The Bighorn Medicine Wheel in Wyoming

Mystery and intrigue surrounds the famous Medicine Wheel of Wyoming's Big Horn Mountains.

The Medicine Wheel is located on a plateau and sits at an elevation of 9,956 feet. The view from the top yields panoramas of the Bighorn Basin, the Wind River, the Absaroka Range, and the Pryor Mountains. The Medicine Wheel measures 80 feet across, and consists of 28 rock spokes that radiate from the center. There are 6 carins that are scattered on the outside of the wheel's rim.

No one knows the true origin or purpose of the Medicine Wheel. Prospectors discovered the Medicine Wheel around 1885, however carbon-14 dating done on a piece of wood used in the construction of one of the carins dates back to 1760. Today, scientists and archeologists believe that the Medicine Wheel was created between A.D. 1200 and 1700 by Native Americans.

There are many theories that explain the intended purpose of the Medicine Wheel. Some archeologists believe that the 28 spokes represent the 28 days in a month, and two of the 6 carins mark the horizons of sunrise and sunset, while the remaining four mark the rising of the three brightest stars. Other archeologists claim that the Native Americans who built the Medicine Wheel had no use for an organized calendar because they were not farmers. These archeologists believe instead that the Medicine Wheel carried religious significance and was used in religious ceremonies. Still other archeologists believe that the Medicine Wheel was a place for powerful events to take place and that people visited the sacred site to gain strength and power.

Whatever the Medicine Wheel was originally built for, it has been used as a place of prayer for many Native Americans. Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce tribe was known to fast at the Wheel, while Chief Washakie of the Shoshone tribe claimed to have obtained his medicine there.

To get to the Medicine Wheel, take US 14A and turn off onto a marked gravel road (Forest Road 12) that is located about 32.6 miles east of Lovell, Wyoming. Bear in mind, Highway 14A is closed from October through May. The road that leads up to the Medicine Wheel itself, from the interepretive site, no longer permits motorized vehicles, except for handicap accessibility. You will have to walk the last 1.5 miles, so bring a lot of water. Forest Road 12 is often closed due to snow until mid-late June. The Medicine Wheel is closed for short periods for Native American ceremonies. A fence surrounds the Wheel and Native Americans have placed prayer cloths along with other sacred symbolic items on the fence. It is expected that visiting tourists respect these items and not disturb them.