

Reservation and Payment Information

A deposit of $150 per person is required at the time of reservation. Reservation not confirmed without deposit.

Final payment is due 30 days prior to Wagon Train departure. If reservation is made less than 30 days prior to arrival, full payment is due in lieu of deposit.

We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover or even personal checks!

Access for the adventure into this pristine country is limited by Forest Service permits so make your reservations soon! Our Wagon Trains fill quickly!

Cancellation Policy

A minimal service fee of $40 per person will be charged on all cancellations. Cancellations received 30-60 days before the trip are subject to forfeiture of the total deposit. Cancellations received less than 30 days are subject to one-half of total price. Cancellations received less than 15 days will be subject to forfeiture of full price. All deposits and payments can be transferred to a trip the following year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is alcohol allowed/served on the trip?

No. Horses and back-country settings do not mix well with alcohol.

What is the restroom situation?

We call them “fine forest service facilities.” There is a pit outhouse in each of the three camps. 

Are these “dude ranch” horses we will be riding?

No. All our horses are gentle but do not have to be in the same order every time. We have horses for all skill levels of riders.

Where do we sleep at night?

We have cowboy teepees that sleep 2 people on individual high-density foam mattresses. On clear nights you may also sleep on a tarp out under the stars.

How many fit in a tent?

Our cowboy teepees will sleep 2 adults comfortably with all your luggage.

What do I do with my extra luggage while I am on the wagon train?

Some of the hotels in Jackson allow you to store your extra luggage there. If not, we will store it for you.

Where do I park my car while I am on the wagon train?

Some of the hotels in Jackson allow you to park in their lots while on the trip. Ask the front desk. If not, we have a small lot that you can park in.

Is there a weight limit to go on the wagon train or to ride horseback?

How many hours a day do we travel?

Generally, we will be on the road for 2-3 hours a day. The longest trip is broken up into 2 segments, each 2 hours long, with lunch in the middle.

Can I bring my own horse?

No. Our horses are used to the environment, the altitude and each other. We have limited space in which to keep the horses and cannot accommodate outside animals.

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3 Day Covered Wagon Adventure -- Trip... - Historic Trails West - Day Tours

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This is an amazing adventure! We did the overnight wagon trek. The wagon was ready to go when we... read more

oregon trail wagon trip

All you history buffs out there - call and book your ride NOW! This really was one of the greatest... read more

oregon trail wagon trip

3 Day Covered Wagon Adventure -- Trip of a Lifetime

In June 2015, my husband and I spent 3 days/2 nights with Morris, Randy, and Mylon on the Oregon Trail. My bucket list dream was to get a glimpse of how my ancestors traveled the Oregon Trail via covered wagon in the 1800s. Historic Trails West made my dream come true -- and then some! Despite some unforeseen difficulties, our cowboy hosts persevered (like true pioneers). The scenery was breath-taking. Morris is a wealth of information about the Oregon Trail. Randy was a pro at campfire food preparation (especially the peach cobbler), and Mylon helped in every way possible. I was the only "girl," and felt like one of the guys while at the same time, I was treated like a queen. We will never forget this amazing adventure. I encourage everyone to take a trip with Historic Trails West!

oregon trail wagon trip

We just finished a four-hour day trip and it was AWESOME!! I rode a horse and my husband rode in the covered wagon. We rode along the actual, original, unimproved Oregon Trail. The scenery was spectacular. Morris was a wealth of information. It just couldn't have been any more fun than it was. Being unaccustomed to riding a horse, the two hour ride to the lunch spot was plenty for me but I loved every minute of it and, following the wagon, I got to see how it negotiated the rough terrain. After lunch, my husband decided he didn't want to switch with me and ride the horse so they just used the horse's lead rope to guide it back to the starting point and we both rode in the wagon. That was an experience in itself. I'm so glad I got to do both. I even got to ride up on the wagon seat with the driver and see how he handled the horses and responded to the motion of the wagon as it went over the rough terrain. We did the ride with several children traveling with parents or grandparents and they enjoyed the trip as well. Morris even put each of the children up in the saddle of the horse I would ride before we left, and led them around to get the feel of riding a horse. He made a few small friends for doing that for them. I highly recommend treating yourself to this bit of the old West experience.

We went in the 4 hour lunch trip and very much enjoyed it. I went in the wagon and my husband rode a horse. Morris was excellent and shared his vast knowledge with us, and made the trip really memorable.

It was actually about 4 years ago that we first did this activity. We met Morris Carter at the Fort Caspar Museum and then followed him to the trailhead where there was a wagon and some horses waiting. They actually lease land that was part of the Oregon Trail. There were 5 people in our group - three of us rode in the wagon and two followed on horseback. As we rode along the trail we learned all sorts of history about the area during the pioneer era. We stopped for lunch at a camp down by the river and then switched riders on the way back. Overall it was a great experience and a fun activity to do with visitors.

My husband and I booked a 4-hr ride with dinner this month/Sept with Historic Trails West and had a wonderful time learning about the Oregon Trail, experiencing a true horse-drawn covered wagon ride following a portion of the actual Oregon Trail followed by a good meal cooked outdoors. The experience was outstanding and we would recommend anyone interested in our US history along with the wonderful outdoors that Casper WY has to offer take the time to take this ride. B and B Reno

Our family of six were really looking forward to getting a taste of the pioneer life, with a covered wagon trip followed by an overnight stay "on the praire" but found the experience to not be worth the $200+ per person it cost. On the positive side, the short wagon ride gave us great respect for the pioneer settlers who crossed the country and we really liked the steak dinner and eggs/bacon breakfasts that they prepared for us on the fire. What disappointed us was that all we got -- essentially -- for $1200 was a 90 minute wagon ride, 2 meals, and a night sleeping in a tepee. I wouldn't complain if the cost was significantly less (maybe $50-$75 per person), but this our trip was NOT a good value. Our 'hosts' were the grandchildren of the owner and they didn't share (or know) much information about the historic trail or the experiences of the original settlers. They didn't seem to want to be there either. They didn't make much effort to interact with us and spent a lot of time talking on their cellphones and texting and the grandson -- who was supposed to be staying with us at the camp -- left that evening to go into town and get a tattoo! Maybe the trip would have been better and more informative if the Grandfather / Owner would have been with us instead of the grandkids. Disappointing!

Nine Places Where You Can Still See Wheel Tracks from the Oregon Trail

The legendary trail has carved itself into American history—and, in some places, into the earth itself

Jennifer Billock

Jennifer Billock

Travel Correspondent

A painted depiction of the Oregon Trail. (Creative Commons)

Any child of the 1980s is familiar with the basic skeleton of the Oregon Trail, from the celebrations warranted by a sight of Chimney Rock to the dangers of running a team of oxen at a grueling pace with meager rations. But even devoted players of the classic computer game , which turned 45 this year, may not know that relics of the trail itself are still carved into the landscapes of the United States. 

The trail itself—all 2,170 miles of it—was braved by more than 400,000 people between 1840 and 1880. Weighed down with wagons and their pesonal possessions, the pioneers that dared travel the Oregon Trail slowly helped build the United States' western half. The trail began in Independence, Missouri, and continued to the Willamette Valley in Oregon, where pioneers could decide to either stay put or continue north or south and settle.

As the Oregon Trail evolved, thousands of wagons wore ruts into the ground that acted as an ad-hoc road for the settlers who followed. But they didn’t follow a single solid path. Rather, wagon wheels left ruts across the country as pioneers found various shortcuts and easier routes along the way. Many of those ruts still exist today, though some of them are in danger of destruction as municipalities push to stretch bigger and better power supplies across the region.

So caulk those wagons and get ready to ford the river. Follow this modern-day journey, stopping to see trail relics along the way—with no need to worry about typhoid fever or dysentery.

Red Bridge Crossing ( Kansas City, Missouri)

These ruts are not so obvious to the untrained eye—the site is a swale , or a sunken trail eroded into the hillside, caused by wet wagon wheels coming out of the Big Blue River. This was the first river crossing pioneers hit on the trail; they often had to camp here and wait for the river to reach the right height to cross.

Alcove Spring ( Blue Rapids, Kansas)

This spot’s unique rock formations, waterfall, and natural spring were a favorite stopping point for pioneers after crossing the Big Blue River. Many wanted to leave their mark and carved their names into the rocks around the spring— including Edwin Bryant , a member of the famously doomed Donner-Reed Party. According to Bryant , his group actually named the area “Alcove Springs” and carved the name into the rocks and surrounding tree trunks.

California Hill ( Brule, Nebraska)

Pioneers faced a hefty climb up California Hill after crossing the South Platte River. Right after reaching the other side of the water, wagons had to drive up 240 feet in a little more than a mile and a half, leaving deep ruts up the hill that are still visible today. Almost everyone on the Oregon Trail had to take this route, and California Hill was the first major climb they encountered on the trail.

Rock Creek Station ( Fairbury, Nebraska)

Pristine trail ruts stretch 1,600 feet through the countryside here at Rock Creek Station . The spot was originally established as a supply stop and eventually became a Pony Express station. A toll bridge built specifically for the pioneers crossed a creek here—before the bridge, travelers had to lower their wagons into the creek and hoist them out. The bridge solved the problem, allowing settlers to skip the heavy lifting while paying 10 to 50 cents to cross at road level; the toll was based on load size and ability to pay.

Guernsey Ruts ( Guernsey, Wyoming)

The tracks at Guernsey are among the most impressive remnants of Oregon Trail history. Almost every pioneer had to pass through the same spot here, going over soft sandstone. Over time, each wagon wore down the rock a bit more...and more...and more. The ruts eventually became five feet deep, and visitors can walk through them for a real pioneer experience. South of Guernsey is Register Cliff , where many pioneers carved their names into the rock to document their passage.

Independence Rock ( Casper, Wyoming)

Many pioneers passing by Independence Rock stopped here to carve their names into the granite, earning it a title of one of the “registers of the desert," given by Father Peter J. DeSmet in 1840. The landmark was christened Independence Rock in 1830 when William Sublette passed through with his wagon train, noting he’d made it there by July 4—if wagon trains didn’t make it by then, they weren’t likely to reach their final destination by winter.

Big Hill ( Montpelier, Idaho)

Until 1852, when the McAuley Road cutoff was blazed, pioneers had to face the challenge of Big Hill. The longest, steepest climb on the Oregon Trail, the hill had an even more dangerous descent. Tracks are still visible going up the hill, and are also visible on the way back down, into Bear River Valley. They’re best viewed a bit farther away from the highway—up close you don’t see the magnitude of what the pioneers endured on this part of the trail.

Virtue Flat ( Baker City, Oregon)

Just below the modern-day National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center on Flagstaff Hill—where pioneers got their first glimpse of the Baker Valley—seven miles of wagon ruts are visible across the ground. This site has what might be the first passing lanes in the west; some of the ruts run parallel to one another , implying that some wagons passed others going slower in order to get to Powder River first.

Columbia River Gorge ( Biggs Junction, Oregon)

Along the freeway here, an Oregon Trail historic sign sits on a cliff face next to one of the final sets of wagon ruts along the route to Columbia. These stretch up a hill on the side of the road and go along the cliff for about a mile, leading to an impressive view of the Columbia River.

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Jennifer Billock

Jennifer Billock | | READ MORE

Jennifer Billock is an award-winning writer, bestselling author, and editor. She is currently dreaming of an around-the-world trip with her Boston terrier. Check out her website at jenniferbillock.com .

  • Oregon Trail
  • Play Oregon

The Oregon Trail game

The Oregon Trail

The Oregon Trail Deluxe (background)

The Oregon Trail Deluxe

Discover the oregon trail, explore its history and play games from the oregon trail series., discover the history and interesting facts about the oregon trail.

Explore the rich history of the Oregon trail, a vital part of American westward expansion. Learn about its significance, the daunting challenges faced by pioneers, and much more.

Uncover fascinating facts that paint the story of this historic route and offer deeper insights into the past. From trailblazing pioneers to the rugged landscapes they traversed, you’ll find a wealth of knowledge here.

Play Oregon Trail Game Online Anywhere, Anytime

Relive the adventurous spirit of the Oregon Trail with these classic games. Step back in time, just as your ancestors did, and experience the challenges and triumphs of the trail.

Enjoy these original Oregon Trail games online, accessible in your browser or on your mobile and tablet devices.

Welcome to OregonTrail: Portal to History and Adventure

Origins of the oregon trail.

The Oregon Trail, blazed in the 1840s, stands as a testament to American pioneers’ tenacity and vision. Originating in Missouri, it offered a path through harsh terrain, leading settlers to the fertile expanses of Oregon.

These adventurous journeys symbolize westward expansion, driven by dreams of new beginnings and fertile lands.

Challenges Along the Trail

Pioneering families and fortune seekers encountered severe challenges on the Trail. Treacherous river crossings, unforgiving weather, and scarcity of resources tested their resolve.

Yet, the promise of a better life propelled them forward. The Oregon Trail epitomizes an enduring legacy of determination and resilience in the face of adversity.

The Oregon Trail - Educational computer games since 1971 by MECC

The Oregon Trail (game cover)

The Oregon Trail (CD-ROM)

Oregon Trail II (game cover)

Oregon Trail II

The Yukon Trail (game cover)

The Yukon Trail

Discover the fascinating history and legacy of the oregon trail.

