A Woman's Perspective of Life on the Oregon Trail - True West Magazine

As hopeful travelers set out on their journey across the overland trails, they saw landmarks which lived in their memories for the rest of their lives.

I read an article about being able to still see, feel and walk in the tracks of the Oregon Trail, so naturally I plotted out when and where I might come across these curiosities. On our way home fr…

Packing for Four Months on the Oregon Trail I have to admit, packing for any type of trip is one of my least favorite past times. Don’t get me wrong, I love to travel. I just dislike the packing process, and don’t even get me started on unpacking. I’ve been known to go for weeks ... Read more

Imagine embarking on a journey spanning 2,000 grueling miles, filled with treacherous river crossings, food rationing, relentless weather, and the constant threat of disease. Welcome to the life of a pioneer on the Oregon Trail!

The Donner Party famously took the Hastings Cutoff - a trail through Utah - that cost them an extra month of travel.

In the year 1836, the first wagon train set off from Independence, Missouri, heading west. That wagon train followed the Oregon Trail, a route laid down by fur trappers and traders just 20 years before. This was the first wagon train to set off on the 2,170-mile route. And it…

April 14, 2017 One of the coolest things about finding a diary or the interview of an old pioneer, is the details about how they actually traveled. Here is the description of a young, 16-year-old girl, Susan Thompson, who was actually on the Oatman wagon train: A Perpetual Picnic "We were divided into companies and each band was governed by a captain. Royce Oatman was the man from whom we received directions and counsel." Each wagon had a supply of "jerked meat, dried apples and berries…

Check out nine surprising facts about the route that once served as the gateway to the American West.