Effigy Mounds National Monument

About

Entrance / day-use fee applies.

This park's official page lists: Store / concessions.

This park's official page lists: Visitor center.

Official facts

Public access: Open access.

Protected area: 2,460 acres (996 ha).

Designation: National Monument. Listed as "Effigy Mounds National Monument" in the Protected Areas Database of the United States. Protection: managed for biodiversity (GAP 2). IUCN category III.

Established: 1949.

Managed by: NPS.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gap Analysis Project (GAP), 2025, Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 4.1

At the park

• Visitor center exhibit
• Wildlife & bird watching scenic feature

Shows and experiences

• Fire Point Trail Tour
• Junior Ranger program
• Yellow River Boardwalk Trail Tour

Events

• "Pop-Up" Ranger Program 02:30 PM–03:30 PM
• Yellow River Boardwalk Guided Hike 01:00 PM–02:00 PM
• Fire Point Ranger Guided Hike 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
• Monarch Tagging Bioblitz
• Railroad Explorer Junior Ranger Day
• Iowa Prairie Network Guided Norh Unit Prairie Hike
• Book Talk with Dr. William Green: "This is the Route of My Forefathers: The 1837 Ioway Map"
• Fall Colors Hike in the Heritage Addition
• Ranger Guided Marching Bears Hike
• Old Military Road Guided Hike with Dr. Josh Wacuta 01:00 PM–04:00 PM
• Ranger Guided Hanging Rock Hike 09:30 AM–12:30 PM
• Traditional Ho-Chunk Flute Making Workshop 06:00 PM–07:00 PM
• Family Fall Hike & Nature Craft 02:00 PM–03:00 PM

Before you go

Limits

Yes, service dogs are legally permitted anywhere in a park that visitors can go

Getting there

Located 3 miles north of Marquette, Iowa on Hwy 76.

Weather & when to go

All four seasons are represented in this area with summer temperature in the upper 80’s with higher heat indexes due to humidity and winter daytime highs in the 20's. Temperatures are in °Fahrenheit.

Visitor center

Visitor Center — The visitor center is open year-round except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day and during extreme weather conditions. — Located 3 miles north of Marquette, Iowa on Highway 76.

Visitor center

Visitor Center

Visitor center

Visitor Center

Visitor center

Visitor Center

Facilities on the park map

1 bench, 1 changing table, 1 defibrillator, 3 restroom, 4 visitor information, 1 water fountain.