The Oregon Trail, or 'Emigrant Road', or 'Overland Route", was traveled by 400,000 migrating west to new lives. Portions of the route were used earlier by trappers, but the year 1843 is recognized as its official beginning as a route west; with the advent of the railroads, its use dwindled in the late 1860's. The overland route started at Independence, MO and ended at Oregon City, OR in the Willamette Valley, south of today's Portland.

The average travel was 5 to 6 months. Timing was important: Leave late in the year so grass was abundant for livestock, yet early enough to get over the mountains before winter.

The Oregon Trail was the forerunner of other great travel routes: Mormon Trail on the opposite side of the Platte River through NE joined the same route through much of WY; California Trail (from 1849) followed the route through most of WY then headed to the gold fields of Calif; Pony Express later used parts of it; then the railroads; now today's highways.