Lincoln Highway Scenic & Historic Byway
Mormon Pioneer Trail, NE

The Mormon Pioneer Trail extended from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1846 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were forced to leave Nauvoo and they began the trek West to land where they would be able to practice their religion in peace. They were forced to stay the winter near Omaha, Nebraska at Winter Quarters, where they endured many hardships because of the weather, a large body of people, and lack of experience. In April 1947 the President of the Church, Brigham Young, established an advance party to begin the journey to the Rocky Mountains. With the favorable beginning, Young organized the group of 148 people and they were able to arrive in the Salt Lake Valley in July 1847. This advance party immediately planted crops and began laying out the new city. Over the next 20 years, 70,000 Mormons would travel the route to establish a new home in Utah. The Mormon Pioneer Trail followed the north side of the Platte River and eventually joined the Oregon Trail at Fort Laramie, Wyoming.