  • The Oregon Trail was a 2,170-mile historic route that connected Missouri to Oregon during the 19th century.
  • The journey took several months to complete, with pioneers traveling by covered wagons.
  • Over 400,000 settlers began their journey between 1840 and 1860, seeking a better life in the West.
  • The trail was fraught with dangers, including disease, harsh weather, and encounters with Native American tribes .
  • Pioneers faced the daunting task of fording rivers and climbing steep mountain passes on their journey west.
  • Women played a significant role in the success of migrations, often managing households, cooking, and nursing the sick while on the trail.
  • Pioneers often relied on the guidance of guidebooks, like “ The Prairie Traveler ” by Randolph B. Marcy, which provided valuable information and advice for those embarking on the journey.
  • The Oregon Trail played a crucial role in the westward expansion of the United States, leading to the settlement of the Pacific Northwest.
  • The trail’s most famous landmark, Independence Rock, served as a key milestone and resting place for travelers.
  • Many pioneers kept diaries during their journey, providing valuable historical records of life on the Oregon Trail.
  • The California Gold Rush of 1849 led to a surge in traffic on the Oregon Trail, as prospectors sought faster routes to the goldfields.
  • The completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 reduced the importance of the Oregon Trail as a major migration route, marking the end of an era in American history.
  • The journey along the Oregon Trail was not just a one-way trip to the West. Some settlers returned eastward after a time, influenced by various factors, such as the changing economic landscape or disappointment in gold prospecting.
  • In 1978, the Oregon Trail was designated as a National Historic Trail, recognizing its historical significance and ensuring its preservation for future generations.

If you have a moment, you can also check out the other websites.

Homestead.org

Covered Wagons Heading West: Life on the Oregon Trail

covered wagons heading west homesteading

Catherine Lugo

Amelia Stewart Knight knew the cross-country journey west would be a rough one; it was not for the weak or timid. The trip to Oregon would take at least four months; there were barren landscapes and tricky mountain passes to get through. As it turned out, that spring was especially rainy and the heavy wagon wheels kept bogging down in the many soft mudholes along the way. In her diary she recorded her daily events in an unadorned fashion, describing what it was like to travel the Oregon Trial:

(April 23, 1853) “Still in camp, it rained hard all night, and blew a hurricane almost, all the tents were blown down, and some wagons capsized, Evening it has been raining hard all day, everything is wet and muddy, One of the oxen missing, the boys have been hunting him all day. Dreary times, wet and muddy, and crowded in the tent, cold and wet and uncomfortable in the wagon no place for the poor children …”

Sometimes Amelia Stewart Knight and her family had to sleep “in wet beds, with their wet clothes on, without supper.”

Sick or well, Amelia had chores to do; and they were endless. Scrubbing and mending clothes, keeping watch over her seven children, preparing meals for her family of eight, (soon to be nine), and the five hired hands that traveled with them. Yes, she was pregnant with her eighth child during her time on the Oregon Trail. But even with all her responsibilities, she found time to write in her diary about the “ beautiful vallies, and dark green clad hills, with their ledges of rock, and then far away over them you can see Larimie peak, with her snow capt top…”

Even with all the hardships, Amelia’s story wasn’t much different from most of the folks traveling the Oregon Trail. Long wagon trains of families trekked across the plains, doing all they could to stay together in order to help each other. Struggling over treacherous mountain passes and parched deserts, the pioneers inched their way west in long, snaking wagon trains. The forerunners of the American dream lived through hail storms, pelting rain, muddy trails, lost livestock, and dreaded diseases like cholera, which caused excruciatingly painful death within hours.

Nowhere was the human struggle more poignantly played out than in the migration of settlers to the western United States in the 1800s. They came from Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee, looking for the land of plenty in Oregon that they had heard about. They braved all that Mother Nature and life could throw at them; illness, accidents, and unthinkable hardships were just par for the course. Broken down wagons, scarce food and water, barren landscapes to trudge across, and hostile Natives were just some of the challenges they faced. Despite all this hardship and misery, new births , gorgeous scenery, weddings, and campfire dances were also part of their trek across the plains. Such things were recorded in the diaries of the women of the wagon as they inched across the new frontier; they were determined to outlast the Oregon Trail.

oregon-trail-map

Their mode of transportation was the renowned covered wagon; the pickup truck of its day. What gave them the strength to carry on? It was the promise of fertile land and a new-found freedom. For some, it was the call of the wild, the promise of independence and a fresh start. This was their chance to forge new paths and create the original American dream. For others it was the lure of the California gold rush of 1848; gold fever was already at epidemic proportions by the time the pioneers began heading west. The Oregon Trail was a route blazed by fur traders. It went west along the Platte River in Nebraska, through the Rocky Mountains via the South Pass in Wyoming and then northwest to the Columbia River; the largest river in the Pacific Northwest.

Prairie Schooners

German immigrants built the first covered wagons around the year 1717 in the area near the Conestoga River in Pennsylvania, thus the name Conestoga Wagon. These wagons, also called “prairie schooners” were built extra sturdy and were able to haul up to six tons of freight. They were designed like a boat with both ends of the floor of the wagon curved up to prevent goods from falling out as the wagon bumped along rocky roads and through mountain passes. Thus, the name prairie schooner. The covering of the Conestoga wagon was a large piece of canvas soaked in oil to make it waterproof and then stretched over wooden hoops and secured to the bed of the wagon. Pioneer women spun the linen for the covers of the wagons themselves; they called the covers bonnets.

Oregon-trail-conestoga-wagon

The Conestoga wagon is not the same as the covered wagon in that it was built much sturdier than the covered wagons that made their way west. Conestoga wagons were used mainly in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and Virginia. The covered wagons that most folks went west in did not have the curved floors nor could they haul as much freight as the sturdy Conestoga’s. Still, the wagons that went west were built tough. The wagon wheels were made of hickory or oak and had rims of iron. The wagons had no brakes or springs, so the pioneers tied chains around the rear wheels to lock them or provide a drag whenever they had to go down steep hills; which they often did.

These sturdy wagons carried pioneer families and all their worldly goods across the uncharted terrain of America. Standing 7-8 feet tall and 10-15 feet long, the covered wagons of yesteryear were symbols of freedom. They were the vehicle that would carry the pioneers across the rugged terrain on their way to the building of America; and they had to be as tough as the pioneers who drove them.  

Life on the Oregon Trail: Not Your Average Camping Trip

Traveling west in a covered wagon was truly one bold, daring and extraordinary journey for the pioneers of the 1800s.  It was a grand life but a tough one. The promise of a better life drove them onward mile after grueling mile. At times, the trip probably seemed as impossible as the terrain was impassible. As they surveyed the lay of the land they must have felt overwhelmed; but their pioneer spirit pushed them to forge ahead. If it rained, they might only be able to travel one or two miles a day, due to washed-out trails.

Most covered wagon families could travel about 10-15 miles a day; carrying all that weight, it must have been agonizingly slow at times. Amelia Stewart Knight wrote in her diary on September 8, 1853, at the end of a long and treacherous day:

“ Traveled 14 miles over the worst road that was ever made, up and down very steep rough and rocky hills, through mud holes, twisting and winding round stumps, logs, and fallen trees. Now we are on the end of a log, now bounce down in a mud hole , now over a big root of a tree, or rock, then bang goes the other side of the wagon and woe to be whatever is inside .”

Families sometimes had to abandon their covered wagons along the way due to the roughness of the roads and make the rest of the trip on foot. Oxen were often chosen to pull the wagons because they were the strongest animals around. The oxen were controlled by an ox yoke; a curved wooden beam fitted to a pair of oxen so that they could work together pulling the covered wagons. Today, ox yokes are collected as primitive pieces of Americana. Oxen also had to be shod if they were to make it across the new frontier; so special shoes were forged of iron and carefully fitted to each ox. These shoes played an important role in the pioneer’s expansion of the new frontier; making it more likely that the pioneers would reach their destination.

Fields of magnificent wildflowers , rushing rivers, and breathtaking views awaited them along the way to the new land. But many times, the pioneer families had to go for days without water while traveling through open, often hostile, territory. Mothers gave their last swallow of water to their children; fathers worried as parched oxen trudged ahead. But the pioneers were hardy people and most of them persevered until water was found. They often had to lighten the load of the wagon by discarding items along the road or getting out of the wagon and walking along beside it. It’s said that the Oregon Trail was littered with the clothes, dishes, and furniture the pioneers had to leave behind to lighten the load as the trail became rougher and the oxen wearier for lack of water or food.

Keturah Belknap wrote in her diary along the trail: “Will start with some old clothes on and when we can’t wear them any longer will leave them on the road.”

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”

This was the motto that dictated the lives of the people traveling west to the new frontier. The pioneers had to be very careful how they packed their wagons. They didn’t want to overload them and make it impossible for the oxen to pull the wagon; the maximum weight the wagons could hold was 2,000 to 2,500 pounds. A well-stocked wagon could mean the difference between life and death as they traveled through stark and unfamiliar lands. The typical journey lasted four to six months and the wagons had to hold enough provisions for the entire family for the long trip.

Some of the things the pioneers had to carry included tools like shovels, hammers, axes, rope and grinding stones. Personal items would include clothing, rifles, knives , toys, and of course the family Bible. Food may have been the thing that took up the most weight. A large amount of flour was required, at least 200 pounds for each person of the family, and each family carried at least 50 gallons of water. Other necessities were bacon, rice, coffee, sugar, salt, beans, and cornmeal. Food had to be rationed very carefully along the way, as did the water; they never knew when they would find a lake or spring along the way. In addition to all the above, the pioneers carried household goods like coffee grinders, butter churns, bedding, spinning wheels, rocking chairs, cradles, buckets, Dutch ovens , and eating utensils. Wisely making use of every square inch of space, they attached hooks to the hoops inside the wagon to hold clothes, buckets, weapons, etc.

life-on-the-oregon-trail

Pioneer woman Margaret Frink wrote in her diary: “The wagon was lined with green cloth, to make it pleasant and soft for the eye, with three or four large pockets on each side, to hold many little conveniences–looking glasses, combs, brushes, and so on.” So, as you can see, the pioneers were experts at making use of every little bit of space; they made their supplies last and they were also tough enough to outlast the Oregon Trail. They kept their eyes on the prize all the way across the country through countless, unthinkable trials and tribulations; and they laid the groundwork for the American dream; for the generations of Americans and immigrants that would one day follow in their footsteps.

Check out another pioneer woman: Matilda Jackson: Making a Home on the Last Frontier

Mollie Dorsey Sanford: Frontier Wife, Frontier Life
Mountain Men

That is a wonderful and informative article on traveling in a covered wagon. Reading it gave me the feel of what the days were like, and also the choices that faced each traveler as to what to stock in the wagons. A portrait of the strong stock and dedication is also seen. Pioneers faced horrible weather on trails through the wilderness, not roads of any type. I wonder how they crossed the mountains. Was there a pass that let them through and how treacherous the journey must have been. What great dedication and also a great fellowship to accomplish the journey seems to have been the thread of success. Thank you so much for this article.

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oregon trail wagon trip

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  wagon train  things to do in    casper wyoming.

oregon trail wagon trip

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Call 1(307) 266-4868

Wagon Train 5 day.jpg

Five Day Historic Wagon Train and horse ride to So pass.

Yellowstone 1883 Wagon Train is like our Five day Covered Wagon Trek. 

You are riding on Historic Wooden Wheel Wagons that have been on the Oregon and California Trails.

A trail of excitement, hope and challenge.

A trail of real life and death.

A trail of great achievement and disappointment.

A trail of the stories of those who traveled the trails.

The Trail of America and Her People

We head out for your Historic Trails West Wagon Train adventure from Casper, Wyoming.  On the drive past Split Rock, much of the highway follows the old trail systems.  You will see old Pony Express and Outpost sites and trail crossings as we wind through gorgeous mountains and cross through the high plains.  Along the way we will tour the famous Independence Rock where pioneers scratched their names into this famous landmark.  

Day One : Your first day on the trail you learn how the pioneers prepared for the journey, what foods and supplies they packed, the animals they used, how to harness the teams to the wagon and more!  Following along on your trail map, you will become absorbed into the intimate details of the trail as you travel in the footsteps of the Homesteader, the Mormons, the 49ers, and even the Natives of the west!   Just like the pioneers, you pitch in to set up camp and help unharness the animals. Learning how to put up your own tepee sleeping lodge is a treat!  As you settle in to life on the trail, enjoy a special evening with the trail cook learning secrets of Dutch Oven Cooking in preparation for the night's amazing dinner cooked over the open fire.

