Reviews of Effigy Mounds National Monument Visitor Center (Travel Agency)

Tara Stage

Great trails,beautiful nature

Mark Metko

Excellent place to visit. A steep hike up to the top of a bluff leads to breathtaking views. Many effigy mounds in a well taken care of park setting.

Claudia Herman

Glad to see the National Park coins for sale. The gift shop has been scaled down since our last visit.

Nick Chill

Beautiful park. It's great for a family hike.

Johnny Prince

Great trails, until you go for the long distance trail. If you do that. Proceed with great care. Once you get to the top, though. Breath taking views!

Dale Halink

Grass was short enough on the mounds for close examination. Saw many trees that were recently cut. Some trails were being repaired from the recent heavy rains. Mounds and park are being taking care of well and you can tell the maintenance department takes pride in their work. Nature center was clean as always and the rangers are friendly. I enjoyed my visit very much. The "marching bears" are a must see if you are able to hike to them.

Natalie Miller

So fun and interesting. We had a beautiful hike and learned a lot!

Dave Nelson

Great place to hike

Abhijit S B

Trails take lot of time better to start in morning. All scenic spots offer great view of the river.

Rick Johnson

Interesting history. Hike to the mounts is all up hill but then it's all down hill back to the parking lot. Worth it.

Laurie C

Amazing...a must stop...dont pass this buy

Maddy Love

Wonderful place, full of history that around every turn reminds me as a white woman of European decent that I'm living on stolen land. History began here long before Europeans arrived, and this park is a wonderful reminder of that.

Coty Thompson

Very informational visitor center. Wasn't able to walk trails due to weather:(

Siva C

I went with my friends on Thanksgiving weekend. We did few small hikes to see bear and bird mounds - bear mounds are easily recognizable but bird mounds are little hard but the view points are great. There are also other longer hikes which didn’t do. I think the best time to visit the place is during fall colors and next is spring

Rick Brown

Interesting but tiring hike.

Gloria Lewis

They are redoing exhibits as they fact find . Nice

Mark Boyer

This was a very interesting stop. The trails were easy to hike. The park staff was welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable. The film was to short. Spent a good deal of time speaking with park staff about the history of the park as well as future plans. Discussed the new technology used in identifying mounds.

James Smith

Just north of Agusta Iowa on the Mississippi river. Really nice facility and it is a "FREE" National monument/park. Great hiking trails and you see these interesting mounds that are huge. The Visitor center has a nice video explaining everything. The National Parks people were awesome. They not only made you feel welcome they told you about the park and also don't miss points of interest near by like Pikes Peak Iowa. Who Knew?

Deborah Holman

Interesting to see and learn about. Visitor Center staff very friendly and helpful.

Hugo Hackenbush

Free admission. Visitor center open 9-4. Grounds - there is no sign, but there is a gate at the parking lot entrance -I assume sunrise to sunset. Pick up a map at the visitor center which shows the trails and objects. There are no interpretive signs on the trails, but the trails are well marked so no chance of getting lost or confused. Immediately to the side of the visitor center are 3 mounds about 2 - 4 feet tall and 15 feet long. From there you walk / climb up 400 vertical feet over a series of switchbacks on a very well-maintained wood chip trail. At the top of the hill you will observe what appears to be a huge burried banjo: 20 foot round section, 10 foot wide neck, 150 feet long, 2 feet high. That's the mound. Good Verizon signal the whole time. I went to the very end: "Hanging rock" at an extremely leisurely pace, going down every spur and taking lots pictures: it took 2 1/2 hours to Hanging Rock. The trip back to the visitor center at a leisurely pace with no stops took 1 hour, 6 minutes.

Scott Merriner

Enjoyed it. Good work out getting to the ones on the hill, good shoes needed. They don't tell you how far a walk/hike it is till you get to top of the top of the hill. I would go again to see the rest. Only saw the north ones.

Hannah Roberg

Such a nice hike with well kept trails!

Steve H

Interesting. Maybe more of a hiking location.

Gene Carlson

I have walked these trails for years. I observe lots of wildlife while getting a great workout. The views of the Mississippi are phenomenal. A hikers must

Joseph Kavanagh

Good Paleo site. Nice mounds.

mh clark

Great place to hike and learn a little Iowa history.

Shawn Schumacher

Wait until it's not 102 degrees and humid, then it's beautiful.

Akim Nilausen

Wonderful place to visit with the whole family. Learned a lot about burial mounds and the native people originally living in this area. It is a must see.

Tonya Schlueter

Very special historical place to visit, showcasing the wonder of Native Americans.

Robin Bissell

Beautiful place. Good sturdy shoes are a must if you want to go to Hanging Rock.

James Cina

Wonderful park. Took the walking tour to Fire Point. Recommend it.

Cathie Rouse

Great place to visit and walk around through the mounds.

Steve-Sally Swartz

Great national park

Stephanie Tardiff

Beautiful area with a great view of the Mississippi River. Nice light hike/nature walk. Bathrooms available. Not far from Yellow River State Forest.

Mark Uuskallio

The walk in the woods is great! Views are fantastic!

Ray Brown

Very pleasant visitor center with plenty of parking and very helpful staff.

Clint Walker

Beautiful scenery. Great hiking. A great place to see all kinds of wildlife. Had a great time with the family

Freddie Crusoe

Visited early spring, mounds were not outlined and I wish they had viewing platforms. Neat to see once but probably would not visit it again.

Dan S

A great vintage visitor center to gather information about the ancient peoples associated with the Effigy Mounds. Plenty of good information, clean restrooms, and friendly staff make this a must-see before doing whatever it is you're at Effigy Mounds to do. One tip: bring cash. Data service is unreliable here and the store may not be able to accept credit cards.

Nancy VanDalsem

No idea where or what the mounds are. Unfortunately we arrived after the information center was closed, so maybe that would have been helpful. Had a nice walk through nature however.

