Stone Circles

Stone Circles. Near the River Crossing. , On both sides of the Shoshone River there are many circles made of stones built by the Indians who frequented this area. Some of the sites are simply circles with no doorways, believed to be religious symbols associated with the circle of life or with the sun and moon. Other circles show an opening for a door or have a firepit inside, indicating that they are tepee rings used to anchor hides for dwellings., The hot mineral springs in this region attracted the Indians who bathed in the springs to treat wounds and sickness. The springs are still active in the canyon of the Shoshone River, known to the Indians as the “Stinking Water River” because of the sulfurous odor of the springs., A natural ford to cross the Shoshone River is just below the mouth of Trail Creek near here. The creek was named for the ancient Indian trail that connected the Big Horn Basin to the Yellowstone Country.