Wheels are primal symbols in diverse religions. Ezekiel saw the wheel in the middle of the air. The Wheel of Life governs all aspects of the Hindu existence. Tibetan Buddhists turn the prayer wheel during their prayers. Many Catholic churches have a Labyrinth to invite an intricate walk within in a wheel for spiritual inspiration and awareness. On Medicine Mountain, visitors have access to the Big Horn Medicine Wheel, "The Place Where Eagles Land," which most Native American people feel is for "All People."

My husband and I took the scenic drive into the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming, just south of the Montana border. As a gateway into Yellowstone Park, we had taken this drive before, but this time we took a detour to explore one of the off beaten paths. After a short trek on a dirt road, we reached the parking lot at the trail head to the Medicine Wheel.

Our mile and half hike followed the same trail which the Ancient Americans had used to access their sacred spot. At 10,000 feet, pilgrims are exposed to the naked forces of nature - such as the snow, the sleet, the thunderstorms, the high winds. Most of the year, the trail is inaccessible due to inclement weather. In August, we faced the intense sun.

My husband took his mobile GPS to measure the highs and lows from the parking lot to the Medicine Wheel - a difference of about 200 feet. The ups and downs on our trek seemed as a metaphor for life. The trail along the high plain provided panoramic views of the mountains, the rocky cliffs, the meadows, and the forests. Some strategically placed benches reminded us to stop, look around, and enjoy our journey. We could see an ocean of trees below, multiple shades of green as well as gray and rust discolorations. We watched the shadows of the clouds skip over the landscape, blown by the roaring wind in the high country.

The path was well graded to support ranger vehicles, yet it was rocky along the way. Recent travelers had created their own rock sculptures along the side of the trail and we added to their art work, leaving our mark along our journey. Wild flowers with patient power emerged out of the layers of rocks as they cracked through the stone. Even in August, snow lay in the crevices and gave the wild life refreshment from the intense sun of summer.

On the high plain, we found the Medicine Wheel protected by a simple, but sturdy, wire fence. The site may have been created as long as 800 years ago. Numerous limestone rocks were placed in the shape of a wheel reaching 80 feet in diameter with 28 spokes radiating from a center cairn to six smaller cairns along the rim. Signs warned us to be respectful of any ongoing Native American ceremonies. We were not fortunate to see any this trip. (If we had, we would have been forbidden to take pictures.) This sacred spot, we discovered, is shared by as many as 81 different Native American Tribes, who come for prayer, inspiration, meditation, and solitude. To them, "everything the Power of the World does is in a circle," so the circle is the essence of Native American life.

At the site, a steady trickle of visitors was respectful in their quietness. We followed the sign directing us "walk to the left" as we circumnavigated clockwise along the perimeter of the Medicine Wheel. Mapping the walk on his GPS, my husband noted it was not a perfect circle, as our walk in this life is not perfect. On the wire fence, many before us had left strips of bright colored cloth. Inside the wheel and along its spokes were placed shells, stones, and pouches, their meanings known only to the pilgrims and their creator.

The trek was an individual experience for each of us. The Ancient Americans had come here to seek wisdom and talk to their creator, saying whatever they wanted to say with no one else around to listen. Their quest reminded me of Elijah, who listened to the "still small voice" on Mount Horeb. At the Medicine Wheel, I experienced a bridge in time with the ancient ones that have walked before me and in whom I can share a common bond with the desire for communion with my Creator.

S. K. Smith is a native of Montana, a second generation American, and a graduate of Montana State University and the University of Colorado. Her childhood experiences in rural Montana and work in the aerospace industry throughout the west have provided a rich source of material for her novels and freelance writing. She has recently published a novel as an eBook, "Samantha at the Crossroads" at www.synergebooks.com/ebook_samanthaatthecrossroads.html. Also, you can access her web site: www.smithsk.com for more information.