Day Two : Your second day on the trail, you learn about life on the trail, come to know the rules of a wagon train, watch for herds of antelope, hear tales of the mighty buffalo, and ford the 6th crossing of the Sweetwater River! Traveling in the actual ruts of the original trails, we slowly wind our way through high plains and hills and arrive at our camp by Silver Creek. You will  join the camp cook for a peek at the old trail foods and how they were prepared!  We eat a bit better than they would have but you will love the Dutch Oven and skillet cooked campfire cuisine dished up every night and morning!  The sun sets on the day as we settle around the crackling campfire for cobbler, and hear suspenseful stories of the old west. Day Three :   After a hearty breakfast, we break and load up camp, hitch the teams, saddle the horses and continue our journey west.  This day, places written about in pioneer journal entries come into view.  We visit places of suffering for the Martin and Willie Handcart Companies and see the tailings of private gold mines that bring stories of the California Gold Rush to life.  We pull up in front of the old Pony Express Station at Radium Springs for lunch.  The whole way, we travel in the footsteps of famous mountain men like Jim Bridger and Bill Sublette as the majestic Wind River Mountains watch over us. Arriving in our camp for the night we set up and learn some of the skills needed to be a 49er, a mountain man, or a Settler!   Help the cook at the fire or some other life talent of the Old West!  Settle in to your lodge and, relax to the sound of the wind rustling through the cottonwood trees.   In the middle of the night you may hear the eternal song of the prairie sung by the yipping coyote as he welcomes you to his homeland. Day Four : After another hearty breakfast and making all things ready to get on the trail, we head into the Old South Pass Area, which is an amazing treasure of old mines and historic buildings.  That evening we camp at the 9th crossing of the Sweetwater River. The site of the old South Pass Fort is nearND  pioneer graves.  The Pony Express once made way through here.

Where there is good water there are many stories.  Around the fire we come to terms as to where we are in the journey, and how even the boundaries of the United States were different in that day. As we settle into the last night in our lodge, you realize how very close you are to the Old Oregon Country. Will you make it?  Only tomorrow will you know with the rising of the sun and heading out again on the trail. Day 5 : After 4 days on the trail making your way

across multiple river crossings and creeks through the wide open prairie and through foothills over Rocky Ridge, past places of tragedy and triumph, we finally make it to Oregon Country. 

You will have seen wildlife  

You will have passed pioneer graves. 

You will have traveled the  places of Natives of long ago. 

You will have changed in the journey.

You will take along with you memories in vivid detail, a new appreciation for many things both yesterday and today, a better understanding of how America became America, who the pioneers really were and why they tried to make the journey and who you now are, having been, on such an incredible journey into the past. 

On Historic Trails West Living History Wagon Train.

As a pony express rider you will ride along side the wagon and may switch off with who you choose.

We provide, sleeping bags (unless you are bringing your own), foam pads, air mattresses, or cots. Pricing includes individual meals.

Porta Johns are in support vehicle at each camp site and intersecting wagon train along the trail on some of the days. 

On the trips, where possible, you can use solar showers, if requested.

The route and campsites may change due to weather or other situations ,FOR THE SAFETY OF THE GUESTS AND ANIMALS

Five Day Historic Wagon Train and horse ride Pricing:

Adult $1,595.00 per person in the wagon

Child $1,095.00(10 Yrs and under) per person in the wagon 

Five Day "Pony Express" Rider Pricing: Adult $1,895.00 per person

You can trade off with people in your party riding booking a horse. 

We charge a 3.5% card fee. 

Please call to book and you can send a check if you like

The route and campsites may change due to weather or other situations, FOR THE SAFETY OF THE GUESTS AND ANIMALS. 

The average elevation of  our camps on the 3- and 5-day treks are over 7,000 feet. Days can be hot and nights can be cool, weather can change in the blink of an eye.  The weather might change route of travel if storms make travel on trails impossible. For this reason,  "think in layers" of clothing.              

 Items you should bring include: Water bottle  Bring along electrolyte’s for your journey.  Filled Water Bottle Light and Heavy Jackets, Long and Short Sleeved Shirts, Good hiking shoes, Extra Socks Rain coats, Long Pants, Casual Shoes for in Camp, Hat, Bug Repellent Camera with extra batteries, Flashlight, head lamp light, Granola/Trail Mix, Small first aid kit. Everyone will set up camp and take down. Help with all chores. 1-307-266-4868 to Book, or e-mail [email protected]  

October 23rd, 2023 • 9 min

Road Trip Along the Oregon Trail: A Journey Through History

Road Trip Along the Oregon Trail: A Journey Through History

Back in the 19 th century, the Oregon Trail took American settlers across the country with the promise of greener pastures and new opportunities. The road wasn’t easy. Pioneers traveled across what is now seven different states, subjected to exposure, disease and exhaustion. But the trail is a little different today. On your journey, you’ll find wild and wonderful Oregon Trail museums, natural landmarks, as well as wagon ruts from the original route. Follow our guide and discover when the Oregon Trail was first in action, how long it took and which sites to see with the ultimate Oregon Trail road trip itinerary. 

Everything you need to know about the oregon trail, where is the oregon trail.

The Oregon Trail started in Independence, Missouri and ended in Oregon City, Oregon, with an outpost in Vancouver, Washington. The trail was in regular use from the 1840s to the 1870s, until the railroad became a more popular option.

From the Midwest to the Oregon coast, you can follow the trail through:

How many miles is the Oregon Trail?

The Oregon Trail was a wagon route stretching 2,170 miles. The total journey took up to six months using modified wagons pulled by mules or oxen. The terrain was incredibly bumpy, so many pioneers often walked on foot.

Can you drive the Oregon Trail today?

Yes, you can drive along the Oregon Trail today – or at least as close as the roads can get you. Following the Oregon National Historic Trail from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, the trip is approximately 2,500 miles by car. Without stopping, that’s around 33 hours.

There are plenty of city breaks and rest stops along the way, so the trip can be as long as you make it. You’ll see fascinating attractions and landmarks used by the pioneers to mark their progress.

Fortunately for us, there’s no need for makeshift wagons towed by oxen anymore. Pick up an affordable ride and settle into the great American landscape with Thrifty.

Historic Truman Courthouse

112 West Lexington Avenue, Independence, MO 64050

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Tsh Overland Park TLE

Embark on your cross-country adventure at the Historic Truman Courthouse , the industrial birthplace of the Oregon Trail in Independence, Missouri. Outfitting wagons for the long journey ahead, hundreds of thousands of early pioneers emigrated west from this very spot. If it was a good enough start for them, it’s good enough for us, right?

Look out for stone plaques outside the building marking the beginning of this historic trail. It’s a great photo opportunity before you head west.

Topeka, KS 66612

Nearest Thrifty car rental location : Tsh Overland Park TLE

Drive across the Missouri border and into the Sunflower State of Kansas with a pit stop in Topeka. Perched on the Kansas River, Topeka is a vibrant city with a powerful history.

Visit the palatial Kansas State Capitol Visitor Center, Gage Park and the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park. Take an educational tour and learn more about the pivotal Brown v. Board of Education lawsuit which declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional in 1954.

Oregon Trail Park at Scott Springs

KS-99, Westmoreland, KS 66549

Drive alongside the Oregon National Historic Trail as you head northwest, surrounded by wide-open fields. The Oregon Trail Park at Scott Springs commemorates one of the old emigrant camping grounds on the long, arduous route.

Find informational signs depicting the history of the Oregon Trail, picnic shelters, and restrooms. There’s even a mile-long accessible walking trail if you need to stretch your legs. Be sure to say hello to the wagon and oxen sculpture made by a local resident.

Alcove Spring

East River Road, Blue Rapids, KS 66411

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Omaha - Eppley Airfield

Alcove Spring is a scenic historical marker between Blue Rapids and Marysville. It’s an important landmark of the Oregon Trail in Kansas, as the park was once another favorite campsite for traveling emigrants.

The distance between the Oregon Trail Park and Alcove Spring is only 45 minutes by car. But imagine walking 40 miles on foot, hauling a rickety wagon and all your earthly belongings.

Alcove Spring is known for its picturesque streams and trails. The springs are also dotted with 19th-century pioneer engravings and wagon swales which are still visible to this very day.

Local hotels are less than 15 minutes’ drive away in Maryville, making it a good spot to stop off and recharge for the night.

The World’s Largest Covered Porch Swing

510 Jefferson Avenue, Hebron, NE 68370

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Hastings Municipal Airport

Celebrate crossing the state lines of Nebraska with a quick visit to the world’s largest covered porch swing in Hebron. The 32-foot-long swing can squeeze up to 18 adults and 24 children, so there’s plenty of room for the whole family.  

And why not stop for coffee or lunch in Hebron while you’re there? The Blue Bison is a local gem that serves up freshly baked goods, salads and sandwiches in a modern, friendly atmosphere. 

Stuhr Museum

By now, you’ll have seen glimpses of the natural landscape where the Oregon Trail pioneers found respite. Next, let Grand Island’s living history museum take you back in time to the 19th-century railroad towns and prairie living. The 208-acre Stuhr Museum is open all-year round with more than 100 interactive buildings to explore. 

Fort Kearny State Historical Park

1020 V Rd, Kearney, NE 68847, United States

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Kearney Regional Airport

Fort Kearny was the first Western military outpost built for Oregon Trail emigrants, merchants and gold prospectors on their travels along the Platte River. Visitors can admire pioneer artefacts and exhibits on the fort’s significance to the cross-country trail.

Fort Kearny is also just a 15-minute drive from the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument . This unique landmark and exhibit is another great family-friendly stop to learn more about the Western migration.

Why not check in at the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Kearney before the next leg of your trip?

Buffalo Bill Ranch

2921 Scouts Rest Ranch Road, North Platte, NE 69101

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: North Platte Regional Airport

From Fort Kearny, take the I-80 West running parallel to the trail for around 160 miles. But along the way, don’t miss the chance to visit the Buffalo Bill Ranch in North Platte.

Visit the former home of the infamous soldier, bison hunter and showman. His ranch is now a 16-acre park complete with preserved 19 th -century memorabilia. The mansion was built in 1886 during the height of the ‘Buffalo Bill’s Wild West’ show’s popularity.

You can take a self-guided tour between late spring and early fall, with plenty of hotels nearby to stay the night.

Chimney Rock

Chimney Rock Trail, Bayard, NE 69334

Chimney Rock was a significant landmark for pioneers traveling the Oregon Trail, making it one of the most famous markers of the American West. Standing 480 feet above the North Platte River Valley, the rock was visible for miles. It featured in many emigrant diaries, becoming a sign of hope and progress.

Fort Laramie National Historic Site

965 Grey Rocks Road, Fort Laramie, WY 82212

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Scottsbluff Airport

Once you’ve officially crossed into Wyoming from Chimney Rock, it’s a 90-minute drive to Fort Laramie National Historic Site .

Fort Laramie was the largest outpost in the Northern Plains between 1834 and 1890, seeing tens of thousands of emigrants heading for Oregon, California and the Salt Lake Valley. It played the role of a fur trading post and later a military garrison as conflicts grew between the Indigenous Americans and the Army.

National Historic Trails Interpretive Center

1501 North Poplar Street, Casper, WY 82601

Casper, Wyoming is beautiful city at the foot of the mountains – home to the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center . The Oregon Trail led straight through to Fort Casper , which has its own museum you can visit today.

The wildly engaging Interpretive Center will teach you all about the migrants who walked the trail to greener pastures in Oregon or sought gold in California.

We recommend staying in Casper overnight to explore a little more. You’ll only be 25 minutes from Bessemer Bend National Historic Site, where travelers crossed the North Platte River for the final time.

Independence Rock State Historic Site

WY-220, Alcova, WY 82620

Spare a few hours to take in the magnitude of Independence Rock , one of the most important historic sites on the Oregon Trail west of Fort Laramie.

Independence Rock is treasured for its many carvings, names and messages left by pioneers, and Indigenous Americans before them. Visitors can use the public trail around the rock or hike the rock itself.

Can’t get enough of iconic rocks? Head to Split Rock Pullout only 30 minutes away, another landmark that helped travelers navigate on the road to Oregon. It’s also a great opportunity to divert north to Yellowstone National Park if you have extra days to spare.

Idaho Falls

Idaho Falls, ID 83402

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Jackson Hole Airport

The next leg of the journey is a six-hour drive to Idaho across the plains. So, we recommend a pit stop in picturesque Idaho Falls to welcome the Gem State.

There’s plenty to see and do in the city, and you’ll also be just an hour from Massacre Rocks State Park where you’ll meet the Oregon Trail again. Reserve a room at the Residence Inn Idaho Falls for direct access to the city’s Japanese Friendship Garden.

Three Island Crossing State Park

1083 South Three Island Park Drive, Glenns Ferry, ID 83623

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Mountain Home, ID TLE

Three Island Crossing was one of the most difficult river crossings in Idaho, hopping over the Snake River once again. Visitors can still find original wagon ruts in and around the crossing from the original Oregon Trail.

The park offers plenty of green space and picnic areas too, so you can stretch your legs after the long drive. Plus, you can make the most of free admission to the park’s interpretive center. 

Boise, ID 83702

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Boise Airport, Idaho

It’s just over an hour’s drive from Three Island Crossing State Park to Boise, the capital of Idaho. Set in front of the Boise Mountains, it’s a great place for another urban stayover amid the wild and unruly West.

Explore Boise’s lively downtown area, boasting more than 100 different restaurants, or enjoy some fresh air along the lush, tree-lined Boise River Greenbelt .

Tamastslikt Cultural Institute

47106 Wildhorse Boulevard, Pendleton, OR 97801

Finally crossing the state line into Oregon, the historic trail will take you north to Pendleton.