Dan May

Peaceful and beautiful, this is well worth the visit!

Eric F Heins

Yes as others said, it's beautiful with good trails and interpretive signage. Be ready for a 2-300' elevation change on the somewhat steep hike up the hill to see the most dramatic mounds. That could be physically challenging for some folks. There ARE some mounds in the valley. The main reason I rated it 4 stars instead of 5 is because the interpretive center closes at 4pm 7 days a week.

Rachel Raibikis

Beautiful place! Great hiking but it is pretty steep! Fantastic views of the Mississippi River!

Vickee Beach

Great culture and the park rangers are amazing

Chuck Leppert

Great hike....not real technical, groomed trails....great views of the Mississippi River.

Tara Stage

Great trails,beautiful nature

Mark Metko

Excellent place to visit. A steep hike up to the top of a bluff leads to breathtaking views. Many effigy mounds in a well taken care of park setting.

Claudia Herman

Glad to see the National Park coins for sale. The gift shop has been scaled down since our last visit.

Nick Chill

Beautiful park. It's great for a family hike.

Johnny Prince

Great trails, until you go for the long distance trail. If you do that. Proceed with great care. Once you get to the top, though. Breath taking views!

Dale Halink

Grass was short enough on the mounds for close examination. Saw many trees that were recently cut. Some trails were being repaired from the recent heavy rains. Mounds and park are being taking care of well and you can tell the maintenance department takes pride in their work. Nature center was clean as always and the rangers are friendly. I enjoyed my visit very much. The "marching bears" are a must see if you are able to hike to them.

Natalie Miller

So fun and interesting. We had a beautiful hike and learned a lot!

Dave Nelson

Great place to hike

Abhijit S B

Trails take lot of time better to start in morning. All scenic spots offer great view of the river.

Rick Johnson

Interesting history. Hike to the mounts is all up hill but then it's all down hill back to the parking lot. Worth it.

Laurie C

Amazing...a must stop...dont pass this buy

Maddy Love

Wonderful place, full of history that around every turn reminds me as a white woman of European decent that I'm living on stolen land. History began here long before Europeans arrived, and this park is a wonderful reminder of that.

Coty Thompson

Very informational visitor center. Wasn't able to walk trails due to weather:(

Siva C

I went with my friends on Thanksgiving weekend. We did few small hikes to see bear and bird mounds - bear mounds are easily recognizable but bird mounds are little hard but the view points are great. There are also other longer hikes which didn’t do. I think the best time to visit the place is during fall colors and next is spring

Rick Brown

Interesting but tiring hike.

Gloria Lewis

They are redoing exhibits as they fact find . Nice

Mark Boyer

This was a very interesting stop. The trails were easy to hike. The park staff was welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable. The film was to short. Spent a good deal of time speaking with park staff about the history of the park as well as future plans. Discussed the new technology used in identifying mounds.

Deborah Holman

Interesting to see and learn about. Visitor Center staff very friendly and helpful.

Hugo Hackenbush

Free admission. Visitor center open 9-4. Grounds - there is no sign, but there is a gate at the parking lot entrance -I assume sunrise to sunset. Pick up a map at the visitor center which shows the trails and objects. There are no interpretive signs on the trails, but the trails are well marked so no chance of getting lost or confused. Immediately to the side of the visitor center are 3 mounds about 2 - 4 feet tall and 15 feet long. From there you walk / climb up 400 vertical feet over a series of switchbacks on a very well-maintained wood chip trail. At the top of the hill you will observe what appears to be a huge burried banjo: 20 foot round section, 10 foot wide neck, 150 feet long, 2 feet high. That's the mound. Good Verizon signal the whole time. I went to the very end: "Hanging rock" at an extremely leisurely pace, going down every spur and taking lots pictures: it took 2 1/2 hours to Hanging Rock. The trip back to the visitor center at a leisurely pace with no stops took 1 hour, 6 minutes.

Scott Merriner

Enjoyed it. Good work out getting to the ones on the hill, good shoes needed. They don't tell you how far a walk/hike it is till you get to top of the top of the hill. I would go again to see the rest. Only saw the north ones.

Hannah Roberg

Such a nice hike with well kept trails!

Steve H

Interesting. Maybe more of a hiking location.

Gene Carlson

I have walked these trails for years. I observe lots of wildlife while getting a great workout. The views of the Mississippi are phenomenal. A hikers must

Joseph Kavanagh

Good Paleo site. Nice mounds.

mh clark

Great place to hike and learn a little Iowa history.

Shawn Schumacher

Wait until it's not 102 degrees and humid, then it's beautiful.

Akim Nilausen

Wonderful place to visit with the whole family. Learned a lot about burial mounds and the native people originally living in this area. It is a must see.

Tonya Schlueter

Very special historical place to visit, showcasing the wonder of Native Americans.

Robin Bissell

Beautiful place. Good sturdy shoes are a must if you want to go to Hanging Rock.

James Cina

Wonderful park. Took the walking tour to Fire Point. Recommend it.

Cathie Rouse

Great place to visit and walk around through the mounds.

Steve-Sally Swartz

Great national park

Stephanie Tardiff

Beautiful area with a great view of the Mississippi River. Nice light hike/nature walk. Bathrooms available. Not far from Yellow River State Forest.

Mark Uuskallio

The walk in the woods is great! Views are fantastic!

Ray Brown

Very pleasant visitor center with plenty of parking and very helpful staff.

Clint Walker

Beautiful scenery. Great hiking. A great place to see all kinds of wildlife. Had a great time with the family

Freddie Crusoe

Visited early spring, mounds were not outlined and I wish they had viewing platforms. Neat to see once but probably would not visit it again.

Dan S

A great vintage visitor center to gather information about the ancient peoples associated with the Effigy Mounds. Plenty of good information, clean restrooms, and friendly staff make this a must-see before doing whatever it is you're at Effigy Mounds to do. One tip: bring cash. Data service is unreliable here and the store may not be able to accept credit cards.

