A hand cart trek along Mormon Trail in the west desert. Photo by Hannah Cowan.

Mormon National Historic Trail

Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail

The Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail passes through Wyoming and Utah. It once carried tens of thousands of Mormon emigrants to the Great Basin. In 1847, Mormon Church leader Brigham Young led pioneers west toward the Great Salt Lake Valley, across about 1,200 miles of extreme climate and terrain. Today, the historic route and sites along the way offer a glimpse into the Mormon settlement history.