Mitchell Pass is the narrow gap through the bluffs that gave the Oregon Trail its route west of the river. Before 1850, emigrants had to detour around Scotts Bluff via Robidoux Pass to the south — a longer, rougher route. When a new path through Mitchell Pass was surveyed and opened, it quickly became the preferred route, and the ruts worn by thousands of wagons are still visible today.
Standing in the pass, the walls rise steeply on either side to form a natural corridor. The wagon rut depression is clearly defined, running through the floor of the pass. A short trail leads through the formation and connects with the visitor centre and summit trails. This is one of the most intact sections of original Oregon Trail ruts surviving anywhere along the route.