The landscape of Bighorn National Forest unfolds across elevations ranging from 5,000 to over 13,000 feet. Native Americans have been present in the region for more than 12,000 years, and their presence has been imprinted on the landscape. The Medicine Wheel is an ancient Native American sacred site that sits on a limestone plateau at 9,642 feet. The Medicine Wheel is a circular arrangement of stones measuring 80 feet in diameter with 28 rock “spokes” radiating from a prominent central cairn; 5 smaller stone enclosures are located on the circumference of the wheel. The best estimate is that the structure dates to between 250 and 1,000 years ago (so, it was likely in use at the time Cahokia (stop #4) was at its zenith). The site is still used today by Native Americans. The connection between landscape, nature, and people is an important, enduring relationship. In recent decades, science has produced an abundance of evidence documenting the importance of the nature-human connection to human health, including our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Nature holds tremendous value!
