Can you imagine wagons cutting ruts like these through solid sandstone rock.

These ruts are on the Oregon Trail (south side of the North Platte River). Depending on which narrative you believe there were 500,000 or 600,000 pioneers who used the Oregon Trail.

The Mormons used the Mormon Trail (north side of the Platte River). Between 1846 and 1869 when the railroad was completed there were between 50,000 and 70,000 mormon pioneers who trekked across the plains on foot.

At this point the Mormons had already crossed over the North Platte River and were using the Oregon Trail so these ruts were cut by both Mormons and non Mormons.

Fort Laramie is located about 15 miles south east of here. Brigham Young had gone into Fort Laramie and was told that the route along the north side of the North Platte River would be extremely difficult or impossible because of heavy swamps. So based on that information Brigham Young lead the Mormon Pioneer across the river and jointed the Oregon Trail. Maybe the estimates of 500,000 Oregon Pioneers was without including the Mormons and the 600,000 figure did include the Mormons.