How long would it take a wagon train on the Oregon Trail to travel 2000 miles?
The length of the wagon trail from the Missouri River to Willamette Valley was about 2,000 miles (3,200 km). It normally took four to six months to traverse the length of the Oregon Trail with wagons pulled by oxen.
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Typically, a wagon train would travel at around two miles an hour, which would only permit the train to average a little over ten miles a day. Therefore, the 2,000 mile journey from Missouri to California or Oregon would take about five to six months depending on weather or other difficulties.
Perhaps some 300,000 to 400,000 people used it during its heyday from the mid-1840s to the late 1860s, and possibly a half million traversed it overall, covering an average of 15 to 20 miles (24 to 32 km) per day; most completed their journeys in four to five months.
Surprisingly, considering how many wagons went West, very few faced attacks by the Indians. A well-led and disciplined train was more likely to get through without problems. The opposite was often true for small trains where discipline was lacking.
Travelers used grass or leaves or just plain dirt. Bark was also a paper substitute. It wasn't pretty, but no worse than many other realities pioneers faced on the emigrant trail.
When a family decided to join a wagon train, it often had to save money for three to five years before it could even begin the journey. The wagon cost around $400. The cost of the trip with supplies could be as much as $1,000.
A typical day began at 6 AM with a breakfast of cold leftovers before the wagon train lined up and set out. A knowledgeable captain led the way, pacing the wagons to reach good pasture and water at noon and before sundown. The trail was rough, full of holes and rocks, so riding in a wagon was bumpy and uncomfortable.