Overview
Effigy Mounds National Monument is a United States national monument in Northeastern Iowa.
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 82°F; winter lows dip to about 11°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jun and Jul. (climate data from nearby Dubuque)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- DBQ Dubuque Regional Airport, Dubuque — 53 mi away. Directions
- LSE La Crosse Regional Airport, La Crosse — 55 mi away. Directions
- MSP Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field, Minneapolis — 160 mi away (major hub). Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Food for you
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
History
The mounds preserved here are considered sacred by many Americans, especially the Monument's 20 culturally associated American Indian tribes. A visit offers opportunities to contemplate the meanings of the mounds and the people who built them. The 200 plus American Indian mounds are located in one of the most picturesque sections of the Upper Mississippi River Valley.
Landscape
Flora and fauna
Climate
All four seasons are represented in this area with summer temperature in the upper 80s with higher heat indexes due to humidity and winter daytime highs in the 20s.
Visitor information
Fees and permits
There are no fees to enter Effigy Mounds National Monument.
Sleep
There is no lodging or camping in the monument. Some lodging exists in nearby Marquette, and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, across the Mississippi River and easily accessible by a major bridge, has a number of hotels, motels and B&Bs.
Nearby
Prairie du Chien
City / town · 2 listings · 3 mi away
Marquette
City / town · 2 listings · 3 mi away
Soldiers Grove
City / town · 1 listings · 30 mi away
Decorah
City / town · 5 listings · 34 mi away
Spillville
City / town · 1 listings · 39 mi away
Spring Grove
City / town · 10 listings · 40 mi away
Richland Center
City / town · 7 listings · 44 mi away
Dubuque
City / town · 62 listings · 48 mi away
My experience
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