The Split and the Trek
Brigham Young and 3,000 Mormons set out for Utah in February, planning to reach their destination within the year. However, unforeseen complications forced the Mormons to split their journey into two parts:
In 1846 the Mormons would journey to present-day Omaha, Nebraska, where they would stay to recuperate before setting out in 1847 for Salt Lake Valley. First immigrants improved the route for those to follow and also set up waystations such as Garden Grove and Mt. Pisgah.
By the spring of 1847 over 400 Mormon pioneers had died to various causes. A hasty departure in 1846 had made the party disorganized and many important provisions had been left behind. However, this time was different. The group was more experienced and more organized. Not only that, but one of the few men who had seen Salt Lake Valley, Jesuit Father Pierre Jean de Smet, passed through Winter Quarters (present-day Omaha) and shared his valuable information about the territory with the Mormons. This preparation made the second leg of their journey much easier. Mostly, this part of the trek followed the Oregon Trail, before deviating at Fort Bridger and heading south into Utah. By July 24, 1847, the Mormon people had found a new home in Salt Lake Valley.
From 1846-1869, up until the completion of the transcontinental railroad, around 70,000 Mormons traveled across the Mormon Trail to Salt Lake Valley.