The must-see Tamastslikt Cultural Institute is the only museum on the Oregon Trail dedicated to celebrating Indigenous American culture. Discover the story of American migration from an Indigenous perspective, tracing 10,000 years of tribal history and community.

Admire handcrafted art, artefacts and belongings from the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla tribes.

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

Hood River, OR 97031

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Portland International Airport

Hugging the Washington state line, follow the Oregon Trail along I-84 for around 120 miles, or two hours. You’ll soon find yourself swept up in the magic of the awe-inspiring Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area .

Grab your hiking boots and discover waterfalls and breathtaking vistas. Or simply kick back with a relaxing retreat at the Columbia Gorge Hotel and Spa, offering panoramic views, massages and more.

End of the Oregon Trail Interpretative Center

1726 Washington Street, Oregon City, OR 97045

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Tsh Portland TLE

Thank goodness for modern cars. After approximately 2,500 miles from Missouri to Oregon, mark the end of your Oregon Trail road trip at the aptly named End of the Oregon River Trail Interpretative Center .

Recap the long and deadly pioneer journey at the exhibits and snap a photo in front of the Oregon Trail map. Yep, you really made it that far. Time to celebrate downtown.

Follow the footsteps of American pioneers along the historic Oregon Trail. It may not take six months anymore, but it’s sure to be the trip of a lifetime. Explore capital cities, Oregon Trail museums and rural roads from the Midwest all the way to the Oregon coast with Thrifty.

Ready for your Oregon Trail road trip?

You’ll find your nearest Thrifty car rental location in Overland Park, just a 35-minute drive from Independence, MO.

Check Tsh Overland Park TLE car rental deals.

Looking for more travel inspiration?

Discover more must-see road trips and destination guides on the Thrifty blog .

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Your State by State Guide to Camping the Oregon Trail

oregon trail wagon trip

It has been 175 years since the first hoards of hopeful travelers were embarking on a 2,000+ mile trip in search of land and opportunity. Today that historic route, known as the Oregon Trail, can still offer thrills (of the less life-threatening variety) for the curious road tripper. Especially if you’re looking for an adventure that will get you off of the main interstates and into some unexpected parts of the country.

History of the Oregon Trail

It all started when Thomas Jefferson made the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which continued to fuel the expansion of the U.S. border further west. Though the purchase doubled the size of the continental U.S., little was known about what lay west of Missouri.

Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition to explore this wild frontier between 1804 and 1806. As we know today, Lewis and Clark eventually made it all the way to the Pacific Ocean in Oregon and back. Their route was far too rough for large groups of settlers to follow, but the stories of the fertile, untamed land piqued the interest of fellow Americans.

scotts bluff monuments off of the oregon trail

“Oregon trail parkway in Scotts Bluff National Monuments, Nebraska,” according to photographer Krasnova Ekaterina

At the time, states farther west like Oregon were still territories of other European countries. Oregon technically belonged to Britain.

Robert Stuart , a fur trapper based out of Fort Astoria in Oregon, was the first man to traverse what we now know as the Oregon Trail. He traveled from Oregon to St. Louis, Missouri in 1810, and the journey took him 10 months. This established a much tamer route for emigrants who were eager to head west and settle along the frontier. By 1846 so many Americans were moving into Oregon country that the British government officially gave up the land to the U.S.

The Oregon Trail stretched more than 2,100 miles from east to west, starting in Independence, Missouri and ending in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Typically, the journey took a group between five and six months. Many people followed the trail all the way to Oregon, while some chose to stop at other destinations along the way, or to move south into California or Utah.

covered wagon on the oregon trail

“This historic site near Baker City, OR still has original ruts of the trail cut by pioneer wagons migrating to Oregon more than 150 years ago,” according to photographer Dan Lewis

The popularity of the Oregon Trail peaked in 1843 and would last for the rest of the century, making a lasting impact on the geography and demographic makeup of the United States.

Still today, a majority of the trail and land around it remains untouched with visible wagon ruts serving as the only reminder of its past. In 1978 the Oregon Trail was designated a National Historic Trail by congress. Though some of the land is now privately owned, what remains under government control is officially cared for by the National Parks Service with help from local organizations and government agencies.

State-by-state Guide to Camping the Oregon Trail

Because so much of the trail is surrounded by untouched wild land, the Oregon Trail is an ideal destination for outdoor lovers.

Today, portions of the trail follow some main interstates, but most of the original trail has to be followed on smaller highways and backroads through Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon. Some of the land is privately owned, making it impossible to follow the entire trail exactly, but the National Park Service  provides detailed  driving directions to help travelers follow it as closely as possible. They also have an Oregon Trail app , where you can find routes, historical information, and self guided tours.

courthouse and jailhouse rock off of the oregon trail

Courthouse and Jailhouse Rock monuments along the Oregon Trail

We’ve gone state-by-state and outlined the best campgrounds and Oregon Trail historic sites to get you started.

Missouri was the official jumping off point for emigrants eager to head west on the Oregon Trail. There were several cities where groups would congregate and gather supplies, but the most well-known starting point was  Independence, Missouri.  Groups would gather in early April or May and set out on the open prairie, hoping to beat the snow in the mountain passes that lay ahead. Because Independence is so close to the border, this is the shortest portion of the trail comprising only 16 miles. 

Where to Camp in Missouri

blue springs campground off of the oregon trail

Photo by The Dyrt camper Michael J.

Blue Springs Campground  is located near Lake Jacomo,  about 20 minutes outside of downtown Independence. You can spend time fishing and kayaking on the lakeor easily head into town to check out the historical sites. There are campsites with full hookups here, or you can opt for a primitive site. Either way, you will get to sleep near the lake and enjoy the serenity of the place.

“I like this place a lot. My wife and I just go down for the day sometimes to trial ride and let our dogs run. Still a great place to drop your boat in. You can even rent their boats for a decent price. Great fishing and swimming spots.” — The Dyrt camper Janelle M. 

Oregon Trail Historic Sites in Missouri

truman courthouse off of the oregon trail

Truman Courthouse, also known as the Jackson County Courthouse, in Independence, Missouri

While in town there are two main historic sites to check out: Independence Courthouse Square Complex and Minor Park/Redbridge Crossing. The Independence Courthouse Square Complex was the site where a lot of the action took place. This is where groups were gathering supplies and getting ready for the long journey west. There are still several historic buildings in the area, along with a lively downtown atmosphere to explore. Be sure to stop by the National Frontier Trails Museum for historic information about the trail.

Independence Spring, where wagon trains would make their first stop for water, can be seen near the museum. From there, you can take a wagon tour through downtown Independence.

Minor Park  is another prominent point along the route. It’s located near the Missiouri, Kansas border. Cutting right down the middle of the 27-acre park is a deep swell. The swell was made by early wagon trains making their way west. This is where groups made their first water crossing over the Blue River.

Now that you are in Kansas, the Oregon Trail moves into more wild country where you can enjoy quiet campgrounds and pristine waterways. Those traveling the trail during its heyday, stopped here at Alcove Spring to rest. This is one of the most interesting destinations on the trail, with many written accounts of the place and names left forever embedded in rocks above the spring. The trail cuts upward through the northeast corner of the state. It is 165 miles  total until you reach Nebraska.

Where to Camp in Kansas

fancy creek state park camping off of the oregon trail

Photo by The Dyrt camper Tara S.

Stop for the night at Fancy Creek State Park . This campground is conveniently located near the driving route, and features 200 primitive campsites and 24 sites are equipped with electric hookups. You can get in the water on your kayak, do some fishing, or check out the 6-mile mountain biking trail.

“Right on the Big Blue. Quaint. Vault toilets, no water. Trailhead to a nice trail. Some sites have shelters. It’s kind of a spread out layout. Great place to get away from busy.” – The Dyrt camper Tara S. 

Oregon Trail Historic Sites in Kansas

camping in kansas off of the oregon trail

Image from The Dyrt camper Tara S.

Approximately 6 miles south of Marysville, Kansas, you’ll find  Alcove Spring . This was a popular spot for pioneers to camp, thanks to its close proximity to the water and the surrounding rock formations. You can still see the signatures of travelers who carved their names into the rock ledge above the spring. There are trails and interpretive markers throughout the area, including wagon swells you can follow to the main camping area used by early pioneers.

Members of the Donner-Reed party stayed at Alcove Spring as well. They lost one of their members here, and one of them even wrote a detailed description of the area in a journal entry.

Nebraska is home to several of the Oregon Trail’s most iconic landmarks, including Chimney Rock, Courthouse Rock, and Jail Rock. These geographical formations tower over the endless seas of prairie grass. They served as mile markers, encouraging the emigrants that they were making progress on their journey. Today you can hike around them, and even find the names of the trails former travelers carved into the rock.  At approximately  424 miles, this stretch of the trail is much longer than the previous two, but its geographical wonders make it worth the distance.

Where to Camp in Nebraska

nebraska rv camping off of the oregon trail

Photo by The Dyrt camper Glenn G.

On your first night in Nebraska, we recommend staying at  Buffalo Bill Ranch State Rec Area.  The campground is located along the North Platte River, where you can enjoy watching birds and fishing. The campground is also right next to the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park , where you can tour the home and barn of William F. Cody “Buffalo Bill” who was a prominent figure and entertainer in the Wild West.

“The sites were nicely secluded and the campground was quiet. We didn’t plan on doing much exploring in the area, but ended up spending the better part of our day here.” – The Dyrt camper Sara S. 

For the second night, farther west in Nebraska, Riverside Campground near Scottsbluff  is a great place to stay. The campground is an oasis along the river, complete with a bathhouse, complimentary WiFi, fishing ponds, and an arboretum.

“The three days we stayed there were a number of rvs with people from the Scottsbluff area. We were there during Gering days and had no issues getting a site. Gravel but with full hookups if needed.” – The Dyrt Camper Chris C. 

You’ll find hiking at nearby Scottsbluff National Monument  and  Wildcat Hills , along with a variety of Oregon Trail historic sites.

Oregon Trail Historic Sites in Nebraska

homestead national monument off of the oregon trail

Homestead National Monument of America in Beatrice, Nebraska

Fort Kearny  was a military outpost established by the U.S. army in 1848. The fort was built to protect overland travelers. Pony express riders, scouts, and workers building the Transcontinental Railroad took refuge here as well. Today the area is a state park, where you can walk the trails and tour building replicas with artifacts from the original fort.

The Homestead National Monument of America  commemorates the Homestead Act of 1862 , which played a significant role in westward expansion. Visitors can explore the surrounding hiking trails, take a cell phone guided audio tour, or look at exhibits in the heritage and education centers.

Pioneers had to cross the South Platte River to the North Platte River to continue on their way. The area was referred to as the Upper Crossing near California Hill . After crossing the river, they would then take on a steep grade, the first major one on the trail, up California Hill. Wagon ruts can still be seen here running up the length of the hill.

Courthouse Rock and Jail Rock  stand side-by-side. These landmarks were familiar amongst fur trappers, who likely gave them their names long before the Oregon Trail was established. They continued to be a guiding marker on the long journey west, and were considered the first significant landmarks for travelers along the trail.

chimney rock off of the oregon trail

Chimney Rock in Nebraska

Scottsbluff National Monument  is located near the town of Scottsbluff along the North Platte River. The area is full of hiking trails, and visitors can see the area where wagon trains moved through Mitchell Pass. In the onsite museum, visitors can also see a large collection of frontier inspired watercolors and photographs by William Henry Jackson.

Chimney Rock  is easily the most famous landmark along the Oregon Trail, serving as an icon for westward expansion into the American West. The National Parks Service reviewed pioneer journals and concluded that Chimney Rock was by far the most mentioned destination along the trail. Located within half an hour of Scott’s Bluff National Monument and four miles south of Bayard, this landmark is a must-see for Oregon Trail enthusiasts. Onsite, you can learn more about the area and the history of the Oregon Trail experience.

Oregon Trail travelers came upon one of the most dangerous parts of the trail in Wyoming; the crossing point along the North Platte River.  Travelers short of cash would skip the ferries crossing the treacherous waters, for their own, makeshift routes — which often ended tragically.

You’ll find some of the most distinct wagon ruts along the trail at the Guernsey Ruts. In Wyoming, some groups who left too late in the season also met their first troubles with winter snow. This includes the Willie and Martin Handcart Company who were taking the trail into Utah. They got caught in the snow at Martin’s Cove where many starved and died.

The Mormon church has designated a site for Martin’s Cove, though the true location where the group camped in 1856 is still debated. This stretch of the trail is also where you truly move into the western landscape with more hills and mountains springing up in the wake of the previously flat terrain.

The journey through Wyoming is 491 miles in total .

Where to Camp in Wyoming

guernsey state park off of the oregon trail

Guernsey State Park Photo by The Dyrt Camper Daniel B.

On the first night,  Guernsey State Park   in Wyoming offers an ideal spot near the Guernsey Ruts. The campground is also located along the shores of Davis Bay, where you can swim and fish.

“There are options ranging from tents to yurts. It really is a diverse place. Lots of big rigs with big boats at this place. The sites range from no electricity (which made it a bit louder with generators going at night) to 50 amp. Little dusty in places. We stayed in Sandy Beach and had a great view of the water which was perfect at sunset.” – The Dyrt camper Scott M.

