A much-beloved image of the Old West is that of wagon trains traveling in straight, single-file lines across the prairies. Wagon trains, whenever possible, traveled side-by-side, up to ten miles wide, to avoid the billowing clouds of dust as well as the furrows, ruts, and potholes of previous travelers. If they had in fact traveled single-file, every wagon behind the lead would not only eat their dust, they would have also wear it and have it clog their nostrils and cake over their eyes.

Although "wagon train" suggests a line of wagons, when terrain permitted, wagons would often fan out and travel abreast to minimize the amount of dust each wagon encountered.

Perhaps the most famous wagon train trail was the Oregon Trail which had a span of over 2,000 miles. Other paths included the Santa Fe Trail, the Chisholm Trail, the California Trail (which split southwestward from the Oregon Trail), the Mormon Trail, and the Old Spanish Trail.

Overland emigrants discovered smaller groups of twenty to forty wagons were more manageable than larger ones, especially without professional wagon masters. Many operated under democratic principles, creating bylaws and electing a captain. In reality, a captain had limited authority. His role was largely confined to getting everyone moving in the morning and selecting when and where to camp at night.