Effigy Mounds National Monument
Effigy Mounds National Monument preserves more than 200 prehistoric mounds built by pre-Columbian Mound Builder cultures, mostly in the first millennium CE, during the later part of the Woodland period of pre-Columbian North America. Look for it 3 mi north of Marquette. Running it is the National Park Service. Visits in 2025 reached 57K.
A national monument, 3 mi north of Marquette
July is the busiest month
July averages about 10,323 visitors, 5.7 times December. When to go ↓
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 10°, with about 34" of snow a year. When to go ↓
Marquette is the nearest base
Marquette is 3 miles south, with 8 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
May, June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 70–83°. When to go ↓
Established in 1949
Effigy Mounds National Monument dates from 1949 and is run by National Park Service. About ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
The busy season and the weather
The months below show crowds and weather at Effigy Mounds.
Effigy Mounds National Monument
Effigy Mounds National Monument preserves more than 200 prehistoric mounds built by pre-Columbian
Mound Builder cultures, mostly in the first millennium CE, during the later part of the Woodland period of pre-Columbian North America.
- Type
- National Monument
- Established
- 1949
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Listed
- National Register of Historic Places (1966)
- Wikipedia readers
- 26K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/efmo
Practical details
Where to base yourself for Effigy Mounds National Monument
Lodging nearby is in Prairie du Chien (13) and McGregor (10).
Prairie du Chien
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
5,408 people
4 mi southeast of the visitor center · 3 mi to the park
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie du Chien | 4 mi southeast | 5 min | 13 6 hotels · 4 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 campground | 5,408 | $161K | B− |
| McGregor | 4 mi south | 5 min | 10 4 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins | 720 | $161K | — |
| Marquette | 3 mi south | 5 min | 8 3 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 436 | $164K | — |
| Bridgeport | 7 mi southeast | 10 min | 8 8 hotels | 1,006 | $226K | — |
| Wyalusing 43% vacation homes | 11 mi southeast | 15 min | 4 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 campgrounds | 336 | $210K | — |
| Lansing | 19 mi north | 30 min | 11 3 hotels · 1 motel · 5 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 957 | $168K | — |
| Prairie du Chien 39% vacation homes | 5 mi east | 5 min | 2 1 campground · 1 RV park | 921 | $170K | — |
| Guttenberg | 21 mi south | 30 min | 11 1 hotel · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 6 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 1,789 | $194K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Nearby, too
Places worth adding lie within 68 miles.
63 mi MountainCharles Mound
14 mi MuseumFort Crawford
67 mi State parkBlue Mound State Park
234 mi MuseumVesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
49 mi MuseumNational Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium250K visitors a year
56 mi MuseumCedar Rock State Park60 mi MuseumChicago Athenaeum
49 mi TheatreFive Flags CenterPhoto credits
Charles Mound: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Crawford: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Blue Mound State Park: Mailseth at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cedar Rock State Park: Orange Suede Sofa, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Five Flags Center: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0
56,912 visitors in 2025
From 2016 to 2025, these are the yearly visits.
Effigy Mounds in questions
What town is Effigy Mounds National Monument near?
Marquette, IA, about 3 miles south.
When is the best time to visit Effigy Mounds National Monument?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 70–83°. July is the busiest month (about 10,323 visitors).
How many people visit Effigy Mounds National Monument each year?
56,912 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 77,195, set in 2016.
What is the closest airport to Effigy Mounds National Monument?
Dubuque Regional (DBQ), about 53 miles away. The nearest big hub is Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP), about 160 miles.
Where should I stay near Effigy Mounds National Monument?
Prairie du Chien (4 mi, 13 places to stay), McGregor (4 mi, 10 places to stay) and Marquette (3 mi, 8 places to stay).
Inside knowledge from Marquette
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Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.