Nancy VanDalsem

No idea where or what the mounds are. Unfortunately we arrived after the information center was closed, so maybe that would have been helpful. Had a nice walk through nature however.

Vicki Ppool

Great hiking. The mounds have interesting history. Nice scenic views.

Eric F Heins

Yes as others said, it's beautiful with good trails and interpretive signage. Be ready for a 2-300' elevation change on the somewhat steep hike up the hill to see the most dramatic mounds. That could be physically challenging for some folks. There ARE some mounds in the valley. The main reason I rated it 4 stars instead of 5 is because the interpretive center closes at 4pm 7 days a week.

Rachel Raibikis

Beautiful place! Great hiking but it is pretty steep! Fantastic views of the Mississippi River!

Vickee Beach

Great culture and the park rangers are amazing

Chuck Leppert

Great hike....not real technical, groomed trails....great views of the Mississippi River.

Jerry Nelson

Good hiking trails and river views.

Marty Hogan

Great hike and if you are into history at all well worth a visit. It's free too.

Ali Simpson

Wonderful hiking trail! Get ready for a steep climb but once you reach the top the views are worth it!!!

Christy Scullin

Expect a good, long walk if you would like to view any of the actual mounds, which are all on the hilltops; however, they are worth the effort. There is also a nice handicapped accessible trail that is pleasant and scenic if you are looking for a shorter, gentler walk. You won't see mounds on this walk, as it is through the lowlands, but it is enjoyable with a bridge that crosses the Yellow River. On this walk, you may see ducks, geese, birds, squirrels, and perhaps even a turtle, frog, or glimpse of a beaver, if you are really lucky. There is a nice visitors center at the trail heads. It has modern restroom facilities, an educational film about the mounds, a small museum section, and small gift shop. There is always a ranger on duty to answer questions during the center's operating hours. You can feel the still, sacredness of the place, especially up around the mounds. When you look out over the Mississippi and Yellow River here, you can almost see and hear the native people hunting mussels, building fires, and going about the daily routines of life. The spirit of the people who built the mounds still dwells in this place.

Emma Jane Reed

Great hike, well groomed trails, helpful staff at the visitors center, ample parking

Mike Miller

Huge visitor center and lots of hiking options with great views.

Dave Shapiro

Excellent place for hiking, views of the Mississippi and of course, the Native American burial sites. There are trails that run 2 to 7 miles. Each provides a different experience. Unfortunately, this is not handicap accessible. The climb is too steep and though there are wood chips on most of the trail, it still is not an easy hike.

Jeff Bates

Beautiful area along the Mississippi River

Charlie West

Great views and hiking!

Kirsti Johanson

I always enjoy National Park Service visits, and this was no exception. The ranger staff was great, and there park is beautiful. Dog friendly, fresh water available.

Grant Strzelczyk

Very enjoyable. Be prepared to do a lot of walking. It is well worth the effort to see this Native American treasure!

Anil Maddimsetti

A great remains of the native American heritage, glad to see this be marked as a national monument. The staff at the visitor center are super helpful with any questions that you may have. The trials are well maintained and have clearly marked lengths, so you can choose the one that you can hike to and come back. Ample parking.

Zach V

Really beautiful, tidy museum. I'm from Marion, IA, and for some reason I wanted to drive the Great River Road from New Albin down through Keokuk. I was aware this place was on my way down, but it still caught me by surprise when I saw the signs for it. If you're in the area, you have to check it out.

Jason Wegner

Iowa's only national park. Very interesting culture. The crossroads of trade for the ancient people. A fly over tour is exciting. Mounds run into Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Jim Archambeau

Fun hike, great views and a bit of wildlife!

Jane kinney

This was has a very nice visitors center. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The trails are maintained very well. Once you get up the first half mile it levels out. Take your time going up you won't regret it. The mounds were very interesting to see and think about what it took to build them. We seen many different birds and fungi on our hike. Great place.

Peter Brooks

Absolutely amazing hike to the top of the hill. The Mounds are absolutely stunning

Scott Underwood

Very peaceful hike thru sacred grounds

Melanie Kay

Great hike. Wonderful history.

Tami Erickson

Alot of walking, but really neat that you can see a couple mounds before you take a hike to see the rest of them. Lots of interesting facts!

Tim Weinberg

A must stop along the Mississippi River, a nice office to start and then a somewhat hefty hike up the hill. Nicely maintained trails allow you to take a close look at all the effigy mounds. The trails lead you to the top of the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. From there you can see miles down river. A must stop if the fall colors are out. And a very good walk anytime of the year. We will be back

Stephen Gonzalez

The Effigy Mounds visitor's center and trails were amazing! The visitors center ranger was very helpful about finding the trails to fit your hiking styles and ambitions. There is also a junior rangers program for kids to earn a badge during their hike. Inside the center is also a small museum detailing the life and culture of the Ioway indians that lived on these lands and buried their dead, which created the mounds. The hiking trails are nice and take you through multiple mound sites. Depending on how far you want to walk it can take you all the way up and down the mound sites! I would also recommend the river walk beehind and to the right of the visitors center. It takes you along the river and has a much better chance to spot wildlife. We were able to spot muskrat, beaver, bald eagles, and black tailed deer. This is a must see sight!

john snyder

Awesome place

Scott Neurauter

Stopped here for a hike. Other than a few nats, the hike was great. Good learning opportunity and some great views!

Pam Benish

We enjoyed our walk. Nice wide, well kept walking paths. The weather was beautiful during our walk and the views are outstanding. So peaceful there, you can just feel the strength of the people who have walked there before you.

Shane Brubaker

Beautiful place to hike. Easy trails for the most part; with some amazing views.

Erin Lewis

Quaint little place with a giftshop, museum, and tons of information about the effigy mounds.

Shaderek Lasorella

Fun

Justin Slater

Very friendly park rangers and staff. Well maintained trails and mounds.

