Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site, Wyoming

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May 27

Written & Photos By: Laurel Thompson

Tucked away at the base of the Bighorn Mountains, just outside of the small town of Hyattville, Wyoming, lies Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site. As part of Wyoming State Parks, this beautiful site is in no shortage of outdoor recreation opportunities and is the perfect location for a quick day trip or weekend getaway.

As residents of the Bighorn Basin, Sam and I frequent Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site several times a month to take advantage of fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and picnicking more. Medicine Lodge does not a require a day use fee, but other Wyoming State Park Fees apply.

Camping

Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site, guests will find themselves surrounded by lush tree and scrub covered campsites. The park has 28 campsites, all of which are compatible with tents, trailers, and RVs, located in the Lower, Middle and Group Area Campgrounds. Each campsite is accompanied by a picnic table and firing. There are several restrooms scattered throughout the campgrounds as well as watering stations, and a public horse corral as horses are not permitted on campsites.

Five of the 28 sites are reservable, and the remaining sites are all first come-first served. 1 campsite is handicap accessible. There is even a large group area that can be reserved for large groups.

Visitor Information & History

Medicine Lodge offers visitor services and site history within a few small structures throughout the park. Medicine Lodge’s 3 museums are located within historic log cabins and interpret the site’s archaeology, natural history, and Wildlife Habitat Management Area. At the small self-guided, interpretive museums, visitors can browse a multitude of information regarding the history of the park all the way from the Indians to the most recent ranching history and view artifacts such as arrowheads and pottery, historical photographs, and more!

Petroglyphs

Located adjacent from the public horse corrals and Visitor Center, visitors can walk along the 700-foot sandstone cliff that contains Native American petroglyphs and pictographs. The hundreds of stone engravings are fascinating to view and are perfect for visitors of all ages.

Outdoor Recreation

Medicine Lodge has many outdoor recreation opportunities year-round! During our recent trip with visiting family, our group split up to enjoy a variety of activities to include picnicking, fishing, hiking and horseback riding. A full list of park activities can be found here.

Public Land Access

Tens of thousands of acres of public land that adjoin Medicine Lodge are open to hiking, horseback riding, and wildlife and scenic overlook viewing. While there are limited miles of trails within the park, trails that are accessible from the park exceed 10 miles in length (WYOPark.Gov).

Adventure Awaits

Whether you are looking for a day or overnight trip, Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site is on our statewide list of musts! So, what are you waiting on? Start planning your next WYld adventure today. Share your #liveWYld adventures on social media and tag us @LiveWYldmag

General Site Information

No day use fee’s are required.

Public Horse Corrals are available and free of charge. Certified weed seed free hay is required inside the park. Please be courteous and scoop manure to the alley ways of the corrals for easy cleanup by site staff.

Vehicles in the park after 10:00PM shall have a valid camping permit displayed.