Reach the Oregon coast just like the early settlers.
In the mid 1800s, expansion began west of the Mississippi. After the United States bought more land, Lewis and Clark reported on their journey west and opportunity and gold riches were rumored. More people decided to start a new life on the Pacific Coast. While the actual trail is not available to drive on, you can follow a similar path. While the settlers' trip could take months, you could expect to drive the whole way in about a week, with plenty of time for checking out the sites. The trip is just over 1,900 miles.
Instructions
1. Start your trip from Independence, Missouri. In the mid 1800s, people would have loaded their wagons with supplies and bought oxen to pull them. Here, you should prepare for the long drive with some snacks and a bathroom break. Travelers in the 19th century would have been concerned about the weather, but you can rest assured that paved roads and car heaters will keep you much safer while visiting the sites.
2. Begin your drive by heading north from Independence past Kansas City, eventually making your way to I-25. You'll drive through Nebraska and can stop to see sites like Courthouse Rock and Chimney Rock. These were some of the first landmarks along the trail. Chimney Rock let the settlers know that the flat lands were ending and soon their journey would get bumpier and more mountainous. Continue on I-25 and enter Wyoming.
3. Enter the state of Wyoming and first stop at Fort Laramie. The fort is now a designated National Historic Site. Settlers would trade and restock on items. You can explore the site and go to the Visitors Center to learn more about the settlers you are following. Get off the highway and merge onto Route 220, which takes you past Independence Rock. The rock served as a registry for settlers traveling west. Over 5,000 names are carved into the rock. Drive through the rest of Wyoming, heading west on Route 287 and then Route 28 to Route 30, eventually entering Idaho.
4. Visit Soda Springs at the border of Idaho, where you can see naturally bubbling springs. Settlers used this site for medicinal purposes and to wash. Continue West on Route 30 and visit a replica of Fort Hall near Pocatello. Settlers originally founded it as a fur trading post. Staying on Route 30, which merges with Interstate 84, you'll pass Fort Boise. There is now a park where the fort was located. Settlers bought supplies here on their journey west.
5. Drive into Oregon, continuing on I-84. Pass by The Dalles where early settlers floated on their wagons down the river. You can drive alongside on the Columbia River Highway. As you follow the highway, you'll merge onto Interstate 205, go south, and finally reach your destination of Oregon City. Settlers founded the city in 1842, and it quickly grew, remaining intact through present day.
Tags: their journey, Chimney Rock, early settlers, from Independence, highway merge, highway merge onto, journey west