High on a windswept plateau in the northern Bighorn Mountains sits one of the most mysterious and culturally significant archaeological sites in North America: the Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark. Located at nearly 9,640 feet above sea level, this ancient stone structure has drawn visitors, historians, astronomers, and tribal nations for generations.
The Medicine Wheel itself is a striking formation of stones arranged in a circular pattern about 80 feet in diameter, with 28 spokes radiating from a central cairn to the outer rim. Smaller stone cairns surround the circle, many aligned with important solar and stellar events. Scholars believe the site has been used for ceremonial, spiritual, and astronomical purposes for at least 700 years, and possibly much longer.
A Sacred Landscape
For many Indigenous tribes including the Crow, Northern Cheyenne, Arapaho, Shoshone, Lakota, and Blackfeet, the Medicine Wheel remains an active ceremonial site. Prayer ties, offerings, and quiet reflection are common here, and visitors are asked to respect the sacred nature of the location.
The term “medicine” in this context refers not to healing remedies, but to spiritual power and balance. The wheel symbolizes the interconnected cycles of nature: seasons, directions, life stages, and celestial movement.
Because of its ongoing cultural importance, the Medicine Wheel is managed cooperatively by the U.S. Forest Service and affiliated tribal representatives, ensuring that both preservation and respectful visitation remain priorities.
Walking to the Wheel
Reaching the Medicine Wheel is part of the experience. During most of the summer season, vehicles must park at a designated lot about 1.5 miles away, and visitors walk along a paved interpretive trail across the alpine tundra to reach the site.
The walk is gentle but unforgettable. At nearly 10,000 feet in elevation, the air is crisp and thin, and the landscape opens to sweeping views of the Bighorn Basin to the west and the Great Plains stretching eastward. Wildflowers bloom across the plateau in midsummer, and it is not uncommon to spot marmots, pikas, or soaring hawks along the route.
Interpretive signs along the path provide context about the wheel’s cultural significance, archaeological research, and the broader history of Indigenous peoples in the region.
Astronomy and the Ancient Sky
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Medicine Wheel is its astronomical alignment. Several of the cairns appear to mark the rising and setting positions of stars and the sun during key seasonal events, particularly the summer solstice.
Researchers in the 1970s identified alignments with stars such as Aldebaran, Rigel, and Sirius, suggesting the site may have functioned as a seasonal calendar used by Plains tribes. While the exact purpose remains debated, the connections between the structure and the night sky add another layer of wonder to the site.
On clear days and especially under the brilliant high altitude night sky, it is easy to imagine how ancient observers used this landscape to track the rhythms of the heavens.
Visiting the Medicine Wheel
The Medicine Wheel is typically accessible late June through early October, depending on snow conditions. The access road climbs steeply through the Bighorn Mountains and offers dramatic scenery along the way.
Visitors should be prepared for:
• High elevation conditions
• Rapidly changing mountain weather
• Strong winds across the plateau
• Limited services nearby
Despite the remote setting, the walk to the wheel is relatively easy and suitable for most visitors who can comfortably walk a few miles at altitude.
A Place of Reflection
Unlike many historic sites, the Medicine Wheel is not simply a monument to the past. It is a living cultural landscape. Visitors often find the atmosphere quiet, contemplative, and deeply powerful.
Standing within sight of the stone circle, surrounded by open sky and distant mountains, it becomes clear why people have come to this place for centuries seeking connection with the land, the seasons, and something greater.
For travelers exploring the Bighorn Mountains or the Big Horn Basin, the Medicine Wheel is one of Wyoming’s most profound and unforgettable destinations.
Big Horn Basin Explorer 
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