This Sacred Stone Circle in Has Perfect Astronomical Alignments That Still Work Today

Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark in Wyoming

High in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains sits a giant wheel made of white stones. This is the Medicine Wheel, a sacred Native American site that sits 9,642 feet above sea level.

The wheel is 80 feet across and has fascinated both scientists and visitors for hundreds of years. Here are some interesting facts about the Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark in Wyoming.

No One Knows How Old It Is

The first written records only came after settlers arrived in the 1800s.

People have lived near the Medicine Wheel since 5000 BCE, but the wheel itself was probably built between 1200 and 1700 CE.

It Lines Up with the Sun and Stars

The wheel works somewhat like a calendar.

On the summer solstice, the sun rises right over its eastern spoke. Six other spokes point to where certain stars rise and set, including Aldebaran in Taurus and Rigel in Orion.

Astronomer John Eddy discovered these alignments in 1977, though Native American tribes had known about it for generations.

It’s Incredibly Sacred

The Crow (Apsáalooke) people see it as a bridge between earth and spirit, where they can pray and receive visions.

The Cheyenne view it as a map of the universe, with each spoke showing important spiritual connections. The Shoshone include it in their stories about how the world began.

The Weather Is Extreme

The wheel sits high in the mountains where the weather is harsh. Snow covers it for eight months each year, which actually helps preserve the ancient structure.

To visit, people must walk a steep 1.5-mile trail from the parking area. You can only easily reach it from late June to early September. Even in summer, it can freeze, and the wind can blow up to 50 miles per hour.

The Design Is Very Precise

The wheel has 28 spokes coming from its center, each placed with mathematical precision to track the stars. Each spoke was lined up carefully to watch the movement of stars and planets.

The number 28 is important in Native American beliefs – it might represent the moon’s cycles or stages of life. The central cairn is made of heavy limestone rocks that weigh hundreds of pounds each.

Scientists Keep Finding New Things

University of Wyoming archaeologists have found over 100 types of objects near the wheel, including tools, pottery, and ceremonial items.

Some obsidian arrowheads came from as far as Yellowstone, showing that tribes traded with each other.

By studying tiny bits in the soil, scientists have found traces of ceremonial fires from the late 1200s.

The Government Protects It

On February 18, 1970, the Medicine Wheel became a National Historic Landmark. The U.S. Forest Service watches over it with help from Native American tribes.

A wooden walkway lets people see the wheel without harming it. About 10,000 people visit each summer when the weather allows.

People Still Use It for Ceremonies

Crow spiritual leader Joseph Medicine Crow called it a ‘window to the universe.’ Tribes hold ceremonies here during solstices and equinoxes, just as they have for centuries.

They believe each stone holds spiritual energy. Young tribal members are learning about the wheel to keep these traditions alive.

Its Star Alignments Still Work

Modern computers show just how precise the wheel is.

Scientists can use computer models to predict where the sun will appear, and the wheel’s spokes line up perfectly. These alignments still work after centuries of wind and weather.