On the second night we recommend a stay at  Rim Lake Campground  just outside of Rawlins. The campground is close to the main road, making it easy to go to all of the surrounding historical sites.

“It’s a good place to fish, camp, and hang out.” – The Dyrt camper Andrea F.

Oregon Trail Historic Sites in Wyoming

guernsey ruts off of the oregon trail

Guernsey Ruts

The Guernsey Ruts  are the most distinctive remaining wagon wheel ruts from the Oregon Trail that can still be seen today. The wagons crossed over soft sandstone here, which resulted in areas where the ruts dig down five feet into the ground. Because of the surrounding geography, it is assumed by historians that nearly every wagon that crossed the trail moved through this same exact spot, which is also the reason for the existing rut’s depth and lasting impact.

Fort Laramie National Historic Site   was originally an established fur trading post. As western migration became more popular, the fort became a military post. Eventually it was abandoned in 1890. Fort Laramie is located just 52 miles from Scottsbluff National Monument in Nebraska.

Independence Rock , or as native tribes called it, painted rock, is considered the halfway point along the Oregon Trail. Pioneers considered it a good sign for the rest of the trip if they made it to the rock by mid summer. Independence Rock also came to be known as The Great Register of the Desert, because of all of the names and imagery that would be carved into it during the years the trail was used heavily.

The 510 miles of the Oregon Trail that winds its way through Idaho offers scenic vistas and riverside camping. Another major river crossing, at Three Islands Crossing, took place here. This was also a major fork in the trail, where travelers had to choose between two routes.

Many emigrants also settled in some of the small towns along the trail in this state, and buildings from that time period litter the landscape.

Take a taste of naturally carbonated spring water at Soda Springs and climb Big Hill, the steepest hill along the trail.

Where to Camp in Idaho

camping in idaho off of the oregon trail

Massacre Rocks State Park photo by The Dyrt camper Dana Y .

Massacre Rocks State Park   is a fully-equipped campground with an amphitheater, museum, hiking trails, fishing, tent sites, and cabins. The park got its name because of a deadly clash between settlers and natives in the area. You can see one of the Oregon Trail historic sites, Register Rock, nearby.

“We showed up during the week so it wasn’t too packed. Brought our fishing poles and although we didn’t catch anything, was well worth it. Be sure to go up to Register Rock up the road! So much history here. Highly recommend!” – The Dyrt camper Kali D.  

On the second night in Idaho, Three Island Crossing State Park  is another overnight option close to an Oregon Trail historic site. The area is rich with local wildlife, especially birds. Nearby there is a winery, where you can kick back and relax. An Oregon Trail History and Education Center can be visited onsite as well.

“Very nice, and well kept. Clean bathrooms and a lot of history with and Interpretive Center in the park.” – The Dyrt camper Anne V.

Oregon Trail Historic Sites in Idaho

massacre rocks state park off of the oregon trail

Register Rock is located near Massacre Rocks State Park. This is another rock where pioneers famously carved their names into the stone. It is protected by a fence, but you can still get a glimpse of the historic signatures.

A steep climb was encountered at  Big Hill  in Idaho, followed immediately by the steepest descent along the trail. You can walk the hill to get a taste of what the experience would have been like, and nearby you can also visit the National Oregon/California Trail Center in Montpelier . The Montpelier interpretive center features artifacts and offers the chance to learn more about the individuals who chose to take on this long journey west.

A favorite resting point for many emigrants along the Oregon Trail was the Soda Springs Complex . The warm water from the springs allowed people to relax, bathe, wash clothing and even bake bread. For most this was the first opportunity to do this with ease along the entire 2100+ mile journey. Some of the water here comes out of the ground naturally carbonated. You can still drink from these springs and enjoy fizzy water of the Earth.

three island crossing off of the oregon trail

Three Island Crossing, Idaho

Historic Chesterfield, Idaho is an original pioneer settlement, where you can see what life would have been like after pioneers left the trail. Multiple buildings, including a general store, a Mormon meeting house, and several residential dwellings are still standing. Many of the buildings have been restored and are, during certain times of the year, open to walk through.

Three Island Crossing  at Glenn’s Ferry was a difficult river crossing for Oregon Trail travelers in Idaho. This was a major fork in the trail, where they either had to cross the Snake River and head west on the northern route or keep going along the southern route.

The northern route was preferable as it took less time, while the southern route was less treacherous with no need to cross the river. This Oregon Trail guide follows the northern route. The southern route would have gone down through Vale and Central Oregon, rather than up through Ontario and along the Columbia River Gorge.

Congrats — you made it to Oregon without dying of dysentery or a rattlesnake bite! Luckily, following the trail these days is a much safer endeavor than it would have been nearly two hundred years ago.

Here, the landscape moves through Oregon’s eastern desert and then into the lush expanse of the Columbia River Gorge, and soon after that, the Willamette Valley. Along with stunning views, you can look forward to camping along rivers and under giant fir trees. It is hard not to feel a similar, albeit different, satisfaction upon completing this 524-mile stretch of the trail.

Where to Camp in Oregon

Hilgard Junction camping off the oregon trail

Hilgard Junction State Rec Area photo by The Dyrt camper Steven G.

For the first night in Oregon, check out  Hilgard Junction State Recreation Area.  This campground features 18 primitive campsites along the water. You will also find a shelter with an Oregon Trail interpretive center and a rafting access point along the Grande Ronde River.

“Although this park is near the highway, it makes for a great day visit or overnight camping. The river is very close and the Umatilla National Forest is a just a short drive up the river.” – The Dyrt camper Lindsey W.  

On night two, you can stay at the Wyeth Campground in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. From the campground you can access the Gorge Trail. The area was the site of an early settlement , and was also used as a campsite for the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

wyeth campground off the oregon trail

Wyeth Campground photo by The Dyrt camper Dory K.

There aren’t any tent camping sites near Oregon City, which is the official end point of the Oregon Trail. However, there is an RV only site at the  Clackamette RV Park.

For tent camping, we recommend heading a little further into the heart of the Willamette Valley and staying at the Champoeg State Heritage Area . Many emigrants spread out through the valley once they reached Oregon, so this gives you a chance to see and explore more of the area. This site is also historically significant. It’s the site where Oregon’s first provincial government was formed in 1843, the year of the big Oregon Trail crossing boom known as the Great Emigration. Onsite there is a visitors center and a pioneer log cabin museum, offering glimpse into pioneer life at the end of the Oregon Trail.

“This campground is a wonderful escape for someone who is not wanting to travel too far from the urban areas like Salem-Keizer. It is a quiet campground with a designated Dog area, beautiful cabins, trails, and an interpretive museum.” – The Dyrt camper Kelly N.  

Oregon Trail Historic Sites in Oregon

end of the oregon trail marker

End of the Oregon Trail marker

Farewell Bend State Recreation Area is located just outside of Ontario on the border of Oregon and Idaho. This is where pioneers spent their last night near the Snake River, bidding it farewell before heading on the last leg of the journey into Oregon. There are also campsites here if you don’t feel like driving to Baker City for the night.

Hat Rock was another distinctive marker along the trail. It is one of the last visible icons mentioned by Lewis and Clark on their journey west. You can stop by Hat Rock State Park to check it out.

Flagstaff Hill  just outside of Baker City Oregon features 7 miles of preserved trail ruts that you can walk along. There is also an onsite museum , the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. This was considered one of the more difficult parts of the trail as it required a steep climb through shoulder high sagebrush.

The End of the Oregon Trail site in Oregon City is the last stop . There is a heritage garden, general store, and museum. Through the museum you can also sign up for guided tours of historic main street and heritage homes within the city.

You did it!

Save a List of Oregon Trail Campgrounds on The Dyrt

oregon trail wagon trip

Are you ready to move through thousands of miles of less frequented, rare and beautiful landscapes? Walk (and drive) in the literal footsteps of history? Now you can earn the sense of accomplishment that awaits at the end of the trail by saving a list of Oregon Trail campgrounds on The Dyrt.

Before you know it, you will be ready for a celebratory cold brew — and lucky for you, Oregon is the perfect place for that.

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Lindy Callahan

Lindy Callahan is a writer at The Dyrt. Utah is her home state, but she currently lives and explores in the Pacific Northwest. Her writing focuses on the way that the places we are drawn to shape our individual and collective identities. She is working on an MFA in nonfiction writing at Oregon State University. On the weekends you can usually find her hiking the coast range with her partner, Mike, and their dog, Phil Collins.

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Oregon Trail

By: History.com Editors

Updated: August 10, 2022 | Original: December 6, 2017

Lupine grows next to wagon wheel ruts made by wagon trains crossing the South Pass on the Oregon Trail. South Pass is the highest point in elevation on the trail.

The Oregon Trail was a roughly 2,000-mile route from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, Oregon, that was used by hundreds of thousands of American pioneers in the mid-1800s to emigrate west. The trail was arduous and snaked through Missouri and present-day Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho and finally into Oregon. Without the Oregon Trail and the passing of the Oregon Donation Land Act in 1850, which encouraged settlement in the Oregon Territory, American pioneers would have been slower to settle the American West in the 19th century.

Missionaries Blaze the Oregon Trail

By the 1840s, the Manifest Destiny had Americans in the East eager to expand their horizons. While Lewis and Clark had made their way west from 1804 to 1806, merchants, traders and trappers were also among the first people to forge a path across the Continental Divide.

But it was missionaries who really blazed the Oregon Trail. Merchant Nathaniel Wyeth in 1834 led the first religious group, in addition to traders and naturalists, west to present-day Idaho , where they built an outpost.

Marcus Whitman

Determined to spread Christianity to American Indians on the frontier, doctor and Protestant missionary Marcus Whitman set out on horseback from the Northeast in 1835 to prove that the westward trail to Oregon could be traversed safely and further than ever before.

Whitman’s first attempt took him as far the Green River Rendezvous, a meeting place for fur trappers and traders in the Rocky Mountains near present-day Daniel, Wyoming . Upon returning home, Whitman married and set out again, this time with his young wife Narcissa and another Protestant missionary couple.

The party made it to the Green River Rendezvous, then faced a grueling journey along Native American trails across the Rockies using Hudson Bay Company trappers as guides. They finally reached Fort Vancouver, Washington , and built missionary posts nearby—Whitman’s post was at Waiilatpu amid the Cayuse Indians.

Whitman’s small party had proved both men and women could travel west, although not easily. Narcissa’s accounts of the journey were published in the East and slowly more missionaries and settlers followed their path which became known as the Whitman Mission Route.

In 1842, the Whitman mission was closed by the American Missionary Board, and Whitman went back to the East on horseback where he lobbied for continued funding of his mission work. In the meantime, missionary Elijah White led over 100 pioneers across the Oregon Trail.

Great Emigration of 1843

When Whitman headed west yet again, he met up with a huge wagon train destined for Oregon. The group included 120 wagons, about 1,000 people and thousands of livestock. Their trek began on May 22 and lasted five months.

It effectively opened the floodgates of pioneer migration along the Oregon Trail and became known as the Great Emigration of 1843 .

Upon Whitman’s return to his mission, his main goal shifted from converting American Indians to assisting white settlers. As more settlers arrived, the Cayuse resisted their encroachment.

After a measles epidemic broke out in 1847, the Cayuse population was decimated, despite Whitman using his medical knowledge to help them.

In the ongoing conflict, Whitman, his wife and some of the mission staff were killed; many more were taken hostage for over a month. The incident sparked a seven-year war between the Cayuse and the federal government.

Life on the Oregon Trail

Planning a five- to six-month trip across rugged terrain was no easy task and could take up to a year. Emigrants had to sell their homes, businesses and any possessions they couldn’t take with them. They also had to purchase hundreds of pounds of supplies including flour, sugar, bacon, coffee, salt, rifles and ammunition.

By far, the most important item for successful life on the trail was the covered wagon. It had to be sturdy enough to withstand the elements yet small and light enough for a team of oxen or mules to pull day after day.

Most wagons were about six feet wide and twelve feet long. They were usually made of seasoned hardwood and covered with a large, oiled canvas stretched over wood frames. In addition to food supplies, the wagons were laden with water barrels, tar buckets and extra wheels and axles.

Contrary to popular belief, most of the wagons that journeyed the Oregon Trail were prairie schooners and not larger, heavier Conestoga wagons .

A map showing the westward trail from Missouri to Oregon.

Oregon Trail Route

It was critical for travelers to leave in April or May if they hoped to reach Oregon before the winter snows began. Leaving in late spring also ensured there’d be ample grass along the way to feed livestock.

As the Oregon Trail gained popularity, it wasn’t unusual for thousands of pioneers to be on the path at the same time, especially during the California Gold Rush . Depending on the terrain, wagons traveled side by side or single file.

There were slightly different paths for reaching Oregon but, for the most part, settlers crossed the Great Plains until they reached their first trading post at Fort Kearny, Nebraska , averaging between ten and fifteen miles per day.

From Fort Kearney, they followed the Platte River over 600 miles to Fort Laramie, Wyoming , and then ascended the Rocky Mountains where they faced hot days and cold nights. Summer thunderstorms were common and made traveling slow and treacherous.

Independence Rock

The settlers gave a sigh of relief if they reached Independence Rock —a huge granite rock in Wyoming that marked the halfway point of their journey—by July 4 because it meant they were on schedule. So many people added their name to the rock it became known as the “Great Register of the Desert.”

