A wagon train consists of a long chain of wagons moving together and forming a line. Whereas wagon trains were common in the Old West, in other places of the world different forms of caravans and convoys were often used, such as camel trains in Australia. A wagon train allowed pioneers to travel together for safety and supply sharing.
When wagon trains travel, a chuckwagon is included for meals and carrying supplies from one destination to another. At night time, wagon trains were often formed into a circle, for defensive purposes (like a laager), for shelter from wind/weather and to put the animals that pulled the wagons in the center to prevent them from running away. Today, covered wagon trains are used to give an authentic experience for those desiring to explore the West as it was in the days of the pioneers and other groups traveling before modern vehicles were invented.