How to Follow the Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail refers to the route taken by early settlers of the American West as they traveled from Independence, Missouri, to the Oregon territory. It can also refer to the route taken from the East Coast all the way to the Oregon territory. Some wagons split off before entering Oregon, and veered off into Northern California, Washington, and Idaho. Once in Oregon, settlers moved through the Willamette Valley on smaller trails to stake their land claims. Wagon ruts from the Oregon Trail are still visible in Eastern Oregon.
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Instructions
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Plan your trip based on your available time and your starting point. The Oregon Trail goes through parts of Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts.
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Look up the Oregon Trail highlights in the state or states that you will be following the trail through. There are links provided on this page.
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Plan a route through the Oregon Trail landmarks you will be visiting. You will need to travel on modern roads, so use Google Maps, an atlas or another trip-planning service to get driving directions.
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Look up scenic drives that follow the Oregon Trail, if you are planning on following the trail within the State of Oregon. There are many of these listed on the link on this page.
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Tips & Warnings
Visit the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City, Oregon, to see interactive exhibits illustrating life along the Oregon Trail. You can walk to the Oregon Trail wagon ruts near the Interpretive Center.
References
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