Effigy Mounds National Monument announce upcoming programs

HARPERS FERRY, Iowa - For the closing of the 75^th anniversary year, rangers guide hikes as part of the hiking challenge. Visitors should come prepared to hike in winter trail conditions. Hiking poles, or footwear traction devices are suggested.

December 20, 2025

9:00 a.m. Hanging Rock (7 miles round trip – elevation/rugged)

3:00 p.m. Sny Magill (1 mile, flat, 12 miles south of park visitor center- meet at the visitor center and caravan down to site)

December 21, 2025

9:00 a.m. Marching Bears (4 miles round trip – elevation; meet at day use area south of visitor center)

2:00 p.m. Heritage Addition (4 miles round trip – flat)

Children’s Winter Story and Craft Times

The park will continue to host winter story and craft times through April. Storytime is scheduled for a 10 a.m. start time in the visitor center auditorium. Craft time is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start time in the visitor center auditorium.

Monday December 22 Story time Tuesday December 23 Craft time

Saturdays Jan 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Story times

Sundays January 4, 11, 18, 25 Craft times

Winter Film Festival – First Series January 3, 2026 at 1 p.m.

The theme for this series is Animals of the Midwest:

Wild Hope: Thunder and Fire (18 min)

Wild Hope: Bat Vax (14 min) 

The Eagles of Decorah (57 min)

American Spring: Migration (55 min) 

The next film series will be Sunday February 8 and Saturday March 7, 2026

Sunday February 8, 2026 – Geological Processes of the Driftless Area

Saturday March 7, 2026 - The Ioway – Indigenous History

*New Golden Eagles Club

A new weekly gathering for mature adults – 10 a.m. Thursdays.

January 8 – Park Ranger Brian Gibbs will discuss Winter Birding in Northeast Iowa

January 15 – BOOK CLUB Join park rangers in a discussion of Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

January 22 – Learn about Ho Chunk beadwork and try your hand at beading.

January 29 – Join a park ranger for a mindfulness walk on the Yellow River Boardwalk

February 5 TBD

February 12 BOOK CLUB Join Dr. Mark Grey for a discussion of 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann

February 19 TBD

February 26 Join a park ranger for a mindfulness walk on the Yellow River Boardwalk

March 5 TBD

March 12 BOOK CLUB Join Dr. Mark Grey for a discussion of 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created

March 19 TBD

March 26 Join a park ranger for a mindfulness walk on the Yellow River Boardwalk

Eagle Viewing Hike Saturday January 10, 11 a.m.

Join a park ranger for this hike along the county road in the Heritage Addition to look for bald eagles and golden eagles along the Yellow River. Bring your children to story time at 10 a.m. and then join us for this hike over flat terrain.

Effigy Mounds National Monument preserves prehistoric American Indian burial and ceremonial mounds, including some in the shape of animals. The monument is located three miles north of Marquette, Iowa, and 22 miles south of Waukon, Iowa, on HWY 76 and is one of 430+ national park sites. For more information call (563) 873-3491 ext. 123 or visit the park's website at www.nps.gov/effigymounds or visit the parks Facebook page at www.facebook/EffigyMounds

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 430+ national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and

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