Medicine Lodge

WYOPARKS.STATE.WY.US WYOPARKS.STATE.WY.US SITE FEES & PERMITS No Daily Use Fee required. Overnight Camping Fees must be paid each day, per vehicle. Individual campsite reservations can be made by calling 800-996-7275 or by going online to www.wyo-park.com SITE RULES A complete list of rules and regulations is available at the park office. • Camping is permitted only in designated campsites and is restricted to one camping unit (tent, travel trailer or motor vehicle designed for camping) plus two licensed vehicles. • Camping is permitted for a maximum of 14 consecutive days. Valid camping permits are required per vehicle. • Glass beverage containers are prohibited outside of camping units. • Digging or leveling of ground is prohibited. • Fires are permitted in provided fire pits/grills and must be extinguished before leaving. • Discharging firearms or other projectile devices is prohibited within the park. • All pets must be on a leash. • Quiet shall be maintained from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. • The destruction, injury, defacement, removal or disturbance in any manner of any soil, rock or mineral formation, artifact, historic or prehistoric feature is strictly prohibited. THINGS TO DO AND SEE More than 10,000 years of rich cultural history thrives at Medicine Lodge amongst the endless outdoor recreation opportunities. Wildlife viewing and opportunities for adventure are amongst the best in the state. Discover why people have been returning here for 10,000 years. Come slow down and relax, or speed up and explore. Trails: Hiking, biking, horseback, & ATV trails; we’ve got it covered. Medicine Lodge is the ultimate trailhead for exploring your favorite type of trail. Enjoy access to hundreds of miles of both non-motorized and multi-use trails. Public horse corrals are first-come, first-serve. Fishing: Whether you favor traditional tackle or fly gear, Medicine Lodge offers miles of prime angling access. Brown trout are abundant in Medicine Lodge Creek and nearby streams produce both rainbows and brook trout. Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site is administered by the Division of State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails; Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources. 3/16 Archaeological Discovery: View hundreds of prehistoric petroglyphs and pictographs along a 700 foot long sandstone cliff. Archaeological digs have revealed 10,000 years of human occupation at the site. Artifacts are on display in the visitor center. Exploration: From cactus to alpine lakes, explore the five distinct vegetative zones within a 12-mile radius. Nearby dinosaur tracks, disappearing streams, tipi-rings, rock arches and abundant wildlife await your adventurous spirit. LOCATION Medicine Lodge is located on the western slope of the Big Horn Mountains in northern Wyoming. Take Highway 16/20 to Manderson and turn onto State Route 31. Travel 21 miles to Cold Springs Road, then County Road 52 and follow the signs to the park. From Tensleep, take the lower Nowood road to Hyattville, and then follow Cold Springs Road to County road 52. SPECIAL EVENTS The Medicine Lodge Group Area can be reserved year-round for group camping, picnics, family reunions, and other special events. Guided archaeological tours of the site occur regularly throughout the summer. For reservations, or more information call park headquarters: (307) 469-2234 HISTORY The area which is now Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site has been continuously occupied for more than 10,000 years. Homesteaded in 1881 by Byron F. Wickwire, Medicine Lodge was originally a working cattle ranch. The ranch was purchased in 1972 by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department which created the 12,000 acre Medicine Lodge Wildlife Habitat Area. In 1973, a portion of the habitat management area was developed into Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site where cultural history and recreational access continues today. Lower Campground Reserve Site #1 IRRIGATION DITCH Interpretive displays in our Visitor Center and along Petroglyph Cliff offer a glimpse into the lives of some of North America’s earliest inhabitants as well as more recent Native American occupations. Archaeological investigation involved digging through approximately 26 feet of soil and rocky sediments, discovering over 60 cultural levels spanning some 10,000 years of human occupation. This important aspect of the site enabled archaeologists to examine particular lifestyles and study how they changed over time. Artifacts uncovered during the digs included fire pits, food storage pits, manos and metates (grinding stones), projectile points, and other stone tools. Trade beads and pottery sherds indicating Crow occupation were also found. In 1969, Dr. George Frison, then Wyoming State Archaeologist, began a series of digs that uncovered a human habitation site that had been continuously occupied for more than 10,000 years. Thus, Medicine Lodge has become a key to the archaeological interpretation of the entire Big Horn Basin and Paleoindians in general. DEEP BENEATH THE DIRT Apple Orchard Area Sh ip Middle Campground Reserve Site #2 MEDICINE LODGE STATE PARK EMERGENCY ..................................................... 911 Non-Emergency Law Enforcement Issues........................... 1-800-442-2767 Park Headquarters/Supt. office .......... 307- 469-2234 Game & Fish (Cody) .......................... 307- 527-7125 BLM (Worland) ................................... 307- 347-5100 PHONE NUMBERS 12,000 year interpretive timeline Public corrals DRY FORK utte Parking area Wildflower Photo Display & Elk Habitat Mgt. Visitor Centers f se o - Clo l drive) 1 ly e u -whe en J (Op ason, 4 e S Elk ck B Archaeological dig site and petroglyph site o Bla ←T The 750 foot long cliff face contains hundreds of Native American petroglyphs and pictographs including shield bearing warriors, elk, bears, birds, and abstract symbols. Associated with large shield-bearing warrior figures, Medicine Lodge stands out among other sites in the region for its sheer quantity and diversity of imagery (Francis 2007). It has been known for more than a century that Medicine Lodge contains spectacular images pecked and painted along the sandstone cliffs (Francis 2007). It is also recognized as one of the major rock art localities of the Northwestern Plains (Francis 2001). ROCK ART Gravel road Foot path Fence Visitor Information Viewing area Reserve Site #3 Restrooms Playground Picnic Area Phone Park Headquarters Group Picnic Shelter Drinking Water Camping area ADA Large Group Area Trail WET FORK Reserve Site #5 Reserve Site #4 Fee booth ck Ro E E LODG MEDICIN EK E CR to Cold 1.4 milessRoad → g n ri p S lle Hyattvi→ 6 miles to