Effigy Mounds National Monument

A pretty area along the Mississippi River bluffs and the Yellow River. This is near the Wisconsin/ Iowa state border. Ancient Native American mounds can be found around the monument grounds. Some paths have an initial steep incline and take visitors on a path around multiple large mounds and along bluffs with vistas of the Mississippi River. This is still sacred land. Respect is expected. There's also a boardwalk trail which is all paved and/or a boardwalk. This trail is very nice for unsteady joints. The wooded trails are beautiful; but consist of small rocks, roots, and leaves which can be tricky footwork.

Highly recommend checking this place out while in the area to learn some history and get a nice walk in! Stop into the visitors center for the quick museum and grab a map before making your way on the trails. The beginning of the main walk is an upward hike but you have some nice views of the Mississippi and the mounds once you get to the top!

I have visited this National Monument multiple times the past couple of years, and the experience was amazing. It's a great scenic drive from the Twin Cities area, allowing stops at other points of interest in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Effigy Mounds has it all - great hiking trails, the awe-inspiring overlooks of the Mississippi valley (better in the northern area of the park, in my opinion), the ability to reflect on the mounds and their builders in solitude, and the great Visitor's Center with historic information and displays make this a must stop in the Upper Midwest. I had previously visited the northern trails, mounds, and overlooks. With this latest visit, I focused on hiking in the south unit to both Nezekaw overlook and the Marching Bears, since I had not yet been to this part of the park. The trail was quite steep when starting out from the day use parking area; however it was in great condition as of early September 2025. Started my hike at 9:30 on a Saturday morning and only saw 2 other groups on the 5 or so miles I completed. The southern area viewpoint wasn't as great as the northern ones are, so I would suggest if you are looking for some exercise and a grand view, start there (or if you just want the view, Pike's Peak State Park a few miles south is worth a mention and visit, regardless). I also thought the mounds in the north unit were easier to identify from ground level. Note that neither of these trails are accessible - there is only one accessible trail around the Visitor's Center, which I have not personally hiked yet...so probably another visit in the future! All in all, can't go wrong with a visit to this park, and definitely one of those underated hidden gems of the National Park Service!

It's definitely worth the visit if you're in eastern Iowa. The views from the top of the bluffs are magnificent as you enjoy the panoramas from the outlooks ... maybe get the pleasure of seeing eagles soar just above at Eagle Point. Drink in some history and learn about the mounds. They're the main attraction, but it's the views that make this worth your stop. There are 3 mounds immediately adjacent to the free visitor center (the whole visit is free). A moderate hike up to the top around the loop (about an hour) for views of the more beautiful mound areas. More trails beyond.

Great hiking, amazing views! I’m an advanced hiker. I hiked the whole north loop out 3.5 miles and back in Oct 2021 and due to time constraints, a bit less than two miles in July 2025.. With the various overlooks, there are built-in breaks. The most commonly hiked part of the trails (close to the visitor center) are wide and wood chipped. The rest are naturally occurring from foot traffic. The farther you go, the fewer people you’ll see. You could see bald or golden eagles at any of the overlooks. Enjoy.

We heard a gret presentation given by one of the Park Rangers, then we went exploring on our own. The mounds closest to the information center are easily accessible on a path covered in woodchips. Some steep slopes but not too bad, beautiful views of the Mississippi. Marching bears is a little farther and requires a steep climb (20% incline) on a gravel service road until you get to the top of the bluff. It's well worth it! Up there there's a quiet forest full of birds, a prairie in restoration, and then the mounds. You do not get the beautiful views to the river from up there, tho.

Very clean, we did the hiking challenge and got the patches and stickers and also the bark ranger program. Staff is knowledgeable. The hikes can be long, wear bug spray and check for ticks after. Bring plenty of water. The museum is nice with a lot of information.

Our daughter got her junior ranger badge and enjoyed learning the history of the area as well as information about local Flora and fauna. Very scenic location next to the Mississippi River. Trails of different lengths are available to see the mounds- some from the visitor center, and some from other access points. The visitor center museum was small but really nice, and the staff were all terrific. Outdoor spaces are available for picnics. The visitor center provides restrooms, a water fountain, and a place to refill water bottles. They also have some hands on activities for kids, including a touch table with title shells and other natural artifacts.