The Oregon Trail

The Oregon Trail was a famous 2,000 mile route. It stretched from Missouri to Oregon. In the 1800s, thousands of families traveled it in covered wagons. They were looking for new land and a better life.

Life on the Trail

Families packed their wagons with food, clothes, and tools. Oxen pulled the heavy wagons slowly across the land. The trip took four to six months. Pioneers crossed rivers, mountains, and deserts along the way.

Pioneer families travel the long Oregon Trail in covered wagons.
Pioneer families travel the long Oregon Trail in covered wagons. (Wikimedia Commons)

Dangers and Challenges

The journey was very hard and sometimes dangerous. Sickness, bad weather, and accidents were common. Many travelers did not make it to Oregon. Still, hundreds of thousands tried between 1840 and 1869.

Fun Facts

  • Wagons on the trail were nicknamed prairie schooners.
  • Pioneers often walked beside their wagons to save the oxen's strength.
  • The trail was no longer needed after the railroad was built.

Did You Know?

You can still see wagon wheel ruts from the Oregon Trail in some places today!