Bighorn Medicine Wheel
Photo: National Park Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Bighorn Medicine Wheel stands as one of North America's most enigmatic prehistoric stone structures, perched at nearly 10,000 feet elevation in Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains. This ancient ceremonial site consists of a circular arrangement of white limestone rocks measuring approximately 80 feet in diameter, with 28 stone spokes radiating from a central cairn to an outer rim. The wheel was constructed directly upon a limestone bedrock foundation, utilizing locally quarried white limestone carefully arranged in precise geometric patterns. Sacred to over 60 Native American tribes, this site represents both an astronomical observatory and a place of deep spiritual significance that continues to draw pilgrims and researchers alike.
Timeline
Construction of the Medicine Wheel by unknown Native American builders
Site designated as a National Historic Landmark
Systematic archaeological and astronomical studies begin documenting the site's celestial alignments
What the Show Claims
- ›The Medicine Wheel served as a vortex connecting star energies and Earth energiesS07E06
- ›Crow chief Red Plume's encounter with 'little people' at the site represents contact with extraterrestrials who taught him medical secretsS07E06
- ›The site's astronomical alignments demonstrate advanced knowledge possibly obtained from non-human sources
Theorist Takes
“He was visited, he said, by these little men who then took him inside the Earth into some kind of a vortex wormhole. There, they taught him secrets of medicine.”
From the Transcripts
“Nearly 10,000 feet up, on a desolate peak that is only accessible during the brief summer months, lies a structure known as the Bighorn Medicine Wheel.”
“Big Horn Medicine Wheel in Wyoming. Many Native American tribes say, that at these ancient sites, and countless others, entities that they call 'star beings' came down from the sky to teach their ancestors.”
What Archaeology Says
Archaeological investigations at the Bighorn Medicine Wheel have revealed a sophisticated understanding of astronomy among its Native American builders. The stone structure's alignments correspond to significant celestial events, including summer and winter solstices, as well as the rising points of bright stars like Aldebaran, Rigel, and Sirius. Researchers have documented that several of the wheel's spokes point toward these astronomical phenomena with remarkable precision.
The site's construction technique demonstrates careful planning and execution, with builders selecting uniform white limestone pieces and arranging them in mathematically precise patterns. Carbon dating and archaeological analysis suggest the wheel was built around 1200 AD, though some evidence indicates the site may have been used ceremonially for much longer periods. The elevated location was clearly chosen deliberately, providing unobstructed views of the horizon necessary for astronomical observations.
What remains genuinely mysterious is the specific cultural group responsible for the wheel's construction and the exact ceremonial purposes it served. While numerous Plains tribes consider it sacred, the original builders' identity is lost to history. The site's remote, high-altitude location also raises questions about seasonal use and the logistics of ancient ceremonial gatherings at such an inhospitable elevation.
Modern Native American tribes continue to hold ceremonies at the site, maintaining living connections to its ancient purpose while respecting both its spiritual significance and its value for scientific study of prehistoric astronomy.
Mysteries & Fun Facts
The wheel is constructed entirely of white limestone naturally occurring at the site
The structure contains 28 spokes, a number significant in many Native American lunar calendars
At nearly 10,000 feet elevation, it's one of the highest prehistoric ceremonial sites in North America
The site remains sacred to over 60 different Native American tribes across the Great Plains region
Planning a Visit
The Medicine Wheel is accessible via a steep, winding mountain road that typically requires high-clearance vehicles and is only open during summer months due to snow conditions. Visitors should be prepared for high-altitude conditions and potentially severe weather changes, as the site sits at nearly 10,000 feet elevation.
Sheridan, Wyoming, approximately 70 miles northeast
Late June through September offers the best access conditions, with July and August providing the most reliable weather. Early morning visits often provide the clearest mountain views and most peaceful experience.
Featured Locations1 sites within this area
Big Horn Medicine Wheel
United StatesTheorists cite the Big Horn Medicine Wheel as one of several ancient sites where Native American tribes report contact with star beings who descended from the sky. Mainstream scholars regard it as a sacred ceremonial site used by various Plains Indian tribes, with astronomical alignments likely used for calendar and ritual purposes.
Related Sites
Callanish Stones / Scottish Sites
Both are ancient stone circles with sophisticated astronomical alignments that challenge conventional understanding of prehistoric knowledge
Avebury Stone Circle
Another ceremonial stone circle complex that demonstrates advanced prehistoric understanding of celestial movements
Chichen Itza - Kukulkan Temple
Features precise astronomical alignments and served as both ceremonial site and astronomical observatory for ancient civilizations
Featured In1 episodes
Historical data sourced from Wikipedia