<P> Over the years many ferries were established to help get across the many rivers on the path of the Oregon Trail . Multiple ferries were established on the Missouri River, Kansas River, Little Blue River, Elkhorn River, Loup River, Platte River, South Platte River, North Platte River, Laramie River, Green River, Bear River, two crossings of the Snake River, John Day River, Deschutes River, Columbia River, as well as many other smaller streams . During peak immigration periods several ferries on any given river often competed for pioneer dollars . These ferries significantly increased speed and safety for Oregon Trail travelers . They increased the cost of traveling the trail by roughly $30 per wagon but increased the speed of the transit from about 160 to 170 days in 1843 to 120 to 140 days in 1860 . Ferries also helped prevent death by drowning at river crossings . </P> <P> In April 1859, an expedition of U.S. Corps of Topographical Engineers led by Captain James H. Simpson left Camp Floyd, Utah, to establish an army supply route across the Great Basin to the eastern slope of the Sierras . Upon return in early August, Simpson reported that he had surveyed the Central Overland Route from Camp Floyd to Genoa, Nevada . This route went through central Nevada (roughly where U.S. Route 50 goes today) and was about 280 miles (450 km) shorter than the "standard" Humboldt River California trail route . </P> <P> The Army improved the trail for use by wagons and stagecoaches in 1859 and 1860 . Starting in 1860, the American Civil War closed the heavily subsidized Butterfield Overland Mail stage Southern Route through the deserts of the American Southwest . </P> <P> In 1860--61 the Pony Express, employing riders traveling on horseback day and night with relay stations about every 10 miles (16 km) to supply fresh horses, was established from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California . The Pony Express built many of their eastern stations along the Oregon / California / Mormon / Bozeman trails and many of their western stations along the very sparsely settled Central Route across Utah and Nevada . The Pony Express delivered mail summer and winter in roughly 10 days from the midwest to California . </P>

When did the oregon trail begin and end