mile route members traveled today known historic trail extends illinois principal settlement salt_lake_city utah settled followers beginning iowa wyoming trail follows route oregon trail california trail trails collectively known trail pioneer run began young followers driven leaving aimed establish new home church crossed iowa way assigned establish settlements plant harvest crops later winter iowa nearby states territory later nebraska largest group residing nebraska spring young led vanguard company outside boundaries united_states later utah years occupants following young utah later increasingly comprised converts british isles europe trail years completion pioneers companies led met disaster trail departed late caught heavy wyoming background leadership day saints established communities united_states notably ohio independence missouri saints driven turn lacking citation source conflicts settlers history day saint movement included actions governor issued order called missouri day saints finally forced abandon movement split denominations smith death members aligned young leadership citizens set find new home west trek west senior death assumed responsibility leadership church later sustained president church prophet young lead saints far west knowing exactly end insisted settle place wanted felt isolated provide saints advantages young reviewed information great salt lake valley consulted mountain men met father jesuit missionary familiar region young organized vanguard company break trail rocky_mountains evaluate trail conditions find sources water select central gathering point new route north north rivers chosen avoid potential conflicts grazing rights water access travelers established oregon trail river south october passed resolutions demanding day saints withdraw days later called establishment militia force failed meet deadline try meet deadline early start trek day saints began leaving february trek departure began february leadership early departure exposed elements worst winter crossing mississippi_river journey followed primitive territorial roads native american trails young originally planned lead express company men summer believed cross iowa reach weeks actual trip iowa slowed rain mud swollen rivers poor preparation required weeks nearly times longer planned heavy rains turned rolling plains southern iowa axle deep mud furthermore people carried adequate provisions trip weather general lack experience moving large group people contributed difficulties endured initial party reached missouri river june apparent season winter missouri river established settlement called iowa river moved river area present day nebraska built camp called vanguard company april chosen members vanguard company gathered final supplies packed group organized military companies militia night guard formed company consisted men including blacks members women children train contained wagons draft animals livestock carried supplies provision group year april wagon train moved west journey took weeks company arrived fort june fort vanguard company joined members illness sent winter colorado group church members mississippi point larger company took established trading post fort young met mountain man june discussed routes feasibility viable settlements mountain valleys company pushed south pass arrived fort july time joined members sick detachment facing rugged hazardous trek young chose follow trail reed party journey california previous year vanguard company traveled rugged mountains divided sections young members party suffered fever generally accepted mountain fever induced wood small sick detachment larger group scouting division created farther ahead designated route scouts snow entered july july offered prayer land lord ground broken irrigation ditches dug fields potatoes planted july young saw valley sick wagon driven friend according young expressed satisfaction appearance valley declared right place drive august young selected members vanguard company returned organize companies scheduled following years december completed journey mexican territory farming land initially difficult shares broke tried dry ground irrigation system designed land flooded resulting system provided supplemental moisture year salt_lake_city laid designated church headquarters hard work produced prosperous community new settlement entertainment important public building theater long united_states caught end war mexico land settled united_states ongoing migration year migration people continued organized companies company bearing leader subdivided groups saints traveled trail broken vanguard company splitting journey sections segment began ended near modern day nebraska second half journey took saints area later nebraska wyoming finishing journey present day utah earlier groups covered wagons pulled carry supplies country later companies traveled foot day saints remained iowa missouri poor unable afford costs wagon teams supplies required trip established revolving fund known enable poor day saints wished church abandoned settlements iowa church members eastern states europe continued utah assisted church inaugurated system companies order enable poor european trek wheeled pulled instead draft animals alternate means transportation seen faster easier cheaper way bring european converts salt_lake_city supply wagons traveling different companies trip trail salt_lake_city use group use extensively modeled street entirely wood generally seven feet long wide span narrow wagon track alternately pushed pulled small boxes feet long inches high carry pounds weight consisting trail provisions personal possessions companies successfully completed rugged journey relatively problems deaths fourth fifth companies known respectively problems companies left iowa july late begin trip plains met severe winter weather west present day wyoming continued cope deep snow storms remainder journey food supplies soon exhausted young organized rescue effort brought companies parties died companies continued success traditional wagon companies continued afford higher cost church began sending wagon companies east spring return utah summer finally completion future able travel rail era pioneer trail came end sites trail following major points trail early pioneers stopped established temporary camps landmarks meeting places sites categorized location respect modern day states illinois starting point trail early home base migrants left treated poorly lived took group people illinois utah non united_states iowa miles west beginning ferry crossing mississippi_river february months ready day saints started gathering frozen banks refugees continued cross iowa number months taking advantage freezing mississippi river weeks later poorly prepared suffered severe winter weather camped staging area westward trek iowa ultimately refugees wagons started west march thousand follow later sold