After leaving Independence Rock, settlers climbed the Rocky Mountains to the South Pass. Then they crossed the desert to Fort Hall , the second trading post.

From there they navigated Snake River Canyon and a steep, dangerous climb over the Blue Mountains before moving along the Columbia River to the settlement of The Dalles and finally to Oregon City. Some people continued south into California , especially after the Gold Rush started in 1849.

Dangers on the Oregon Trail

Many settlers looked at the Oregon Trail with an idealistic eye, but it was anything but romantic. According to the Oregon California Trails Association , almost one in ten who embarked on the trail didn’t survive.

Most people died of diseases such as dysentery, cholera , smallpox or flu , or in accidents caused by inexperience, exhaustion and carelessness. It was not uncommon for people to be crushed beneath wagon wheels or accidentally shot to death, and many people drowned during perilous river crossings.

Travelers often left warning messages to those journeying behind them if there was an outbreak of disease, bad water or hostile Native American tribes nearby. As more and more settlers headed west, the Oregon Trail became a well-beaten path and an abandoned junkyard of surrendered possessions. It also became a graveyard for tens of thousands of pioneer men, women, children and countless livestock.

Over time, conditions along the Oregon Trail improved. Bridges and ferries were built to make water crossings safer. Settlements and additional supply posts appeared along the way which gave weary travelers a place to rest and regroup.

Trail guides wrote guidebooks, so settlers no longer had to bring an escort with them on their journey. Unfortunately, however, not all the books were accurate and left some settlers lost and in danger of running out of provisions.

The End of the Oregon Trail

With the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in Utah in 1869, westward wagon trains decreased significantly as settlers chose the faster and more reliable mode of transportation.

Still, as towns were established along the Oregon Trail, the route continued to serve thousands of emigrants with “gold fever” on their way to California. It was also a main thoroughfare for massive cattle drives between 1866 and 1888.

By 1890, the railroads had all but eliminated the need to journey thousands of miles in a covered wagon. Settlers from the east were more than happy to hop on a train and arrive in the West in one week instead of six months.

Although modern progress ended the need for the Oregon Trail, its historical significance could not be ignored. The National Park Service created the Oregon National Historic Trail in 1981 and continues to educate the public on its importance.

READ MORE:  Manifest Destiny

Life and Death on the Oregon Trail: Provisions for Births and Lethal Circumstances. Oregon California Trails Association. Marcus Whitman (1802-1847) Narcissa Whitman (1808-1847). PBS New Perspectives on the West. Oregon Donation Land Act. The Oregon Encyclopedia. Oregon or Bust. Arizona Geographic Alliance. Oregon Trail. The Oregon Encyclopedia. Trail Basics: The Starting Point. National Oregon California Trail Center. Trail Basics: The Wagon. National Oregon California Trail Center. Where did the Oregon Trail Go? Reaching Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Oregon California Trails Association. Washington: Whitman Mission National Historic Site. National Park Service.

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American History Central

Oregon Trail

The Oregon Trail is the most famous of the Overland Trails used by thousands of American pioneers who emigrated to Oregon and other western territories during the age of Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion. It was blazed by frontiersman Robert Stuart in 1812–1813 and was most popular from 1841 to 1869.

The Oregon Trail, Painting, Bierstadt

The Oregon Trail , Albert Bierstadt, 1869. Image Source: Butler Institute of American Art .

What was the Oregon Trail?

Oregon trail summary.

The Oregon Trail was the most historic of the Overland Trails used by settlers, traders, and others to migrate to the western United States during the 19th century. The trail stretched for more than 2,000 miles from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, in present-day Oregon. The trail was originally used by Native American Indians for hunting and trading. Later, it was developed and improved by explorers like Lewis and Clark and Mountain Men like Jedediah Smith and Jim Bridger . The trail gained widespread popularity in the 1840s when thousands of settlers started using it to move west. The trail’s popularity died out after the use of railroads started in the late 1860s, however, it played a significant part in the westward expansion of the United States and the fulfillment of Manifest Destiny.

Oregon Trail Quick Facts

  • The Oregon Trail played a significant role in America’s fulfillment of Manifest Destiny .
  • It is estimated that as many as 650,000 moved west on the Overland Trails, including the Oregon Trail, from the early 1840s through the end of the Civil War.
  • Roughly one-third of those people went to Oregon.
  • In total, the Oregon Trail was about 2,000 miles long.
  • The desire to move west was called “Oregon Fever.”
  • The Oregon Trail passed through the present-day states of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.
  • The California Trail, Mormon Trail, and Bozeman Trail were all offshoots from the Oregon Trail.
  • Wagons were pulled by oxen, not horses, because Indians would only take horses in raids.

Oregon Trail History

Robert stuart finds the south pass through the rocky mountains.

Robert Stuart was a member of the fur trading group known as the Astorians, who worked for John Jacob Astor and the Pacific Fur Company, part of the American Fur Company . Stuart led an expedition to the Oregon Country that established Fort Astoria. 

On the journey back to St. Louis, he discovered a path in the southern portion of present-day Wyoming that went over the Continental Divide and through the Rocky Mountains — and could be traveled by wagon. This part of the trail became known as the “South Pass,” because it was south of the route blazed by Lewis and Clark. The trail Stuart followed from Oregon back to St. Louis is what became known as the Oregon Trail.

Stuart and Astor kept the location of the South Pass a secret.

Oregon City, 1849, Illustration

Running east to west, the trail started in Independence, Missouri, stretched west for approximately 2,000 miles, and ended in Oregon City, Oregon. It was not one continuous trail from Missouri to Oregon. It was a series of paths, trails, and wagon roads that often followed old Native American Indian trails. Along the way, it passed through six states including Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon. 

Although there were several other westward trails, the Oregon Trail was the most popular. As more people emigrated west, towns along the route became alternate points of departure for the westward journey, including Atchison and Leavenworth in Kansas, St. Joseph and Weston in Missouri, and Omaha in Nebraska.

Jefferson’s Vision and the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Even before Thomas Jefferson became President in 1800, he had dreams of a nation that stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. He tried to organize at least two expeditions that never came to fruition. Finally, the opportunity presented itself in 1803 when he received funding from Congress for a secret military expedition that was going to travel west, into French territory. The plan changed a few months later when France offered the Louisiana Territory to the United States. By the time the Lewis and Clark Expedition set sailed up the Missouri River, the Louisiana Purchase had been completed, eliminating concerns about trespassing in French territory. The expedition spent nearly three years exploring the area, and their reports encouraged many others to travel westward. 

Sacagawea, Lewis and Clark Expedition

Hudson’s Bay Company and the Fur Trade

Following the War of 1812 , the British presence in the west increased, primarily through the efforts of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Although the Treaty of 1818 between the United States and Great Britain established “joint occupation” of the Oregon Territory, the Hudson’s Bay Company essentially controlled the area.

However, the United States continued to explore the area west of the Louisiana Territory and sponsored more expeditions, which were led by men like Captain Benjamin Bonneville, John C. Frémont , and Kit Carson. The American expeditions usually stayed south of the Oregon Territory, including Stephen H. Long’s 1820 expedition into the Great Plains . During that expedition, he famously called the plains the “Great American Desert” — which effectively slowed westward migration for a short time.

Carson and other men, like Jim Bridger, Thomas Fitzpatrick , and James Beckwourth became renowned Mountain Men, known for their knowledge of the territory. Not only did they work for the fur trading companies but they also served as scouts for military and emigrant expeditions.

Jedediah Smith Maps the South Pass

Jedediah Smith led an expedition from the Rocky Mountain Fur Company into the Wind River Valley, in central Wyoming, for the winter of 1823–1824. At some point, they located the Crow Indians, who told them about a passage — the “South Pass” — through the Rocky Mountains that would safely take him across the Continental Divide, which ran between the Central and Southern Rocky Mountains.

Jedediah Smith, Mountain Man, Illustration

In February 1824, Smith and his men went through the South Pass and made their way to the Green River in present-day Utah. They stayed there for the spring, trapping along the river and its tributaries.

Smith sent Thomas Fitzpatrick back to St. Louis to deliver the news of the “discovery” to William Henry Ashley, who used the South Pass to establish his Trapper Rendezvous system, which he started in 1825.

In 1830, Smith sent a letter to Secretary of War John Eaton, informing him of the South Pass. This allowed the route to become an important part of the Oregon Trail, as thousands of Americans used it to move west.

Wyeth-Lee Party

The first group of settlers traveled west in 1834, led by Nathaniel Wyeth and Jason Lee. Wyeth was a merchant from New England and Lee was a missionary. Wyeth made the trip to sell supplies at the annual Rocky Mountain Rendezvous, a gathering of Mountain Men in the Rocky Mountains. Lee was headed west to establish a mission to convert Native American Indians to Christianity. The Wyeth-Lee Party was the first to travel the full length of the Oregon Trail.

Marcus and Narcissa Whitman

In 1836, American missionaries, led by Marcus Whitman and his wife, Narcissa, took the Oregon Trail to the Willamette Valley. The Whitman Party was led by Bonneville. During the journey, the Whitmans became the first people to use wagons to make the journey on the trail. Narcissa Whitman also became one of the first Anglo-American women to travel the entirety of the Oregon Trail. Once they arrived in the Willamette Valley, the Whitman’s established a mission that was visited frequently by emigrants on their way west.

Fort Bridger

By 1840, the demand for felt hats decreased, which diminished the fur trade and Britain’s interests in the region. As the fur trade dwindled, many of the Mountian Men lead emigrants across the Great Plains and over the trail to their new homes in Oregon and California. Some, like Jim Bridger, also established trading posts along the Oregon Trail. Bridger’s post, called Fort Bridger, was set up in 1842 on Blacks Fork of the Green River, in present-day Uinta County, Wyoming.

Fort Bridger, Black's Fork of Green River, Illustration

Great Migration of 1843

During the winter of 1842–1843, Marcus Whitman traveled to Boston. On the return trip, he stopped at Independence, where a massive group of emigrants had gathered to make the journey west. This massive wagon train would be the first major migration along the Oregon Trail and became known as the “Great Migration of 1843.” It is estimated there were at least  120 wagons and somewhere between 800 and 1,000 men, women, and children.

Whitman did not go with the wagon train when it left for Oregon. He traveled to visit missions in the Great Plains but promised to meet them along the Platte River. John Gantt led the group until Whitman met up with them, and then Whitman led them to the Columbia River. 

Until then, no one had been able to travel the full length of the Oregon Trail in wagons. When expeditions reached Fort Hall in the eastern portion of the Oregon Territory, they were forced to abandon wagons and finish the trip on pack animals. Whitman convinced the members of the wagon train they could take their wagons with them. When the wagon train arrived near Mount Hood, the wagons were taken apart and floated down the Columbia River. By October, the emigrants arrived in the Willamette Valley.

From then until 1846, when a new road — the Barlow Road — was opened in the territory, allowing emigrants to travel the entire distance of the Oregon Trail by wagon.

Oregon Trail Campfire, Painting, Bierstadt

Oregon Treaty

Following the Great Migration of 1843, emigration to Oregon increased and the call for the United States to take full control of the Oregon Territory grew, as supporters used the slogan, “54 degrees 40 minutes or fight!” 

President James K. Polk , a firm supporter of the concept of America’s Manifest Destiny, made a proposition to British officials to establish a boundary along the 49th parallel. Secretary of State James Buchanan and Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina worked with British officials to design the Oregon Treaty of 1846. Per the treaty, all of Vancouver Island was given to Canada, and the United States was given the lower portion of the territory, which comprised present-day Washington and Oregon. The treaty was ratified by the Senate on June 18, 1846.

Later Years on the Oregon Trail

Thousands of Americans streamed west to Oregon and California over the Oregon Trail following the Oregon Treaty. Some of the key events included:

  • 1846 — The Donner Party became stranded in the Sierra Nevada Mountains during the winter.
  • 1847 — Brigham Young led the Mormon Brigade to Utah.
  • 1849 — Following the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in California, an estimated 30,000 emigrants went west at the onset of the California Gold Rush . At least 55,000 followed in 1850.
  • 1851 — Congress passed the Donation Land Act, which granted land to settlers in Oregon and incentivized immigration.
  • 1854–1857 — Immigration slowed due to the Indian Wars.
  • 1858 — Gold was discovered in Colorado.
  • 1859 — The first stagecoaches were used on the trail.
  • 1860 — Silver was found in Nevada and the Pony Express started.
  • 1863 — Gold was found in Montana and the Pony Express went bankrupt.
  • 1866–1869 — The era of the overland trails came to an end with the railroads.

Interesting Facts About the Oregon Trail

Prairie schooners.

Emigrants primarily traveled the Oregon Trail in covered wagons, known as “Prairie Schooners.” They were built out of wood and iron and covered with waterproofed cotton or linen canvas. The wagons were usually about 10 feet long, and 4 feet wide, and could weigh up to 2,500 pounds when fully loaded. The pioneers often walked alongside the wagons, which were pulled by oxen or mules.

The wagons were typically loaded with enough food to finish the trip to the West Coast and included preserved foods, including hard tack, bacon, coffee, flour, beans, and rice. They also carried critical supplies, such as cooking utensils, clothing, candles, a rifle, tents, bedding, axes, and shovels.

