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Activities
  1. Follow It
    The map shows the main trails that led to California and the West around 1850. Which trail leads to the Gold Rush region?
  2. Find It
    What mountain pass did travelers go through to reach Los Angeles?
  3. Name It
    What fort protected travelers on the Gila River Trail?
Learn More About It

The West is a mountainous region. The Rocky Mountains reach heights of more than 14,000 feet. So do the Sierra Nevada in eastern California. Travelers by land needed to find routes through mountain passes if they wanted to reach California safely. Later, forts were built to protect people traveling west along the trails.
Check Your Answers
  1. California Trail
  2. Cajon Pass
  3. Fort Yuma
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