Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Cover that wagon and hitch up the oxen, because a big milestone is making its way to Oregon.

In May, 1843, some 1,000 men, women and children loaded up wagons, gathered their family and all earthly possessions, and left Missouri for a new life out west. Known as the Great Migration of 1843, the journey would become better known for the rugged route the migrants took west – the Oregon Trail.

Now immortalized in regional history and an educational computer game by the same name, the Oregon Trail is a huge part of our Pacific Northwest heritage, and feels near and dear to our hearts, even if none of us actually rode a wagon train west to get out here.

Of course, those who participated in the 1843 migration weren’t the first – nor the last – to make the trip out west. Fur traders, missionaries and other pioneers came before them, blazing the trail that thousands would ultimately take to get to Oregon.

There are a lot of ways to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the first major migration along the Oregon Trail – without having to worry about dysentery or fording a river. To pay proper homage to our pioneer heritage, here are seven ways to celebrate the big anniversary.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

1. Visit the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center

If you're looking for a realistic depiction of life on the trail, the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is the place for you. There are original wagons and ruts outside, but inside the museum you can find speaking mannequins whose faces are molded to show the pain and misery of the migration. The Oregon Trail sounds romantic until you hear a woman sob bitterly as she buries her child in the desert.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

2. Kick it in Oregon City

For many travelers, Oregon City marked the glorious end of the Oregon Trail. Today, you can share in their accomplishment with a visit to the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, the historic McLoughlin House, Willamette Falls, or the many good restaurants downtown. A hike along the McLoughlin Promenade is one of the best ways to see it all.

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Flickr/brewbooks

3. Find some original wagon ruts

Most of the wagon ruts from the Oregon Trail are lost to time – either taken over by nature or bulldozed by man. There are several places along the route where ruts still exist, but in Oregon there are only a few: Virtue Flat in Baker City (at the interpretive center), Echo Meadows near Hermiston, Barlow Pass on Mount Hood and in Biggs Junction on the outskirts of the Columbia River Gorge are your best bets.

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Courtesy of National Park Service

4. Drive the Oregon National Historic Trail

The National Park Service has officially designated the old wagon route as the Oregon National Historic Trail. You can drive the route from Missouri to Oregon, where you'll find museums, parks, landmarks and small towns to see the history of the trail in person. It's not the same as making the journey in a wagon, but it still makes a great road trip.

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Wikipedia/Ian Poellet

5. Take the Barlow Road

If you've played the Oregon Trail game, you know all too well the dangers of crossing a river. When pioneers first took the trail west, they had to float the Columbia River to get to the Willamette Valley – and this was back before the dams, when the river was much more treacherous. Sam Barlow came up with the solution by blazing the 80-mile Barlow Road running from The Dalles along the south side of Mount Hood. Today, you can hike the old toll road on a trail that runs nine miles, out and back.

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Brent Wojahn

6. Float the Columbia River

It would be unwise to try to float a wagon down the Columbia, but these days you can just go windsurfing, kiteboarding or take a stand-up paddleboard on the river. It’s not really experiencing the Columbia River as the pioneers did, but it is a nice way to spend an afternoon.

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7. Play “The Oregon Trail”

Despite all the ways you can get out and experience the Oregon Trail for yourself, one of the best ways to understand the experience is still "The Oregon Trail" computer game, which you can play for free online. Just don't overwork those oxen.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

NORTHWEST TRAVEL GUIDES

Summer road trips: It's road trip season, and if you're still unsure where to go, here are 12 epic adventures across Oregon.

Hiking etiquette: Don't be a jerk on the trail, and follow these simple tips for hiking politely.

Visit Vancouver: Portlanders have a weird aversion to visiting Vancouver, Washington, which is actually full of good food, bars and trails.

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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