They were called schooners as a reference to small sailing ships.

A Treacherous Journey

The journey was dangerous. The pioneers were exposed to harsh weather, threats from wild animals, and attacks from Native American Indians. Clean water was often an issue, and unsanitary conditions contributed to the spread of diseases, which led to the deaths of many settlers.

Crossing the Plains, Painting, Nahl

Destinations Other than Oregon

Despite the dangers, many people made the journey in search of new opportunities and a better life in the western territories. The Oregon Trail was the most popular of the westward wagon trails, but there were others. Some of them branched off the Oregon Trail, such as the California Trail , which left the Oregon Trail in Idaho and headed south to California, and the Mormon Trail, which went from Council Bluffs, Iowa to Salt Lake City, Utah.

Oregon National Historic Trail

The Oregon Trail was popular until the Transcontinental Railroad connected the East to the West in 1869. In 1978, the U.S. Congress officially named the trail the Oregon National Historic Trail. Although much of the trail has been built over, around 300 miles of the trail have been preserved and can still be visited today.

Among the Sierra Nevada, Painting, Bierstadt

Why was the Oregon Trail Important?

Oregon trail significance.

The Oregon Trail is important to United States history because it provided a vital path for westward expansion in the United States. The trail was used by hundreds of thousands of people in the 19th century. It played a key role in the settlement and development of the American West and will forever be linked with the concept of Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion.

Oregon Trail APUSH

Use the following links and videos to study the Oregon Trail, Manifest Destiny, and Westward Expansion for the AP US History (APUSH) exam. Also, be sure to look at our Guide to the AP US History Exam .

Oregon Trail Definition

The definition of the Oregon Trail for APUSH is a vital overland route to the western United States that extended from Missouri to the Oregon Territory. The trail was discovered in 1812, and then opened to emigration in the 1840s. Over the next 25 years, it is estimated that 500,000-650,000 people moved west on the Overland Trails, including the Oregon Trail.

Oregon Trail FAQs

Why was the Oregon Trail important for the settlement of the West?

The Oregon Trail was important to the settlement of the West because the eastern portion of the trail served as the main path westward for most emigrants. Several other Overland Trails branched off of it, including the California Trail, Mormon Trail, and Bozeman Trail. The Oregon Trail played an important role in America’s Manifest Destiny .

What was the most common cause of death on the Oregon Trail?

It is estimated that nearly one in every ten people died on the trail. The most common causes of death were sickness, particularly cholera, and accidents.

What was it like to be on the Oregon Trail?

This video from Weird History explores what it was like for pioneers on the Oregon Trail.

  • Written by Randal Rust

Historical Trails

Trail basics - supplies.

Trail Center Merchantile Store

The Trail Center's Merchantile Store is the place where you can select your supplies for your journey along the trail.

A pioneer’s typical outfit wasn’t terribly expensive; usually one or two small, sturdy farm wagons, six to 10 head of oxen, a milk cow or two. Plus all the necessary food, clothing and utensils needed for survival. Often heavy items such as furniture, stoves, pianos would be freighted to the West Coast by clipper ship around the Horn of South America. If such heavy things were packed in the wagons, they usually ended up left along trailside along the way.

To survive the long jouney, a family of four would need 600 lbs. of flour, 120 lbs. of biscuits, 400 lbs. of bacon, 60 lbs. of coffee, 4 lbs. of tea, 100 lbs. of sugar, and 200 lbs. of lard. These would just be the basic staples. Other food stuffs could include sacks of rice and beans, plus dried peaches and apples. Bacon was often hauled in large barrels packed in bran so the hot sun would not melt the fat. Each man took a rifle or shotgun and some added a pistol. A good hunting knife was essential. Farm implements such as a plow, shovel, scythe, rake, hoe; plus carpentry tools - saw, broad axe, mallet, plane. Seeds for corn, wheat and other crops.

A.J. McCall an early traveler on the Oregon Trail made light of how some pioneers tried to "take it all." He wrote: "They laid in and over supply of bacon, flour and beans, and in addition thereto every conceivable jimcrack and useless article that the widest fancy could devise or human ingenuity could invent – pins and needles, brooms and brushes, ox shoes and horse shoes, lasts and leather, glass beads beads and hawks-bells, jumping jacks and jews-harps, rings and bracelets, pocket mirrors and pocket-books, calico vests and boiled shirts."

Supplies for the journey

Usually, thick slabs of smoked bacon would keep as long as it was protected form the hot temperatures. One way to preserve bacon was to pack it inside a barrel of bran. Also, eggs could be protected by packing them in barrels of corn meal – as the eggs were used up, the meal was used to make bread. Coffee was another important staple. It was drunk by man and beast, adult and child and the best way to disguise the taste of bitter, alkali water.

In the early days of the trail when game was more abundant near the trail, pioneers could often kill buffalo and antelope. However, a more dependable supply of fresh meat was to bring along a small herd of cattle and trail them behind the wagon.   Many also brought along a cow for milking purposes. Milk could also be churned into butter by simply hanging it in pails beneath the bumpy wagon. By the end of the day fresh butter would be ready.

A wagon in process of being loaded with supplies for the trek west on display at the Trail Center.

Display of rifles and muskets at the Oregon Trail Center.

Clark County History: Sarah Butler’s Oregon Trail journey

In this undated photo of an Oregon Trail reenactment, a long line of oxen-drawn wagons stops to rest along a trail. In 1878, a 21-year-old Missouri woman, Sarah Elizabeth Butler, kept a diary of her journey along the trail to Fort Vancouver.

Just east of the Kansas border at Carthage, Mo., 21-year-old Sarah Elizabeth Butler (1857-1931) opened her diary. Inside, she wrote eight sentences recording the first day of her trek along the Oregon Trail to Washington Territory. She loaded that entry with information, perhaps rivaling her family’s packing of their covered wagon. She told us they were still busy packing in the morning. Her sister Fannie’s husband, whom she formally referred to as “Mr. G.” (Gallentine), left his gun behind, and she had to carry it for half a mile. She explains it took “all hands” to get their wagon out of the mud before they arrived at Mr. G’s brother’s place for the night.

Today, with rental trucks or professional movers, it’s hard to comprehend how tightly packed the covered wagon was or how difficult the trip was. Suppose you decided to move your family across the country and bought the largest SUV you could find (your Conestoga wagon). You packed it tight with all your possessions, leaving barely enough room for two passengers in the front seats. Then you drove slowly so the others could walk alongside, making about 20 miles a day. That might almost simulate traveling the Oregon Trail.

The basic Conestoga wagon measured 18 feet long (including the tongue), 11 feet high (including the bows holding its canvas top) and 4 feet wide. It carried nearly 12,000 pounds of cargo. Wagon builders tarred the seams in the wagon’s body to keep the inside dry during river crossings. Sarah drove her wagon, determined to come west to Vancouver and make her fortune. Her brother, George, accompanied the group only to sell a string of mules and return to Missouri.

Butler made her journey in 1878, when the Oregon Trail had been in use for decades. But Sarah’s three-month trip still was rugged. She recorded the events in pencil in a lined notebook, 7-by-9 inches. Mostly, she journaled by the campfire at night, but sometimes she wrote as the group rested on the road while their mules grazed or watered. She used initials to identify people who came and went from the wagon train. She noted being stuck crossing the muddy banks of streams, nearly turning over in a wagon rut, hail and rain sweeping across the plains, furious winds, rain and high streams, a night with coal miners, a lame mule, tornado damage to a town and traveling through Idaho during an Indigenous uprising. Sarah’s diary shows her to be level-headed and less fearful than most, despite the tribulations of the trail.

Sarah hoped to become a dressmaker and had shipped a trunk of yard goods to a Vancouver friend before leaving Missouri. After traveling through Portland, she reached Vancouver on July 23 and two days later posted a solicitation for “Plain and Fancy Sewing,” which ran in the Vancouver Independent, stating she and Fannie had opened a dress shop at Main and Ninth streets. It seems to have lasted only a few months. The last ad appeared in October. Eventually, Sarah married John Jacob Wintler, a widower with five children, and bore him four more. Among them was Clark County’s first woman legislator, Ella Wintler.

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oregon trail wagon trip

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The barlow road on the oregon trail.

A prominent mountain top pokes out from a thick forest of conifer trees. The mountain is mostly exposed, except for some dusting of snow.

Back in the storied time, the Klickitat tell, Wy’East was a proud and handsome man until the Creator turned him into a mountain for fighting with his brother over a woman. For thousands of years the Molalla, Cascades, Kalapuya, Clackamas, Klickitat, Wasco, and others hunted this mountain’s slopes, fished its streams, and named its hallowed places. Their paths etched the mountainsides long before 1792, when a British explorer renamed the peak after Admiral Samuel Hood. Few Americans had ever seen anything like the majestic, snow-robed volcano they knew as Mt. Hood. It was a peak of remarkable beauty, an Oregon Trail icon, and the final challenge to reaching journey’s end. Although a well-known Indian path, the Lolo Pass Trail, skirted the northwest flank of Mt. Hood, it was too narrow and rugged for covered wagons. Some overlanders drove their cattle that way to the Willamette Valley, but the forest grew so thick on the mountainsides that, in places, a cow could barely squeeze between the trees. Early immigrants who wanted to take their wagons to the valley had to float the Columbia River from The Dalles.

Samuel Barlow’s wagon company rolled into The Dalles in late September 1845, and the situation he found there did not suit the wagon master at all. Some 60 families were already waiting for two small boats to arrive, on no particular schedule, to carry them downriver. Barlow’s newly arrived party would have to wait at least 10 days for a turn in the boats, and the fare would cost them dearly. He decided, instead, to cut a new wagon road around Mt. Hood to Oregon City. “God never made a mountain that he had not made a place for some man to go over it or around it. I am going to hunt for that place,” Barlow declared, heedless of the warnings from local men who knew the mountain. Other immigrant families decided to follow him. The company’s seven wagons, 19 adults, and several children rolled out of The Dalles on September 24, heading south along a well-used Indian and cattle trail (today’s US-197). Those 35 miles to Tygh Valley were tame enough. The small wagon train made camp near a Tygh Indian village while Barlow and several others hiked into the mountain wilds to scout a route through. More men followed them with dull axes and rusty saws, clearing a wagon-width passage through thick timber, huge fallen trees, and a dense understory of “laurel,” or rhododendrons. Meanwhile, Joel Palmer’s 23-wagon company of overlanders arrived unexpectedly from The Dalles to join the effort.

As the road-builders labored into mid-October, Palmer and a companion scouted ahead, backtracked, and circled in search of a way to take wagons through a maze of ridges and canyons. Several days of bushwhacking, trying Indian trails, and testing river bottoms left the men bewildered. Overhead, heavy, dirty-wool clouds settled above the treetops, threatening rain and snow. “I began for the first time to falter,” Palmer remembered, “and was at a stand to know what course to pursue.” He could advise his wagon party to return to The Dalles, and suffer their anger and blame; or he could lead them deeper into the mountains and risk them getting trapped between rising rivers. Then he had another idea. Upon returning to camp, Palmer proposed to stash wagons and belongings on the mountain and pack to the settlements. The men hurriedly built a log cabin, “Fort Deposit,” to store their possessions until they could return to retrieve them. Several men started ahead to buy provisions, while one family turned back to The Dalles. The others bundled their remaining food and bedding onto the backs of their livestock and struck out, some of them barefoot and all of them hungry, through curtains of winter drizzle, cold as iron.

After packing along an Indian path on the south flank of Mt. Hood, the overlanders started across the Pacific-facing slope of the mountain, the side that catches the rain. It was then that “the real simon-pure hard times commenced,” recalled William Barlow, Samuel’s son, some 62 years later. Part of the difficulty was the weather, with rain, snow, and wind. Part was the terrain, with its rocky slopes and canyons, its old growth forest and tangled deadfalls, its mud and marshes that mired the heavily laden pack animals. And part of the problem was the worn-out condition of the travelers. Only the weakest of the women and children were permitted to ride on the backs of horses and oxen; everyone else had to walk through the mud, wade the icy mountain streams, and pick their way through the marshes. They trudged onward, three to five miles each day. Upon reaching the crest of Laurel Hill, the divide between Camp Creek and the Zigzag River, the immigrants gawked at an impossibly long, steep descent before them, 2,000 feet from top to bottom. Having no way to go but forward, they gritted their teeth and stepped onto the slope, skidding down “like shot off a shovel,” remembered William Barlow in 1902. The party next trudged over Devil’s Backbone, a long, narrow ridgetop that provided barely enough room for future wagons to pass in single file, with deep canyons on either side.

[Devil’s Backbone] was a long divide between two streams, but very narrow, with just room for wagons and teams to pass …. The sight was a grand one, but the road you must keep or plunge headlong with self, family, wagon and team down, down towards the regions below. —Charles Howard Crawford, 1851 emigration

A wooden split-rail gate, covered in thick green moss, hangs open. A large trunked tree, covered in moss, sits to the right of the open gate in a thick temperate rainforest.