Nika Loeffler

We went when it was cold and nothing was green but it was still so cool to see. Plan on taking the kids back there to walk trails and see it all. The guy who was working at the time was really friendly and nice.

jeff fisher

A lot of walking, but the views are spectacular, and the park is well maintained.

John Hartogh

Great views of the river, excellent hiking trails

Jan Gamlish

Beautiful views. Long walk

Marisol Randazzo

Challenging hike, well maintained grounds, hard to see the shape of the mounds at ground level. Water needs to be made more available

Benita Gonzales

Trails are well kept and easy to navigate. Very pretty with beautiful views of the mighty Mississippi! The Welcome Center/museum is very nice and the rangers are extremely helpful and friendly!

Jerry Nelson

Good hiking trails and river views.

Marty Hogan

Great hike and if you are into history at all well worth a visit. It's free too.

Ali Simpson

Wonderful hiking trail! Get ready for a steep climb but once you reach the top the views are worth it!!!

Christy Scullin

Expect a good, long walk if you would like to view any of the actual mounds, which are all on the hilltops; however, they are worth the effort. There is also a nice handicapped accessible trail that is pleasant and scenic if you are looking for a shorter, gentler walk. You won't see mounds on this walk, as it is through the lowlands, but it is enjoyable with a bridge that crosses the Yellow River. On this walk, you may see ducks, geese, birds, squirrels, and perhaps even a turtle, frog, or glimpse of a beaver, if you are really lucky. There is a nice visitors center at the trail heads. It has modern restroom facilities, an educational film about the mounds, a small museum section, and small gift shop. There is always a ranger on duty to answer questions during the center's operating hours. You can feel the still, sacredness of the place, especially up around the mounds. When you look out over the Mississippi and Yellow River here, you can almost see and hear the native people hunting mussels, building fires, and going about the daily routines of life. The spirit of the people who built the mounds still dwells in this place.

Emma Jane Reed

Great hike, well groomed trails, helpful staff at the visitors center, ample parking

Mike Miller

Huge visitor center and lots of hiking options with great views.

Dave Shapiro

Excellent place for hiking, views of the Mississippi and of course, the Native American burial sites. There are trails that run 2 to 7 miles. Each provides a different experience. Unfortunately, this is not handicap accessible. The climb is too steep and though there are wood chips on most of the trail, it still is not an easy hike.

Jeff Bates

Beautiful area along the Mississippi River

Charlie West

Great views and hiking!

Kirsti Johanson

I always enjoy National Park Service visits, and this was no exception. The ranger staff was great, and there park is beautiful. Dog friendly, fresh water available.

Grant Strzelczyk

Very enjoyable. Be prepared to do a lot of walking. It is well worth the effort to see this Native American treasure!

Anil Maddimsetti

A great remains of the native American heritage, glad to see this be marked as a national monument. The staff at the visitor center are super helpful with any questions that you may have. The trials are well maintained and have clearly marked lengths, so you can choose the one that you can hike to and come back. Ample parking.

Zach V

Really beautiful, tidy museum. I'm from Marion, IA, and for some reason I wanted to drive the Great River Road from New Albin down through Keokuk. I was aware this place was on my way down, but it still caught me by surprise when I saw the signs for it. If you're in the area, you have to check it out.

Jason Wegner

Iowa's only national park. Very interesting culture. The crossroads of trade for the ancient people. A fly over tour is exciting. Mounds run into Wisconsin and Minnesota.

jeff colvin

Very interesting historic place a must see!!! Beauriful walk and scenery!

Jane kinney

This was has a very nice visitors center. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The trails are maintained very well. Once you get up the first half mile it levels out. Take your time going up you won't regret it. The mounds were very interesting to see and think about what it took to build them. We seen many different birds and fungi on our hike. Great place.

Peter Brooks

Absolutely amazing hike to the top of the hill. The Mounds are absolutely stunning

Scott Underwood

Very peaceful hike thru sacred grounds

Melanie Kay

Great hike. Wonderful history.

Tim Weinberg

A must stop along the Mississippi River, a nice office to start and then a somewhat hefty hike up the hill. Nicely maintained trails allow you to take a close look at all the effigy mounds. The trails lead you to the top of the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. From there you can see miles down river. A must stop if the fall colors are out. And a very good walk anytime of the year. We will be back

Stephen Gonzalez

The Effigy Mounds visitor's center and trails were amazing! The visitors center ranger was very helpful about finding the trails to fit your hiking styles and ambitions. There is also a junior rangers program for kids to earn a badge during their hike. Inside the center is also a small museum detailing the life and culture of the Ioway indians that lived on these lands and buried their dead, which created the mounds. The hiking trails are nice and take you through multiple mound sites. Depending on how far you want to walk it can take you all the way up and down the mound sites! I would also recommend the river walk beehind and to the right of the visitors center. It takes you along the river and has a much better chance to spot wildlife. We were able to spot muskrat, beaver, bald eagles, and black tailed deer. This is a must see sight!

john snyder

Awesome place

Scott Neurauter

Stopped here for a hike. Other than a few nats, the hike was great. Good learning opportunity and some great views!

Pam Benish

We enjoyed our walk. Nice wide, well kept walking paths. The weather was beautiful during our walk and the views are outstanding. So peaceful there, you can just feel the strength of the people who have walked there before you.

Shane Brubaker

Beautiful place to hike. Easy trails for the most part; with some amazing views.

Erin Lewis

Quaint little place with a giftshop, museum, and tons of information about the effigy mounds.

Shaderek Lasorella

Fun

Justin Slater

Very friendly park rangers and staff. Well maintained trails and mounds.

Nika Loeffler

We went when it was cold and nothing was green but it was still so cool to see. Plan on taking the kids back there to walk trails and see it all. The guy who was working at the time was really friendly and nice.

jeff fisher

A lot of walking, but the views are spectacular, and the park is well maintained.

