is an epic saga about the early migration and settlement of America. As the colonies were thriving along the east coast in the late 1600s, the Appalachian Mountains remained a formidable barrier to the interior of the nation.

The paths that did exist were created by the American bison as they migrated through the highlands and valleys in search of food and salt licks. Native Americans traveled what they called the "Great Warrior Path" hunting for food, trading with other groups, and creating seasonal villages along the valleys and rivers.

In the early 1700's, long hunters used the path to develop an early fur trade and explore the land through western Virginia. Before the Revolutionary War, the path had become a major trail through this picturesque Valley of Virginia.

Frontier forts were established along the route to provide shelter to early settlers. Soldiers, long hunters, and early settlers spread the news that land was plentiful and the small path became a major migration route.

The Wilderness Road led settlers to the Daniel Boone Trail which led through the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky or they traveled south along the Great Warrior Path into Georgia.

The Palatine Germans and then the Ulster-Scots began pouring into the ports of America seeking land. These new immigrants entered through the port of Philadelphia and many chose to move southward along the Wilderness Road into Virginia and beyond.

The route has been known by many different names, such as the Great Road, the Great Philadelphia Road, and the Valley Turnpike, just to name a few. From 1775-1810, the 500 miles of Wilderness Road opened the door to nearly 300,000 settlers moving south through Virginia, some settling along the way, others moving on to the interior of the nation.

Early travelers made the trek on foot or horseback. Later the Conestoga wagon became the favorite manner of transportation. These wagons were filled with commerce and the belongings of families traveling west-ripe with the hope of land and opportunity. Today's travelers along the road will learn of such well-known pioneers as Dr. Thomas Walker, Joseph Martin, and Daniel Boone, who blazed the path to a new nation and opened the first frontier to the early settlers.

Historic downtown centers, museums, living history interpretive villages, schools, agricultural farms, galleries and forts provide a glimpse into the skills and values of the first pioneers who settled along Virginia's Wilderness Road.

Some perished along the hard journey; many turned back or stopped before they reached their destination. Yet today, over 43 million Americans can trace their heritage to the families that migrated along the Wilderness Road. We invite you to blaze your own trail of discovery along the Wilderness Road and relive America's unique history and heritage.