Field Trips

Field Trips at Ocmulee Mounds

We love to educate students about the important history of this site. We ask all visiting groups to make a reservation request so we can manage large groups. We offer eith guided or self-guided field trips, depending on staff availability.

During a guided trip, a ranger will present a ranger talk about the history of the park in the museum. The group will also watch the park film, explore the museum and walk though the mounds. The outdoor walk portion of the guided field trip will still be self-guided. A self-guided trip can have the same activities, minus the ranger talk. Read below for more details about each activity.

*When making your reservation, please indicate you interest in a guided or self-guided field trip. (will depend on staff and date availability)

 

***Fall 2025 field trip dates are almost full! Please wait for confirmation from a ranger that your date is availabile.***

Inside the Visitor Center:

Orientation:

The Park Ranger can give a 20-minute orientation to the school group with the information adjusted to the grade level.

Film:

Our 17-minute film talks about the history of the park. It is recommended for 2nd grade and up. The film only fits 50 people at a time, so larger groups will have to split up and do rotations with the activities.

Museum:

While inside the Visitor Center doing the orientation and film, our park rangers on staff will let you know when you can walk around the exhibits with your students. The museum holds 2,000 original objects from the site dating back from 12,000 BCE through the 1800s.

Outside the Visitor Center:

Due to our small Interpretation and Education staff, all outside activities will be led entirely by teachers and chaperones. Information about the sites are included in the teacher's self-guided walking tour pdf at the bottom of this page and can also be found on signs along the trails.

Earth Lodge:

Even if you can't spend a lot of time at the park, going inside the Earth Lodge will give your students a good idea of the architecture used during the Mississippian time period. The Earth Lodge was the ceremonial council chamber. The 850-year-old clay floor is surrounded by a replica wattle and daub structure. It is a five-minute walk up a hill from the Visitor Center and is not wheelchair-accessible. Only 10 students can fit inside at a time.

Trails:

We have eight miles of trails but most groups stick to the one-mile round-trip path to the Great Temple Mound. This trail goes by the Earth Lodge, over the railroad cut, and past the site of the 1690 Trading Post. The Great Temple Mound is a five-story structure and the top is accessible by stairs. From the top you can see the Funeral Mound and downtown Macon.

Picnic:

We have outdoor picnic tables across the parking lot from the Visitor Center. The area is on a first-come, first-serve basis and can seat between 50 and 75 people. The picnic area is not covered and there is no indoor space for picnics, so in inclement weather you will have to eat on the buses or return to school.

Clay for sale:

The Ocmulgee Mounds Association sells 25-pound bags of clay that you can purchase for $20.00 (any form of payment is acceptable; if you purchase it tax exempt we must have a letter with the school's tax ID number; Checks are made payable to "Ocmulgee Mounds Association) and we include a pottery making guide. Clay must be taken back to school. We do not have the space or staff to allow you to make pottery here. One 25-pound bag will make pots for 25 students. If you would like to purchase clay, please let us know in advance.

Parking/buses:

If your school comes in a standard school bus you cannot drive to the mounds due to the historic railroad tunnel that has a 8-foot clearance. Bus parking is available in the grassy area between the visitor center parking lot and main park road. Access to this space is from the main park road. It is suggested that buses leave from the rear exit of the parking lot to access this space. Buses must be shut off while parked.

 

Field Trip Reservation Request

On-site field trips are available throughout the year depending on staff availability.
Field trips are limited to 100 students. If your group is larger than this, please plan on visiting over multiple days. 
Please fill out the following form to make a field trip request. 
**Please list multiple dates in case your chosen date is not available.** 
After you submit, park staff will reach out to confirm the dates and clarify any information as needed. 

NOTE: Making a request is not a reservation. Your requested date is not guaranteed until a ranger reaches back out.  

NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/30/2025

Learning Accommodations

Does anyone in your group need any accommodations?

Yes No

If yes, describe the accommodation need.

Next Step

School / Organization Contact Information

School / Organization Name (required)

Name of Requester/Contact Person (required)

Title / Position (required)

Contact Email Address (required)

Contact Phone Number (required)
123-456-7890 extension if any

Contact Mailing Address Country

I have a US mailing address

I have a mailing address outside the US

International Mailing Address (required)
Please include building number and street, city, state/province country and Postal Code

Mailing Address (required)

City (required)

State (required)

Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas Armed Forces - Americas Armed Forces - Europe Armed Forces - Pacific California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

ZIP (required)
Five digit ZIP code [99999]

Next Step

Group Details - Park Visit/ Field Trip

Name of Primary Contact Visiting if Different Than Above (optional)

Title / Position of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Email Address of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Phone Number of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)
Format: 123-456-7890

Program Name or Subject Requested/Self-Guided

Grade Level(s) of Students (required)

Number of Staff / Chaperones (required)

Number of Students (required)

Preferred Date of Visit (required)
format mmddyyyy

My preferred date has been confirmed by the park (required)

Yes No

Preferred Program Start Time (required)

Alternative Date(s) (required)
Enter one or more dates .

Anticipated Arrival Time (required)

Anticipated Departure Time (required)

Mode of Transportation (required)

Disclaimer:

A park representative will follow-up to confirm group details once this request has been received and reviewed.

Submit my Education Reservation Request

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NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Notices

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: Public Law 114-289 National Park Service Centennial Act and 54 U.S.C. 100701 Protection, interpretation, and research in System.

Purpose: To administer education programs for education audiences including but not limited to school groups, scouting groups, extracurricular groups, and home school groups.

Routine Uses: To effectively manage requests for education received by the NPS, the Education Reservation Request Form is used to collect basic education reservation information to facilitate operational aspects of scheduling groups for park education programs, including in-park education programs, ranger in classroom programs, and/or online distance learning programs.

Disclosure: Voluntary, however, failure to provide the requested information may impede the ability to grant your education reservation request.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to provide park managers and educators the information needed to schedule and conduct education program activities. All applicable parts of the form must be completed in order for your request to be considered. You are not required to respond to this or any other Federal agency-sponsored information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection of information and assigned control number 1024-0288.

Estimated Burden Statement

Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Do not send your completed form to this address.