Jan Gamlish

Beautiful views. Long walk

Marisol Randazzo

Challenging hike, well maintained grounds, hard to see the shape of the mounds at ground level. Water needs to be made more available

Benita Gonzales

Trails are well kept and easy to navigate. Very pretty with beautiful views of the mighty Mississippi! The Welcome Center/museum is very nice and the rangers are extremely helpful and friendly!

Rose Ann B

Beautiful trails.

Emily Bleile

Its a good place to go hiking a big point they day is you can look and touch but it all has to go back into the forest example if u use a walking stick you have to put it back.

Michelle H

The small visitor center is nice, but you have to use portable restrooms. The trails are good, some steep climbs with great views of the river. The mounds need to have much more interactive/information. Most of them we passed by without even realizing it.

Josh Beyer

One of my favorite places to visit in Iowa. The trails are fairly easy to navigate and hike. Rangers here are friendly and knowledgeable.

R. M. P. Flores

Beautiful views and well maintained trails.

Kathy Mason

Very peaceful. Long hike. We're in our 60's and we did it! Use bug spray and comfortable shoes. We saw hawks and 3 deer who guided us along the way. As my native american grandfather said, "listen to the silence" Would definitely do this again.

Kathy

Beat when hiking to mounds.

stacy stapleton

It's a little walk up the side of a very big hill but once up on the top it's a very beautiful spot to over look the Mississippi River.

Toni O'Neal

Great place to go hiking. Beautiful views

allicat0330 .

Historical locale, gorgeous outlooks, well-maintained paths... I didn't want to leave. If hiking the path, bring a water bottle! Uphill hike was a great workout. Such a magical place.

Jonas Strandqvist

Nice stroll through the forest, good views over the Mississippi, not really "hiking" since the paths are very easy and filled up with bark for a soft and dryer footing. Uphill at the start but otherwise rather flat. Good as a family activity, there are also guided tours with a Ranger. (information about the mounds is minimal at best)

Richard Grumm

Good museum section and nice informative people. But toilets were out and they had porta potties in operation. So if you drove along way, likely, it was porta johns! 5 stars likely if the plumbing was functional.

Tiffany Lafave

Beautiful park ! Lots to see.

Chris Sweet

Cool little snippet of Native American history and culture.

Michael Kolodzie

Spiritual, historical, educational and free to the public.

Renee N

Good hike interesting history good views

Mopar - Minecraft

Its not as cool as it seems because it's just mounds with weeds on them but it was cool to see the formations and the overlooks of the river

Diane Chalstrom

Lots of fairly easy walking. Breathtaking scenery and rangers were helpful, informative visitors center, but restrooms were out of order

Lynn Smith

What a beautiful place! The views of the Mississippi River Valley are spectacular. The quiet, peaceful beauty of this sacred place is relaxing. It's well worth the walk up to the top of the bluff.

Teresa Conville

Great place to visit. Love nature!

Joe Hackbarth

Well kept hiking trails. First 1/4 mile had some steep switchbacks, but after that they are very accessible trails for varying activity/fitness levels.

Juan Rosas

Beautiful scenery easy access trails.

Nikesh V

This site is an attraction to ancient Native Indian burial grounds. The animal in particular is Bear, it has a good visiting center the only flaw I noticed is it is hard to notice the burial of bears. By the way it has great view of Mississippi River.

Chethan Prasad

Very calm and peaceful place.

Laura Moore

Early morning hike was incredibly peaceful many deer and turkeys crossing my path.

Brian Humphrey

Very cool place. The mounds are amazing! Good trails.

Chris Edgar

The hanging rock trail is worth in. It goes up and down and takes you through the forest. The view it remarkable. We even saw a bald eagle. Please make sure to stay off the mounds as this is sacred land.

Andrew Elegante

Very nicely done visitor's center with helpful/friendly Park staff and interesting exhibits. Really appreciated the bottle filling station as well. Monument is free to enter. No wonder the parks are underfunded! I donated $10. Very accessible hikes right of the visitor's center that lead to several mounds. The scenery is so lovely, with great views of the river, that I almost forgot about the mounds. If you are comfortable climbing trees I imagine you can get really cool pictures of the mounds but if not you will need some imagination and/or sense enhancing substances to "see" them from the ground.

Scott Groth

Nice long trails with great views

Dave Goetsch

Neat place will have to go back.

Andy Laurent

If you enjoy mounds, this is a great park. It'll take some hiking, but see the Marching Bear group!

Scott Gustafson

Seth and Sara are both the best! I actually had the campsite next to Seth at the nearby camp area and didn't even know it. He spoke about it was his life goal to be a park ranger after earning his archeology degree. Sara lead me to the mounds and shared a great detailed tour of the entire area. Both of them are national treasures and everyone should be honored to have them at the Effigy Mounds.

Matt Haberkorn

A beautiful forest trail with several great lookouts across the Mississippi.

Jacob Panka

I didn't know flowers bloomed in October

Jim Raich

An informative stop with friendly staff, recommended before walking the trails. Clean restrooms too. A small display of hands-on nature artifacts, and a few souvenirs for purchase, but mostly good advice and answers to questions you might have. Free.

Melissa Bagniewski

Beautiful walk through the trees up to the effigy mounds, plus a great visitors center with very knowledgeable staff and some interesting information to learn about the mounds people who inhabited the area hundreds and thousands of years ago.

Pamela Moffit

Fairly strenuous hike up the bluff to the top to see all but 3 small conical mounds that are close to the visitor center. Only a couple of benches to rest on in the way up, would be great to have a few more of those placed along the trail. The mounds are great, but can't really see them as you're at ground level. Need viewing platforms like those in Kahokia. Did it once, but wouldn't make the hike again unless the viewing was better. Visitor center was nice. Right now only toilets are outside ones add inside ones are broken.

