Effigy Mounds, IA

Miles Driven: 0 September 7th - Effigy Mounds, IA 

Total Miles: 1723.1
Entrance Fees: $3 (covered by America the Beautiful Pass)

Arriving at Effigy Mounds visitor center around 9am I sat and watched the 15 minute movie.  The movie discussed the origins of the mounds and there meanings in the pass and present day Indian culture.  As the mounds are best viewed from above, many have speculated that the mounds were possibly religious sites or clan symbols used in seasonal ceremonies.   As there is no written record the berate goes on.  

There were several hiking trails to choose from all in varying lengths.  I opted for the north unit four-mile hike, which had "scenic view points" of the Mississippi river.  This included Little Bear Mound Group and Great Bear Mound Group.  The effigy mounds were built in four distinctive shapes.

Conical mound, Effigy Mounds, IA 

“Conical mounds, round domes of earth, are the oldest and the most numerous mounds in the area, dating back 2,500 years.  They are 2 to 8 feet high and 10 to 20 feet in diameter”.

Linear Mound, Effigy Mounds, IA

"Linear mounds, built between 1,700 and 1,300 years ago, were 2 to 4 feet high, 6 to 8 feet across, and could be 100 feet long”.

Compound mound, Effigy Mounds, IA

"Compound mounds are conical mounds joined by linear mounds.  They may mark a transition phase from conical to linear styles.  Groups of these mounds usually will have three to four linked conical mounds.  The largest group in the park has seven conicals and extends 480 feet.  Linear and conical mounds are found only in the Effigy Mounds region”.

Bear Mound, Effigy Mounds, IA

“Bird and Bear effigy mounds are predominate throughout the upper Mississippi region.  A typical effigy is 2 to 4 feet high, 40 feet wide, and 80 feet long.”

There were several scenic view points along the hike of the Mississippi river.  The day was overcast but temperatures were in the mid 60’s, great weather for hiking.  The conical and linear mounds were easily identifiable, but the bears mounds needed a more discerning eye.

Oh, if only I had been ten feet taller.  It is hard to capture the size and shape of the mounds in a photograph.  (Should have carried around a step ladder)  In the photograph above you walk up to the hind legs first.  The head is in the top left corner.  I stopped for a snack at one of the scenic view points and made it back to the visitor center in about 3 hours.  Back on the road to Pipestone National Monument, MN by 1pm.