<P> The Oregon Trail is a 2,170 - mile ( 3,490 km ) historic east -- west , large - wheeled wagon route and emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon . The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of the future state of Kansas , and nearly all of what are now the states of Nebraska and Wyoming . The western half of the trail spanned most of the future states of Idaho and Oregon . </P>
where does the oregon trail start and end
emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon . The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of the future state of Kansas , and nearly all of what are now the states of Nebraska and Wyoming . The western half of the trail spanned most of the future states of Idaho and Oregon .