The Barlow-Palmer party descended at last to the comfort of Philip Foster’s farm at Eagle Creek, Oregon, on December 23. Oregon City was just an easy few days’ drive to the west. Despite their difficulties, not one member of the wagon company died during the ordeal. With a government-issued charter and financial backing from Philip Foster, Sam Barlow hired a crew in spring 1846 to cut a road from Foster’s to Fort Deposit, where he had left his wagons. He began charging a $5 toll per wagon plus 10 cents per head of livestock, as authorized by his charter, to recoup the costs of his labor and supplies. A thousand emigrants, 152 wagons, nearly 1,600 head of mules, horses, and cattle, and 1,300 sheep reached the settlements by the new road in mid-September. The toll was expensive but still much cheaper than boat passage on the Columbia River. Yet immigrants felt outraged, accusing Barlow of trying to extort their last nickel at journey’s end. Some angrily refused to pay, holding up traffic until they were allowed to pass. Some had no money but signed promissory notes or offered tattered, trail-worn clothing from their wagons. Some managed to duck around the tollgates or “ran like a turkey” from the gatekeeper, as described in a later toll book. Having collected only enough to cover half of his expenses, Barlow eventually abandoned the project and allowed others to take up the toll road charter.

We… encamped near the ‘Gate’ which is nothing more than a tent with two men sitting at the ‘rceipt of custom’ to take from the way worn emigrint his last red cent under the authority of a ‘Democratic’ Charter. —Abigail Scott, age 17, September 20, 1852

Various owners through the years collected the tolls, made improvements, and maintained the road—or didn’t. Every big windstorm knocked down huge trees. Snowmelt and rain tore wagon ruts into gullies. Underbrush constantly crowded the trail. Some operators left the never-ending upkeep to the immigrants, who would have to clear the way themselves if they wanted to reach the settlements. Travelers often complained about the road’s condition, accusing gatekeepers of “charging the dead” by making everybody pay at the east end of the road when many, they argued, would die before coming out the west end. They had a point. Some travelers did die along the Barlow Road, just heartbreaking hours from trail’s end. One such was a pioneer woman, her name unknown today, who lies in a lonely grave below Barlow Pass. The dread Laurel Hill slide remained a challenge. Immigrants yoked their oxen to brace and hold the wagon back as it rolled forward, and they chained up the wheels to prevent them from turning. They cut and attached trees, top-first with branches projecting forward, behind or under the wagons to create drag. Then, tying one end of a rope to the rear axle and snubbing the other end around a tree stump, they slowly let down the wagon, hand over hand. The skidding wheels, branches, and iron-shod hooves loosened the dirt and rocks, which winter rains washed away to create long, scree-lined troughs, or chutes. Repeated use gouged the chutes—there were at least five through the years—as much as seven feet deep. Because it was impossible to pull wagons up Laurel Hill, the Barlow Road was necessarily a one-way, east-to-west route until 1861, when road-builders opened a better route that went around the obstacle.

We had to chain the wagon wheels and slide the wagons down the rutty, rocky road. My aunt Martha lost one of her remaining shoes, it rolled down the mountainside. I can hear her now as she called out in her despair, ‘Oh, me shoe, me shoe! How can I ever get along?’ So she wore one shoe and one moccasin the rest of the journey. —Harriet Scott Palmer, reminiscence, emigration of 1851 While descending this hill, or mountain, Grandma was sitting in the back seat of the buggy, she could not hold herself in but fell forward and struck the ground head first. She was hurt but little by the fall. —Stewart B. Eakin, August 19, 1866

Upon entering the valley at last, overlanders discovered Philip Foster’s end-of-the-road farm to be a most welcome oasis. Foster shrewdly turned his homestead into a tidy, welcoming inn for arriving wagon parties. His little store sold provisions, he offered meals and rooms as well as cabins for lengthier stays, and he provided pasture and feed for his customers’ livestock. Today a local historical society interprets his farm for visitors. Despite complaints about the cost and conditions, an estimated three-quarters of the continuing Oregon immigration chose to travel the Barlow Road instead of risking their lives on the river. In good weather, with dry ground, and taking advantage of alignment changes to avoid hills and stream crossings, travelers could expect to spend about six days crossing country that occupied the Barlow and Palmer companies for three months. Samuel Barlow lived quietly on his Oregon land claim at the present-day town of Barlow until his death in 1867. Joel Palmer led another wagon train to Oregon in 1847. He wrote a popular Oregon Trail emigration guide, made himself a name in Oregon politics, served with distinction as Superintendent of Indian Affairs and Indian agent, and died at age 71 in 1881. Philip Foster maintained and operated the toll road for a time after Barlow’s departure and ran his successful farm-store-inn business until his death at home in 1884. Young Abigail Scott, who complained of the tollgate in 1852, wed Benjamin Duniway in 1853 and six years later penned the first novel, about traveling to Oregon in a covered wagon, to be written in the Pacific Northwest. She later emerged as a leading figure in the fight for women’s voting rights. When Oregon passed women’s suffrage in 1912, Abigail became the first Oregon woman to register for the vote.

Last updated: March 21, 2024

IMAGES

  1. Conostoga Wagon at National Historic Oregon Trail

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  2. Travel Across 25 U.S. States and Stay in a Modern-day Oregon Trail

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  3. Oregon Trail Covered Wagon

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  4. Oregon Trail

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  5. Oregon Trail Interpretive Center: Where History and Fun Intersect

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  6. What Was It Really Like Pioneering The Oregon Trail?

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COMMENTS

  1. The Most Awesomely Epic Oregon Trail Road Trip You'll Ever Take

    Head back to Baker City and hop on I-84 W. Travel through La Grande and continue west on I-84 for 10.5 miles to Exit 248. Turn onto the Spring Creek Road/Kamela then right on Old Emigrant Hill Scenic Frontage Road (Highway 30). Take the first right, follow signs and go 2.4 miles to Park on Forest Road 1843.

  2. The Wagon

    National Oregon/California Trail Center 320 North 4th Street Montpelier, Idaho 83254 (866) 847-3800

  3. The Real Wagon Train Vacation

    Teton Wagon Train Hoodie. 6′ x 7′ Heavy Acrylic Camp Blankets With Beautiful Southwest Designs. Antler-handled Belt Knife with a leather sheath. Antler-handled Boot Knife with double edge blade and a leather sheath. The boot knife is handmade in Vernal, UT and has a antler handle. The tote bags are 100% cotton.

  4. 3 Day Covered Wagon Adventure -- Trip of a Lifetime

    In June 2015, my husband and I spent 3 days/2 nights with Morris, Randy, and Mylon on the Oregon Trail. My bucket list dream was to get a glimpse of how my ancestors traveled the Oregon Trail via covered wagon in the 1800s. Historic Trails West made my dream come true -- and then some! Despite some unforeseen difficulties, our cowboy hosts ...

  5. A Modern Oregon Trail Journey

    Pack a wagon and experience stories from the trail at the 500-acre National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. A 2.5-mile walking trail loops through the area with stops at authentic wagon ruts, remnants of the Flagstaff Gold Mine and a former wagon encampment. Near North Powder off I-84 at exit 285, discover the history of Madame ...

  6. Nine Places Where You Can Still See Wheel Tracks from the Oregon Trail

    Along the freeway here, an Oregon Trail historic sign sits on a cliff face next to one of the final sets of wagon ruts along the route to Columbia. These stretch up a hill on the side of the road ...

  7. Oregon Trail

    The Oregon Trail was a 2,170-mile (3,490 km) east-west, large-wheeled wagon route and emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon Territory.The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of what is now the state of Kansas and nearly all of what are now the states of Nebraska and Wyoming.The western half of the trail spanned most of the ...

  8. Oregon Trail

    Oregon Trail - Pioneers, Wagons, Westward: Many motion pictures show wagon trains in the West full of people riding in big wagons pulled by horses. In reality, smaller and lighter wagons called prairie schooners (the white canvas tops, or bonnets, of which appeared from a distance to resemble sailing ships) were much more suitable for long-distance travel than the big, heavy, and unwieldy ...

  9. The Oregon Trail

    The Oregon Trail was a 2,170-mile historic route that connected Missouri to Oregon during the 19th century. The journey took several months to complete, with pioneers traveling by covered wagons. Over 400,000 settlers began their journey between 1840 and 1860, seeking a better life in the West. The trail was fraught with dangers, including ...

  10. Historic Sites & Oregon Trail

    In 2018, the pioneer spirit comes alive in Oregon for the 175th anniversary of the historic Oregon Trail. This famous wagon route, spanning 2,170 miles (3,490 km), was the largest migration in American history.

  11. Covered Wagons Heading West: Life on the Oregon Trail

    Life on the Oregon Trail: Not Your Average Camping Trip. Traveling west in a covered wagon was truly one bold, daring and extraordinary journey for the pioneers of the 1800s. It was a grand life but a tough one. The promise of a better life drove them onward mile after grueling mile.

  12. 5 Day Living History Wagon Train

    Five Day Historic Wagon Train and horse ride to So pass. Yellowstone 1883 Wagon Train is like our Five day Covered Wagon Trek. You are riding on Historic Wooden Wheel Wagons that have been on the Oregon and California Trails. A trail of excitement, hope and challenge. A trail of real life and death. A trail of great achievement and disappointment.

  13. The True Story of the Oregon Trail

    Here's one thing you can say about the lasting legacy of the Oregon Trail, a fact that has lodged the 2,170-mile migration in the minds of generations: The struggle was real. The numbers alone are enough to chill. Of the estimated 500,000 settlers who made the five-month journey from Missouri to Oregon in the 1840s to 1860s, one in 10 would ...

  14. 18 must-see stops for an Oregon Trail Road Trip

    But the trail is a little different today. On your journey, you'll find wild and wonderful Oregon Trail museums, natural landmarks, as well as wagon ruts from the original route. Follow our guide and discover when the Oregon Trail was first in action, how long it took and which sites to see with the ultimate Oregon Trail road trip itinerary.

  15. 9 Things You May Not Know About the Oregon Trail

    That year, Marcus helped lead the first major wagon train of around 1,000 settlers along the Oregon Trail, an exodus now known as the "Great Migration.". Traffic soon skyrocketed, and by the ...

  16. Your State by State Guide to Camping the Oregon Trail

    It has been 175 years since the first hoards of hopeful travelers were embarking on a 2,000+ mile trip in search of land and opportunity. Today that historic route, known as the Oregon Trail, can still offer thrills (of the less life-threatening variety) for the curious road tripper. Especially if you're looking for an adventure that will get you off of the main interstates and into some ...

  17. Oregon Trail: Length, Start, Deaths & Map

    The Oregon Trail, a 2,000-mile route from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, Oregon, was used by hundreds of thousands of pioneers in the mid-1800s to emigrate west.

  18. Oregon National Historic Trail (U.S. National Park Service)

    Imagine yourself an emigrant headed for Oregon: would promises of lush farmlands and a new beginning lure you to leave home and walk for weeks? More than 2,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen along the Oregon National Historic Trail in six states and serve as reminders of the sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of early American settlers.

  19. Oregon Trail, History, Facts, Significance, Summary, APUSH

    The Oregon Trail is the most famous of the Overland Trails used by thousands of American pioneers who emigrated to Oregon and other western territories during the age of Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion. It was blazed by frontiersman Robert Stuart in 1812-1813 and was most popular from 1841 to 1869. The Oregon Trail, Albert Bierstadt ...

  20. Supplies

    However, a more dependable supply of fresh meat was to bring along a small herd of cattle and trail them behind the wagon. ... Display of rifles and muskets at the Oregon Trail Center. National Oregon/California Trail Center 320 North 4th Street Montpelier, Idaho 83254 (866) 847-3800. Navigation. Home

  21. Your Guide to an Oregon Trail Road Trip

    Route distance: 451 miles. Suggested length of time: 2 to 4 days. The Oregon Trail Road Trip starts on the Oregon coast in Cannon Beach, a town so alluring, you may never want to leave. The most ...

  22. Oregon Trail Timeline 1841-1843

    Ex-trapper Robert "Doc" NEWELL's WAGON arrived by boat in the Willamette Valley in April 1841. This wagon will be touted as the first wagon to come overland from the States past Ft. Hall. ... Meanwhile FREMONT'S EXPEDITION had rejoined the Oregon Trail from their side trip to the Great Salt Lake. At a little bay along the Columbia River just ...

  23. Oregon Trail

    Oregon Trail - Pioneers, Migration, Westward: Estimates of how many emigrants made the trek westward on the Oregon Trail vary. Perhaps some 300,000 to 400,000 people used it during its heyday from the mid-1840s to the late 1860s, and possibly a half million traversed it overall, covering an average of 15 to 20 miles (24 to 32 km) per day; most completed their journeys in four to five months.

  24. Clark County History: Sarah Butler's Oregon Trail journey

    Butler made her journey in 1878, when the Oregon Trail had been in use for decades. But Sarah's three-month trip still was rugged. She recorded the events in pencil in a lined notebook, 7-by-9 ...

  25. The Barlow Road on the Oregon Trail

    He wrote a popular Oregon Trail emigration guide, made himself a name in Oregon politics, served with distinction as Superintendent of Indian Affairs and Indian agent, and died at age 71 in 1881. Philip Foster maintained and operated the toll road for a time after Barlow's departure and ran his successful farm-store-inn business until his ...