Spread across the five American states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming and Utah and spanning 2,092 kilometers (1300 miles), the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail follows the exact path taken by the original Mormon Pioneers between the years 1839 and 1846. When Mormon believers were driven from away from their home city of Nauvoo, Illinois, Brigham Young guided the 14,000-person exodus through a succession of semi-arid landscapes to finally reach the promised land in Utah where they spread out and founded Salt Lake City. All along the trail are markers describing the trek and the hardships the pioneers faced throughout their long journey. Some of the Mormon Trail's most historic sights include Richardson's Point, Winter Quarters, Independence Rock and Emigration Canyon.