US - Wyoming Medicine Wheel Mountain

Looking West over the Medicine Wheel.

The Medicine Wheel/Medicine Mountain National Historic Landmark is located at an elevation of 9,642 feet near the crest of the Bighorn Mountains of north central Wyoming and 12 miles south of the Montana border. It is an ancient Native American spiritual site where tribal ceremonial activity continues to this day.

In the early 1970s, astronomers and scientists noted important star alignments involving the central and circumferential cairns. It's suggested that the Bighorn Medicine Wheel was used by Native Americans as an astronomical observatory and calendar. 

We camped just below the mountain and had a sleepless night due to the notorious Wyoming winds. In the morning, we hiked to the summit and the medicine wheel.

Leaving the Big Horn National Forrest, we headed south to Mesa Verde National Park. Unfortunately, the weather was rainy and cool.

After a driving tour of the park, we headed East to Alamosa, Colorado and Sand Dunes National Monument.

Located near the dunes, is Zapata Falls. This little known site is a short hike and worth the visit.

Zapata Falls

This picture was taken inside the cavern and shows the portal opening to the sky and the drop to the basin.