Alycia Abler

Historic site with good views. Be ready for the gnats.

bill sylvis

Great place to hike and see views of the Mississippi, park rangers are very knowledgeable and friendly

Russell Tucker

Great place

Natalie Howard

Learned a lot and enjoyed a short hike. I want to go back as I didn't have a lot of time to spend. I would happily bring the kids, 7+. Some of the trails are steep and they don't have safety rails. Great for your average adult but I wouldn't want to bring a toddler. Wonderful views and very kind and knowledgeable staff. I learned a lot about mounds.

zavash zarei

Nice history

Heather Hasty

The ladies in the museum were very friendly and helpful. Nice set up and interesting stuff!

Lavonna Skeans

Awesome! The views of the river were splendid! Well kept trail.

Doug Stegeman

Staff was very friendly and informative. The displays were great and the effigy mounds were interesting. This is a worth while stop and I'm glad the national parks service maintains it.

Rose Ann B

Beautiful trails.

Emily Bleile

Its a good place to go hiking a big point they day is you can look and touch but it all has to go back into the forest example if u use a walking stick you have to put it back.

Michelle H

The small visitor center is nice, but you have to use portable restrooms. The trails are good, some steep climbs with great views of the river. The mounds need to have much more interactive/information. Most of them we passed by without even realizing it.

Josh Beyer

One of my favorite places to visit in Iowa. The trails are fairly easy to navigate and hike. Rangers here are friendly and knowledgeable.

R. M. P. Flores

Beautiful views and well maintained trails.

Kathy Mason

Very peaceful. Long hike. We're in our 60's and we did it! Use bug spray and comfortable shoes. We saw hawks and 3 deer who guided us along the way. As my native american grandfather said, "listen to the silence" Would definitely do this again.

stacy stapleton

It's a little walk up the side of a very big hill but once up on the top it's a very beautiful spot to over look the Mississippi River.

Toni O'Neal

Great place to go hiking. Beautiful views

allicat0330

Historical locale, gorgeous outlooks, well-maintained paths... I didn't want to leave. If hiking the path, bring a water bottle! Uphill hike was a great workout. Such a magical place.

Jonas Strandqvist

Nice stroll through the forest, good views over the Mississippi, not really "hiking" since the paths are very easy and filled up with bark for a soft and dryer footing. Uphill at the start but otherwise rather flat. Good as a family activity, there are also guided tours with a Ranger. (information about the mounds is minimal at best)

Richard Grumm

Good museum section and nice informative people. But toilets were out and they had porta potties in operation. So if you drove along way, likely, it was porta johns! 5 stars likely if the plumbing was functional.

Tiffany Lafave

Beautiful park ! Lots to see.

Chris Sweet

Cool little snippet of Native American history and culture.

Renee N

Good hike interesting history good views

Mopar - Minecraft

Its not as cool as it seems because it's just mounds with weeds on them but it was cool to see the formations and the overlooks of the river

Diane Chalstrom

Lots of fairly easy walking. Breathtaking scenery and rangers were helpful, informative visitors center, but restrooms were out of order

Lynn Smith

What a beautiful place! The views of the Mississippi River Valley are spectacular. The quiet, peaceful beauty of this sacred place is relaxing. It's well worth the walk up to the top of the bluff.

John Venem

Very cool place to hike. Lots of mounds to see and view of Mississippi is awesome. My 7 yr old really enjoyed the hike. Hill is steep so come prepared to get your excercise!

Teresa Conville

Great place to visit. Love nature!

Joe Hackbarth

Well kept hiking trails. First 1/4 mile had some steep switchbacks, but after that they are very accessible trails for varying activity/fitness levels.

Juan Rosas

Beautiful scenery easy access trails.

beverly penne

Good place to go for a hike, and learn something while there.

Michelle Heerboth

Great hiking!! Very peaceful, great scenic overlooks. Will go back if I have a chance!

Nikesh V

This site is an attraction to ancient Native Indian burial grounds. The animal in particular is Bear, it has a good visiting center the only flaw I noticed is it is hard to notice the burial of bears. By the way it has great view of Mississippi River.

Chethan Prasad

Very calm and peaceful place.

Brian Humphrey

Very cool place. The mounds are amazing! Good trails.

Chris Edgar

The hanging rock trail is worth in. It goes up and down and takes you through the forest. The view it remarkable. We even saw a bald eagle. Please make sure to stay off the mounds as this is sacred land.

Andrew Elegante

Very nicely done visitor's center with helpful/friendly Park staff and interesting exhibits. Really appreciated the bottle filling station as well. Monument is free to enter. No wonder the parks are underfunded! I donated $10. Very accessible hikes right of the visitor's center that lead to several mounds. The scenery is so lovely, with great views of the river, that I almost forgot about the mounds. If you are comfortable climbing trees I imagine you can get really cool pictures of the mounds but if not you will need some imagination and/or sense enhancing substances to "see" them from the ground.

Scott Groth

Nice long trails with great views

Dave Goetsch

Neat place will have to go back.

Andy Laurent

If you enjoy mounds, this is a great park. It'll take some hiking, but see the Marching Bear group!

Scott Gustafson

Seth and Sara are both the best! I actually had the campsite next to Seth at the nearby camp area and didn't even know it. He spoke about it was his life goal to be a park ranger after earning his archeology degree. Sara lead me to the mounds and shared a great detailed tour of the entire area. Both of them are national treasures and everyone should be honored to have them at the Effigy Mounds.

Matt Haberkorn

A beautiful forest trail with several great lookouts across the Mississippi.

Jim Raich

An informative stop with friendly staff, recommended before walking the trails. Clean restrooms too. A small display of hands-on nature artifacts, and a few souvenirs for purchase, but mostly good advice and answers to questions you might have. Free.

Melissa Bagniewski

Beautiful walk through the trees up to the effigy mounds, plus a great visitors center with very knowledgeable staff and some interesting information to learn about the mounds people who inhabited the area hundreds and thousands of years ago.

