Effigy Mounds

About Effigy Mounds

Effigy Mounds National Monument preserves more than 200 prehistoric mounds built by Native American cultures over 1,000 years ago. Many of these earthworks are shaped like animals including bears, birds, and other creatures, representing some of the most significant sacred sites of the ancestral Ho-Chunk and other tribal nations. The monument is managed by the National Park Service and protects both the cultural landscape and the diverse prairie and forest ecosystems of the Upper Mississippi River valley. The site offers hiking trails that provide access to many of the mounds while respecting their sacred nature.