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The Mormon trail is 1,300 miles (2,092 km) long and it took 536 days to make the inital trip. Much of this time was spent at Winter Quarters during the winter of 1846-1847. The exodus of the Mormons from Nauvoo, Illinois to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake occurred in two segments. The first segment, across Iowa to the Missouri River in February of 1846, took over four months to cover two hundred and sixty-five miles. The second segment, from the Missouri River to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake, covered one thousand and thirty-two miles in four months. Below is a summarized version of their travels and hardships:

The Mormons were forced out of Nauvoo, IL in February 1846 under the leadership of Brigham Young. This early departure exposed them to the elements in the worst of winter. Young originally planned to lead an express company of about 300 men to the Great Basin during the summer of 1846. He believed they could cross Iowa and reach the Missouri River in four to six weeks. The actual trip across Iowa, however, was slowed by rain, mud, swollen rivers, and poor preparation, and required sixteen weeks-nearly three times longer than planned. Heavy rains turned the rolling plains of southern Iowa into a quagmire of axle-deep mud. Futhermore, few people carried adequate provisions for the trip. The weather, general unproparedness, and lack of experience in moving such a large group of people, all contributed to the difficulties they endured. The initial party reached the Missouri River on June 14. It was apparent that the Latter-day Saints could not make it to the Great Basin that season and would have to winter on the Missouri River. Some of the emigrants established a settlement called Kanesville on the Iowa side of the river. Others moved across the river building a camp called Winter Quarters. In April 1847, chosen members of the Vanguard Company gathered, final supplies were packed. The journey from Winter Quarters to Fort Laramie took six weeks, with the company arriving at the fort on June 1. At this point, the now larger company took the established Oregon Trail toward the trading post at Fort Bridger. Young met mountain man Jim Bridger on June 28. They discussed routes into the Salt Lake Valley, and the feasibility of viable settlements in the mountain valleys of the Great Basin. The company pushed on through South Pass, rafted across the Green River and arrived at Fort Bridger on July 7. Scouts Erastus Snow and Orson Pratt entered the Salt Lake Valley on July 21. On July 23, Pratt offered a prayer dedicating the land to the Lord. Ground was broken, irrigation ditches were dug, and the first fields of potatoes and turnips were planted. On July 24, Young first saw the valley from a "sick" wagon driven by his friend Wilford Woodruff. According to Woodruff, Young expressed his satisfaction in the appearance of the valley and declared This is the right place, drive on.

Taken in part from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Trail.

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How many Mormons were on the trail?

Approximately 70,000 Mormon Pioneers traveled the Mormon Trail between 1845 and 1869.


How many Mormons went on the trial?

Approximately 70,000 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" church) travelled the Mormon Trail between 1846 and 1869. Today, many Mormons travel the trail each summer to commemorate what their ancestors did.


What was the Mormon trail like?

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When did the Mormons leave on the Mormon Trail?

The first group of Mormon pioneers started on the trail in the winter of 1845-46, but groups continued to use the trail until the railroad came in 1869.many of these groups were converts from Europe.


Why did people choose to follow the Mormon trail?

The Mormon pioneers traveled on the Mormon Trail to reach Utah, where they found the freedom to practice their religion in relative peace. Others used the Mormon trail as a route to various places in the west, many would continue on to California, Nevada, or Oregon.


Where did the Mormon trail end at?

The Mormon Trail ended in Salt Lake City, Utah. From there, many Mormons were sent to colonize towns all over the west, while others stayed in the city.


What were the forts and landmarks on the Mormon Trail?

There were many stops along the Mormon Trail. Here's a link with a picture en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mormon_Trail_3.png, but the most important were Council Bluffs and Winter Quarters. They were the most important and where many sad and terrible things happened on the Mormon Trail. Also, visit; lds.org for more information.


How many wagons were in the largest wagon train to travel west?

Over 70,000 people traveled the Mormon trail in a period of about 25 years, not counting supply wagons, missionaries heading abroad, or those leaving Utah. It would be impossible to know how many wagons in total travelled the Mormon trail.


How long did it take to travel the Mormon trail?

How long it took to travel the Mormon Trail depended on how you were traveling. A man on a fast horse (such as a Pony Express rider) could travel the trail within just a few days. A small company in a fast carriage (this is the mode most Mormon Missionaries took to the East Coast) would take a couple of weeks at most. A large group with wagons would take a couple months, and walking or pulling your own handcart would take even longer.


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