Pamela Moffit

Fairly strenuous hike up the bluff to the top to see all but 3 small conical mounds that are close to the visitor center. Only a couple of benches to rest on in the way up, would be great to have a few more of those placed along the trail. The mounds are great, but can't really see them as you're at ground level. Need viewing platforms like those in Kahokia. Did it once, but wouldn't make the hike again unless the viewing was better. Visitor center was nice. Right now only toilets are outside ones add inside ones are broken.

Alycia Abler

Historic site with good views. Be ready for the gnats.

Don Fish

Learn about how early native humans lived

bill sylvis

Great place to hike and see views of the Mississippi, park rangers are very knowledgeable and friendly

Russell Tucker

Great place

Natalie Howard

Learned a lot and enjoyed a short hike. I want to go back as I didn't have a lot of time to spend. I would happily bring the kids, 7+. Some of the trails are steep and they don't have safety rails. Great for your average adult but I wouldn't want to bring a toddler. Wonderful views and very kind and knowledgeable staff. I learned a lot about mounds.

zavash zarei

Nice history

Heather Hasty

The ladies in the museum were very friendly and helpful. Nice set up and interesting stuff!

Lavonna Skeans

Awesome! The views of the river were splendid! Well kept trail.

Doug Stegeman

Staff was very friendly and informative. The displays were great and the effigy mounds were interesting. This is a worth while stop and I'm glad the national parks service maintains it.

ginny ystenes

It was very educational. The hike was amazing ❤

Ben Cedarberg

Small but nicely done interpretive center with museum, gift shop and ranger. Very friendly staff. Access to the main trails and mounds is from the parking lot and starts with a 400 foot incline up wide and well maintained walking trails. Suitable for strollers with large wheels.

Cynthia Gaskill

Beautiful trails. There was a great deal to see and requires a lot of hiking with some steep grades.

Jeremy Van Engen

I found it to be very informative and interesting. Once you get to the top of the trails, the views are incredible!

Jacalyn DeRita

The effigy mounds are not very interesting when viewed from ground level. I would recommend that the park build some sort of platform that people could walk up to get a better view to see the shapes of the mounds. If you want a nice trail to take your family or dog on a walk, this is shaded with a nice view of the river, but you do have a bit of a steep climb in the beginning.

Karen Slatter

It was an awesome talk! So glad we came.

Stuart Pace

Great trails and history! Gorgeous views of the Mississippi River!!

Lisa Rogowski

One of the nicest National Monuments we've visited. The hike up to the mounds is breathtaking! Take the hike to the Hanging Views over the Mississippi, so worth it!

Tom Peets

Wonderful place to stop and stretch your legs

Lynne Hammonds

Every interesting. The trail down to the wetlands is handicapped assessable and a nice hike for young kids.

Brady Harper

Such a beautiful place, I wish I had more time to just walk the miles and miles of trails looking at all of this amazing ancient history. Definitely worth a stop and plan to spend at least an hour or two exploring some of the closer sites.

Todd Buell

Awesome

Shannon & Jason Wegner

Huge place. They have a small gift shop there too. We didnt have enough time to hike much.

Cheryl Delventhal

Wheelchair accessibility, cleanliness, friendly and helpful. A wonderful place to visit, the views are spectacular!

Pavel Makarov

Such a great place to hike with the kids. The view is the best!

David Gray

A bit of a hike to get up to the mounds, and an approaching thunderstorm made us hurry. A bit hard to see the bear-shaped mounds as they are not very high above the surrounding ground. Great views over the flooded Mississippi River.

Jim Gerry

These mounds are amazing to see and are in a beautiful location. Well worth the hike up and down the well maintained trail.

Victoria McCorkindale

Beautiful hike. The first part of the hike is very steep with rocky terrain. It levels out after the initial climb. Well worth it for the views. We went in the snow and I'm really glad my kids wore snow pants as they slipped a few times.

Judy Archer Brucker

We did the 7 miles round trip to Hanging Rock and the other view points on the way back. Our first real hike. There are a lot of hills. The trails are well maintained. The trail from Red Cliff to Hanging Rock was long, beautiful and a lot of the trail had exposed roots and holes exposed by heavy rain the day before. Must be in good shape to do the full 7 miles to and from the Hanging Rock.

Paul Behrend

Very knowledgeable staff, clean and informative interpretation center, with very well maintained trails.

Mr G

Fantastic National park. Nice museum inside with very knowledgeable staff. Great hiking trail to view the effigy mounds on top the bluffs. Stunning views all around.

Jennifer Johnson

Peaceful quiet hike. Lots of great views.

Heidi Ritter

Beautiful place to hike and discover the mounds and enjoy breathtaking views of the Mississippi River valley. Sweet little visiter center with very kind staff. Be sure to check out the dioramas of effigy mounds and how they line the edges of the cliff...a neat perspective. Good to note, the shortest hike to see mounds is one mile in, and one mile back. AND DOGS ARE ALLOWED IN THE PARK! :)

iraq nroll

very cool piece of history and great views

Leah F. Spears

Very Peaceful at Fire Point, must see/feel at least 1ce!

Joni Birchfield

Awesome! The kids loved interacting with the park rangers. The rangers went above and beyond to answer all the kids questions!! The trail walk was beautiful even in the rain!

Matt Osborn

Beautiful place. Knowledgeable and helpful rangers and staff who care about the park and visitors.

Lucas Gibbs

Real cool Native American site. Great views of the river. Don't fall off the cliff.

Seeta Mangra-Stubbs

We didn't do any hiking, but it is a meaningful and beautiful place. The staff were incredibly helpful.

SR Hildenbrandt

Nicely laid out and maintained trails. Very informative Ranger staff. A hidden gem on the National Parks/Monuments.

