For as long as 10,000 years, prehistoric trails through the Big Horn Mountains intersected at Five Springs, and the first people using them may have entered the area on the same path used today. Over time, possibly because of rising temperatures and decreasing moisture, buffalo-centered plains people and mountain hunters and gatherers shared this trail system. This trail became the main access to the Medicine Wheel for these Ancient Americans. Native American Indian people representing 81 different tribes still use this ancient trail for traditional ceremonies, and some prepare for more than a year for their journey to the Medicine Wheel. The place remains one where Native American people and cultures cross paths for prayer, meditation, inspiration, solitude, and the continued practice of traditional ways.