• A quiet summer walk through the Marching Bear Group of effigy mounds

    Effigy Mounds

    National Monument Iowa

Fees & Reservations

Entrance sign to Effigy Mounds National Monument

NPS Photo

Entrance fees have been eliminated.


As of April 27, 2011 Effigy Mounds National Monument will no longer be charging fees. Also National Park and Federal Recreation Land passes will no longer be sold.

No park passes are available at the park. National Park and Federal Recreational Lands Pass

may be obtained by calling 1-888-ASK USGS, Ext. 1, or via the Internet at http://store.usgs.gov/pass.
*Camping is not available within the Monument; however, there are numerous camping resources in the area.

Reserved Group Tours

Reserved ranger conducted group tours are dependent on available staffing. Group size restrictions on walks are based on practical limitations imposed by hiking the Monument's trails. For formal educational group visits, one ranger is usually assigned for each group of 30 students; adults accompanying the group are not included in the 30 person limit.


Reservations are taken year-round for programs presented in late April, May, September and October. A history of groups returning each year and limitations of ranger availability usually require reservations made well in advance. (563-873-3491 ext. 202)


* Seasonal Ranger Staff are available on a regular basis each year from June through August. Reserved tours in Spring and Fall are limited to intermittent ranger availability.



Did You Know?

Ellison Orr at Desk: Most of Orr's collections reside at effigy Mounds National Monument

An important figure in the documentation of Iowa's effigy mounds was Ellison Orr. Born in 1857, Orr worked other jobs while pursuing research in archeology. After retiring at the age of 73, Orr began a career as an archeologist spending the next 20 years conducting surveys and excavations.