effigy mounds national monument

effigy mounds national monument印象

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  mslinda07

  Fantastic trail tour with Ranger Jeremy. The best view of the Mississippi River I have seen. The interperative center inside the visitor center was nicely done and there were alot of relevant items available for sales. Very clean site and the trail was easy to walk on

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  Sbreite

  Effigy hike is around 6 miles round trip. The first half mile is switchbacks and is a good work out. There are rolling hills and lookout points to keep it interesting. If you are looking for good hiking in this area alternate between Effigy and Pikes Pike. There is no charge for this park but you can leave a donation inside at the desk. It has a nice indoor information area and gift shop.

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  3booths

  Sacred to Native Americans, this National Monument provides a window into our past and an excellent opportunity to enjoy an outdoor hike with beautiful views of the Mississippi. The two-mile Fire Point Hike takes about an hour. It is well-marked with wide trails - but is not flat. Uphill climb is steady and easy.In addition to learning about the mounds themselves, walkers are rewarded with nice views of the river from above. Rangers are available at the Visitor's Center to answer questions. They also lead hikes in the summer.Plenty of parking. Easily accessible from State Highway 76 in Iowa and just across the river from Prairie du Chen, Wisconsin.

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  scargo1969

  Very peaceful hike with solitude- if you looking for excitment its not the place, but great for a work out and nature run

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  lovethebayarea

  We hiked into Marching Bear. Well worth the two mile hike, the mounds are breathtaking and sacred. Want to return and hike the southern end.

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  NorthQuiet1

  The mounds built by native peoples along the Mississippi River in past centuries are extremely interesting and something of a mystery. Sadly, having visited many other national monuments in different parts of the country, I got the distinct impression that Effigy Mounds is way down on the list when it comes to receiving money for maintenance and updates. The rails along the steep path we hiked were broken in several places and looked decidedly unsafe. The film we watched in the interpretive center was dated, overgeneralized and---frankly---trite. The park itself has wonderful mounds and great views of the river. I really hope this important site receives more attention and funding in the future.

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  Annabell76

  I spent a day here in the fall hiking with my 10 year old and we had a great time. The trails could use a bit of maintenence but the mounds were well marked and the views of the river are spectacular. The Park Rangers and Visitor Center had a lot of great information on the mounds and what we know of the mound builders. There are some nice short paths to take if you have young kids and longer trail options if you are up for something more challenging. My daughter completed the Junior Ranger program here and earned her badge and then we purchased the upgraded patch. I'd recommend this for anyone in the area. You could spend anywhere from an hour to an entire day expoloring the park.

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  137karlak

  Great trails, beautiful scenery, interesting history. It's very easy to get to, the visitor's center is well-kept, guides were very informative. Clean restrooms!

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  CaseyDwyer

  Effigy Mounds is everything that a day hiker could want: easy to moderate hikes, updated and accurate maps, fantastic views of the Mississippi River and the Prairie Du-Chein rock formations across the river in Wisconsin, and solitude. Though this locale is growing in popularity, if you hike the lesser-known hikes you are guaranteed a solo hike, and even the well-known ones require such physical exertion that you are most likely to loose anyone who didn't come here to do some serious hiking. The trail to Hanging Rock, a high exposed rock atop a bluff, is a moderate seven miles round trip, and the views from the top are some of the best in Iowa. The hiking resembles that of the rockies (on a much, much smaller scale, of course), and your chance of seeing Bald Eagles is quite high from October-May. If you are looking for a satisfying day-trip hike in Eastern Iowa, this is the place to beat.

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  grouch0

  Visitors' center well kept up, staff VERY friendly and helpful, exhibits informative, documentary film pretty good, brochure/trail map useful, north trail well-maintained though steep in places but I saw visitors of all ages and apparent physical condition at the top, scenic views of the Mississippi from the Eagle Rock and Fire Point viewpoints very nice. Now we come to the mounds themselves... I appreciate the great effort it took to build them and the questions surrounding their significance to the builders, but the ones I saw just don't look like much. The maps and aerial photos in the V.C. will show them to you better than an on-the-spot viewing.