Effigy Mounds National Monument

Walking Among the Bears

We took on the Yellow River Trail, which is a beautiful, lower-elevation walk that took us through the lush wetlands. It was a great way to start the day, especially since the boardwalk section lets you get right over the water for some great wildlife spotting. But the real magic happened as we climbed higher. We hiked the Fire Point Loop, where we saw the Little Bear Mound. It’s the first animal-shaped mound you encounter, and even though it’s "little" (about 87 feet long), seeing the distinct shape of the bear rising from the earth is an incredible sight. We kept going until we reached the Great Bear Mound, which is the largest in the entire park—measuring a massive 137 feet from nose to tail! Standing next to these bears, we learned that while thousands of mounds exist across the U.S., this "Effigy" style (animal-shaped) is almost exclusively found in the Upper Midwest. Seeing them lined up in what looks like a marching formation is a powerful reminder of the sacredness of this ground.

The Atlatl: A Prehistoric Power-Up

The highlight of the day was catching a ranger-led talk on the Atlatl (pronounced at-lat-ul). This was a piece of high-tech hunting equipment long before the bow and arrow were invented. Basically, it’s a throwing stick that acts as an extension of your arm, giving you incredible leverage and speed. We were so lucky that the ranger gave Thomas and Bryson the chance to actually try it out! Seeing them take a shot at throwing the spears with the atlatl really drove home how much skill it took to survive in these woods a thousand years ago. It’s one thing to see a spear in a museum, but it's another thing entirely to feel the "snap" of the lever as you try to launch it toward a target. It was definitely a proud "National Park" moment for the boys!

A Scenic Sanctuary

After the excitement of the spear-throwing, we took some time at the overlooks. Standing on the cliffs at Fire Point, we had a panoramic view of the Mississippi River and the Yellow River confluence below. It’s easy to see why the mound builders chose this exact spot; the view is jaw-dropping.

We left Effigy Mounds with a lot of respect for the cultures that came before us, and two boys who are now officially "atlatl experts" in training!