1. Oregon Trail Five to six month journey
Traveled over half the continent
People used wagons
About 2,170 miles
Crossed present day sates Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon.

2. Oregon Trail Most practical route to the West
Traveled with families looking for farmland or going to California in search of gold
1 in 10 died on the trail from disease, overwork, hunger, or accidents
1869 trains took over

3. Oregon Trail

4. Jail and Courthouse Rocks.
Located near Bridgeport, Nebraska, these are two of many famous landmarks for the traveler on the Oregon trail. Tradition says that they were so named by emigrants who believed them to resemble public structures "back home".

5. Chimney Rock
Chimney Rock was the most described natural feature in migration pioneer diaries. All diaries of the early travelers show that it was visible for 40 miles and was used as an objective by the slow moving covered wagons.

6. Remnants of the trail still visible at Mitchell's Pass in Nebraska
Ruts at Mitchell's Pass
Remnants of the trail still visible at Mitchell's Pass in Nebraska

7. Register Cliff
At Register Cliff, the Oregon/California bound travelers would stop briefly to carve their names on the soft sandstone cliffs above the North Platte River. Signatures and dates are still visible.

8. Pioneer Name on Register Cliff

9. Graves near Register Cliff
There are several graves marked with fieldstones in a fenced in area at Register Cliff.

10. Oregon Trail wagon wheel ruts at Guernsey, Wyoming.

11. Wheel ruts at Guernsey, Wyoming

12. Oregon trail from Flagstaff Hill
Looking down at the Oregon Trail from Flagstaff Hill, the visible part of the trail is to the left of the covered wagon. The covered wagon sits on a seven mile remnant of the trail.

13. Mormon Trail
1,300 miles that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled from
About 70,000 Mormons traveled the Exodus
This trail started in Illinois and ended at the Great Salt Lake in Utah
They wanted a new home and refuge
They faced much hardship like walking hundreds of miles, violent weather, temperature extremes, bad water, poor forage, sickness, and death
Their goal was to find an isolated area where they could permanently settle and practice their religion in peace
This was a movement of an entire people, an entire religion, and an entire culture
They worked hard work with mutual help
Devotional practices were part of their daily routine
Knowing that others would follow, they improved the trail and built support facilities Businesses, such as ferries, were established to help finance

14. Oregon and Mormon Trails

15. Santa Fe Trail 780 miles that started from Independence, Mo.,
Traveled South West to Santa Fe, N.Mex.
People used wagons
Santa Fe welcomed trade
Wagon caravans, usually leaving in early summer, made the 40- to 60-day trip over the trail and returned after a 4- to 5-week stay in Santa Fe
Goods were taken to Santa Fe each year
Traded steel products, glass, a variety of decorative items for buffalo robes

16. Santa Fe Trail
Unlike the Oregon trail, there was a serious danger of Indian attacks
The Comanches and Apaches of southern high plains did not tolerated trespassers.
Lack of food and water made the trail very risky.
Weather conditions, like huge lightning storms, gave the travelers difficulty. If a storm blew up, there was often no place to take shelter and the livestock could get spooked.
Rattlesnakes often posed a threat as many people died due to snakebite.

17. Santa Fe Trail