property continued leave illinois richardson point miles west way past ford river early march party halted days heavy rain wooded area known richardson point deaths pioneers occurred location river crossing miles west trail continues past modern towns reach crossing march young organized lead group migration forming camps families led captain military style organization subsequent companies miles west trail proceeds past cincinnati april composed come come saints famous enduring hymn trail miles west april arrived location semi permanent settlement named enclosed planted acres km2 supply food later established village existence today day saints settled moved utah miles west entered territory established semi permanent settlement named thousand acres cultivated settlement site marked acre park contains exhibits historical markers reconstructed log cabin little remains 19th century cemetery died river crossing miles west mount trail proceeds past modern towns orient lewis west lewis passed refugees year area miles west trail proceeds past present day macedonia eastern outskirts present day council company arrived june open area located companies camped forming called site july departed later council miles west established important settlement point site originally known miller hollow renamed settlement honoring non attorney politically connected influence assist day saints important settlement point companies traveling present day utah ecclesiastical leader settlement published newspaper called major settlements closed settlers moved utah church continued outfit supply companies converts coming british isles mainland europe community renamed terminus railroad extended west nebraska miles west originally planned travel way lack preparation apparent difficult crossing iowa furthermore departure left short manpower young decided settle winter located sides river settlement west largest built dwellings estimated saints spent winter reside winter conditions consumption fever common settlement recorded deaths september able save trade equipment supplies need continue westward trek settlement later renamed florence located miles west miles west leaving missouri traveled great river road hundreds miles prevailing opinion north river saints generally stuck separated unpleasant encounters potential enemies like missouri illinois traffic heavy virtually feed stripped sides river lack food threat disease journey deadly miles west crossing fork like early difficult crossings trek west miles west fort named established june fort named established abandoned second fort called new fort site fort purchased indians goods confluence point miles west mile north confluence north south rivers attached wagon driven device measurements version accurate famous day saints guide miles west passing noted beauty ruined thousands passing indians location site general troops won battle september site burial ground died cholera gold rush years miles west significant landmark commented diaries landmark appeared closer actually painted journals carved names miles west abandoned bluff bears companions ill accounts death noted kept journals traveled north grave day saint mother fell victim cholera located near site moved wyoming miles west old trading military post served place rest provisions unable obtain provisions fort contributing subsequent tragedy ran food encountering conditions upper ferry miles west crossing took place near modern years day saints operated commercial ferry site earning revenue california bound ferry discontinued competing toll bridge constructed october freezing river mid october leading exposure prove fatal members company miles west tragic site crossing camped near heavy snow fell snow continued fall days company came halt died days company remained persons died cold disease finally october advance team men utah rescue party reached encouraged help way urged company start moving river miles west crossing trail heads directly southwest meets follows south pass journey avoiding twists turns river trail includes river crossings miles west trail best known anticipated landmarks carved names rock carvings visible today celebrated arrival landmark dance devil gate miles west devil gate narrow gorge cut rocks small fort located rescued unnecessary equipment wagons weaker ride group men led stayed fort winter protect property martin cove miles west november set camp martin cove halted progress remained days weather proceed salt_lake_city today visitor center located site miles west fifth sixth crossings october halted stopped near time members reached end supplies flour small advance team rescue party found camp gave small flour pushed east try locate captain went ahead snow find main rescue party inform october help rescue party company pushed ahead biting wind snow rocky ridge rough mile section trail ridge order bypass section valley impassable miles west hour trek rocky ridge camped crossing night died morning bodies buried shallow grave south pass miles west south pass mile wide pass continental divide located modern towns elevation feet sea level important landmarks near south pass received waters ran pacific_ocean ferry miles west trail crosses modern towns day saints operated ferry location assist church earn money traveling oregon california miles west established famous mountain man site paths oregon trail california trail separated trails ran parallel bought fort utah war utah militia burned fort fall hands advancing general miles west river crossings company turned north reed company turned south site vanguard company met july attempted persuade northern track trading post miles west near prominent rock formation close utah wyoming border ill probably rocky mountain spotted fever advance push utah miles west descended deep narrow canyon frequently noted echo chamber miles west surrounding mountain peaks highest elevation entire trail feet miles west unsuccessful petition salt_lake_city funding obtained deed canyon began construction road south july canyon known canyon road built golden pass road large number gold miners way california constructed traffic today route emigration canyon miles west year day saint reed wagon train carved road final geographic obstacle salt lake valley halfway group changed course went final near valley mouth resulting brutal climb rock sage likely contributed historic tragedy travelers months miles west advance team day saint vanguard company came chose stick valley floor way bench overlooking great salt lake basin hours miles west salt lake valley special meaning signifying end year crossing plains pioneering saints settled settlement outside began early number communities planted valley north additional carefully chosen settlements placed near canyon mouths access streams stands timber day saints founded communities canada mexico historian stated day saints principal forces settlement west
Mormon Trail