Jon Jensen

Great hike

Henry Thibault

This is a unique place, run by the National Park Service, with a great Visitor Center and museum, along with a few mounds that don't require a lot of climbing of a fairly steep trail. However I have made that climb, and could do it again, even though I am almost 77, and it is well worth the effort. The Effigy Mounds themselves are incredible, as are the views of the Upper Mississippi Valley from the edges of steep cliffs, which have good fencing to keep idiots from falling off. The staff is wonderful and helpful, and many good books are available for purchase along with other items. This is worth going well out of the way for. I try to take visitors there as well as kids and grandkids of friends and relatives. I never get tired of it. The National Park Service should be funded better instead of some of the silly things government spends money on.

ginny ystenes

It was very educational. The hike was amazing ❤

Ben Cedarberg

Small but nicely done interpretive center with museum, gift shop and ranger. Very friendly staff. Access to the main trails and mounds is from the parking lot and starts with a 400 foot incline up wide and well maintained walking trails. Suitable for strollers with large wheels.

Cynthia Gaskill

Beautiful trails. There was a great deal to see and requires a lot of hiking with some steep grades.

Jeremy Van Engen

I found it to be very informative and interesting. Once you get to the top of the trails, the views are incredible!

Jacalyn DeRita

The effigy mounds are not very interesting when viewed from ground level. I would recommend that the park build some sort of platform that people could walk up to get a better view to see the shapes of the mounds. If you want a nice trail to take your family or dog on a walk, this is shaded with a nice view of the river, but you do have a bit of a steep climb in the beginning.

Kay Collins

Beautiful.

Karen Slatter

It was an awesome talk! So glad we came.

Stuart Pace

Great trails and history! Gorgeous views of the Mississippi River!!

Gerald Bertsch

Limited accessibility due display arrangements, slippery floor in the men's toilet.

Jody Gritters

Fantastic would highly recommend. Unfortunately lost a key there!

Lisa Rogowski

One of the nicest National Monuments we've visited. The hike up to the mounds is breathtaking! Take the hike to the Hanging Views over the Mississippi, so worth it!

Lynne Hammonds

Every interesting. The trail down to the wetlands is handicapped assessable and a nice hike for young kids.

Brady Harper

Such a beautiful place, I wish I had more time to just walk the miles and miles of trails looking at all of this amazing ancient history. Definitely worth a stop and plan to spend at least an hour or two exploring some of the closer sites.

Todd Buell

Awesome

Shannon & Jason Wegner

Huge place. They have a small gift shop there too. We didnt have enough time to hike much.

Cheryl Delventhal

Wheelchair accessibility, cleanliness, friendly and helpful. A wonderful place to visit, the views are spectacular!

Pavel Makarov

Such a great place to hike with the kids. The view is the best!

David Gray

A bit of a hike to get up to the mounds, and an approaching thunderstorm made us hurry. A bit hard to see the bear-shaped mounds as they are not very high above the surrounding ground. Great views over the flooded Mississippi River.

Jim Gerry

These mounds are amazing to see and are in a beautiful location. Well worth the hike up and down the well maintained trail.

Victoria McCorkindale

Beautiful hike. The first part of the hike is very steep with rocky terrain. It levels out after the initial climb. Well worth it for the views. We went in the snow and I'm really glad my kids wore snow pants as they slipped a few times.

Glorkar Floki

Nice clean facility. The small museum was very interesting and informative. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. If you plan on hiking a here it's worth a stop into the visitors center.

Judy Archer Brucker

We did the 7 miles round trip to Hanging Rock and the other view points on the way back. Our first real hike. There are a lot of hills. The trails are well maintained. The trail from Red Cliff to Hanging Rock was long, beautiful and a lot of the trail had exposed roots and holes exposed by heavy rain the day before. Must be in good shape to do the full 7 miles to and from the Hanging Rock.

Paul Behrend

Very knowledgeable staff, clean and informative interpretation center, with very well maintained trails.

Mr G

Fantastic National park. Nice museum inside with very knowledgeable staff. Great hiking trail to view the effigy mounds on top the bluffs. Stunning views all around.

Jennifer Johnson

Peaceful quiet hike. Lots of great views.

Heidi Ritter

Beautiful place to hike and discover the mounds and enjoy breathtaking views of the Mississippi River valley. Sweet little visiter center with very kind staff. Be sure to check out the dioramas of effigy mounds and how they line the edges of the cliff...a neat perspective. Good to note, the shortest hike to see mounds is one mile in, and one mile back. AND DOGS ARE ALLOWED IN THE PARK! :)

dani mezz

A must see monument in the upper midwest.

Leah F. Spears

Very Peaceful at Fire Point, must see/feel at least 1ce!

Joni Birchfield

Awesome! The kids loved interacting with the park rangers. The rangers went above and beyond to answer all the kids questions!! The trail walk was beautiful even in the rain!

Matt Osborn

Beautiful place. Knowledgeable and helpful rangers and staff who care about the park and visitors.

Lucas Gibbs

Real cool Native American site. Great views of the river. Don't fall off the cliff.

Seeta Mangra-Stubbs

We didn't do any hiking, but it is a meaningful and beautiful place. The staff were incredibly helpful.

SR Hildenbrandt

Nicely laid out and maintained trails. Very informative Ranger staff. A hidden gem on the National Parks/Monuments.

Jon Jensen

Great hike

Henry Thibault

This is a unique place, run by the National Park Service, with a great Visitor Center and museum, along with a few mounds that don't require a lot of climbing of a fairly steep trail. However I have made that climb, and could do it again, even though I am almost 77, and it is well worth the effort. The Effigy Mounds themselves are incredible, as are the views of the Upper Mississippi Valley from the edges of steep cliffs, which have good fencing to keep idiots from falling off. The staff is wonderful and helpful, and many good books are available for purchase along with other items. This is worth going well out of the way for. I try to take visitors there as well as kids and grandkids of friends and relatives. I never get tired of it. The National Park Service should be funded better instead of some of the silly things government spends money on.