Indian Mounds Regional Park
Indian Mounds Regional Park
4
7:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 3:30 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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4.0
49 reviews
Excellent
17
Very good
20
Average
11
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Jeanette B
1 contribution
May 2022 • Solo
I live near Indian Mounds Park and love it. The Mounds themselves are fenced because it is a burial ground. Even so, the burial mounds are easily visible. Eleven Mounds were destroyed about 130 years ago. The remaining are protected. True, there aren't informational signs posted with extensive park history, but a lot is available on line if you search. It was a sacred place for Native Americans, on a cliff high above a curve in the Mississippi River.
Written May 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dmittleman
Palm Beach Gardens, FL1,409 contributions
Aug 2021
Although these mounds are historically fascinating, a visit to them entails viewing a few overgrown hillocks behind a fence to keep them safe. More signage with explanations would have been welcome.
Written August 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jackie L
Saint Paul, MN59 contributions
Jun 2012 • Solo
St. Paul's Mounds Park sits on a nice spot overlooking downtown St. Paul. There are only six burial mounds remaining today but there used to be at least sixteen on present park grounds when the European-Americans started settling this area. Today, It's a pleasant spot overlooking a pleasant vista.
However, historians-- amateur and professional -- are likely going to be more impressed with this place than the general public.
To give Mounds Park some temporal scale, the mounds were built over 2,000 years ago, which places them within the Hopewell cultural era. The cultures that built the mounds of this area were long gone when 18th century European explorers Joseph Nicollet and Jonathan Carver encountered the Dakota Indians who were living along the bluffs. The first European visitors to this area inquired of the Dakota who built the mounds, and the Dakota said they didn't know. They came to Minnesota later from a culture further east. America DOES have some ancient history to its credit.
Really though, if you're not a history nerd like me, Mounds Park is okay to visit and has a nice overlook to downtown St. Paul and some playgrounds. If you ARE a history nerd, then it represents much more.
However, historians-- amateur and professional -- are likely going to be more impressed with this place than the general public.
To give Mounds Park some temporal scale, the mounds were built over 2,000 years ago, which places them within the Hopewell cultural era. The cultures that built the mounds of this area were long gone when 18th century European explorers Joseph Nicollet and Jonathan Carver encountered the Dakota Indians who were living along the bluffs. The first European visitors to this area inquired of the Dakota who built the mounds, and the Dakota said they didn't know. They came to Minnesota later from a culture further east. America DOES have some ancient history to its credit.
Really though, if you're not a history nerd like me, Mounds Park is okay to visit and has a nice overlook to downtown St. Paul and some playgrounds. If you ARE a history nerd, then it represents much more.
Written May 27, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nsquared35
St. Paul, MN16 contributions
Mar 2011
The view of the city and river is fantastic, especially at sunset. The 6 indian burial mounds that have been preserved are located along the bluffs, they are fenced off but the walking trails are located very close to them. They are said to be 2000 years old, I also read somewhere that the Dakota were using the mounds around 200 years ago. It's an important piece of Minnesota history, too bad all the burial grounds weren't preserved.
The walking trails are very nice, all paved. It's also a good place to take a walk or go for a bike ride.
The walking trails are very nice, all paved. It's also a good place to take a walk or go for a bike ride.
Written March 30, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
s2mc
Plano, Texas220 contributions
Jul 2017 • Family
Review background: We were staying in downtown St. Paul without a car and decided to take a bus to visit the mounds. Warning: the recommended stop is not in an area I would consider safe and there are no signs pointing the way.
However, once we made it to the park, we found a lovely spot. The mounds are interesting and you can read about the people that made them, but the location and the view is really the draw. Perhaps, the view of the river is why the Native Americans chose these spots in the first place.
This is a nice park. After viewing the mounds, we decided that we would rather follow the park trails back to downtown St. Paul (2-3 miles) rather than go back to that bus stop. Great decision. A 15-minute visit to the mounds yielded wonderful views. From a rural view of barges on the river, the downtown St. Paul area crept into view. This expanded to include the sight of the State Capitol, and even a distant view of downtown Minneapolis. The homes lining the park were lovely, and often huge.
As we drew closer to downtown, one of the natural areas was sadly closed for maintenance. A short while later, albeit with a slight wrong turn due to lack of signs, we were back in Lowertown and grateful for the experience.
However, once we made it to the park, we found a lovely spot. The mounds are interesting and you can read about the people that made them, but the location and the view is really the draw. Perhaps, the view of the river is why the Native Americans chose these spots in the first place.
This is a nice park. After viewing the mounds, we decided that we would rather follow the park trails back to downtown St. Paul (2-3 miles) rather than go back to that bus stop. Great decision. A 15-minute visit to the mounds yielded wonderful views. From a rural view of barges on the river, the downtown St. Paul area crept into view. This expanded to include the sight of the State Capitol, and even a distant view of downtown Minneapolis. The homes lining the park were lovely, and often huge.
As we drew closer to downtown, one of the natural areas was sadly closed for maintenance. A short while later, albeit with a slight wrong turn due to lack of signs, we were back in Lowertown and grateful for the experience.
Written August 17, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jalberti84
Zimmerman, MN40 contributions
Mar 2013 • Family
This is a great place to visit if you are looking for good views of downtown St. Paul and the Mississippi River. Also a wonderful place to have picnics. There are bikes there you can rent to take on the paths.
The bad: I would not recommend going there after dark, we use to live in the neighborhood and it isn't the greatest.
The bad: I would not recommend going there after dark, we use to live in the neighborhood and it isn't the greatest.
Written June 25, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
canfieldo
Saint Paul, MN16 contributions
This park features the oldest and biggest burial mounds -- some 2000 years old -- on the Upper Mississippi, and also fabulous views of the Mississippi River gorge.
Written December 29, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
birdlady07
Merrillville, IN474 contributions
May 2017 • Solo
I came here for the view and wasn't disappointed. This is one place to go and get a free view of the area. Easy to find and easy parking. I went during a non-touristy time, so I had the place almost to myself. I could hear birds sing and the wind blow. I liked the peaceful and quiet setting.
Written May 7, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nancymW9446IK
Saint Paul, MN9 contributions
Jun 2016 • Friends
The area is pretty and has a bike trail. If you are expecting to see a lot of history it isn't the place to go. If you want to go on a nice bike trail head there. A couple of mounds are the Indial burial grounds. Do watch that you are heading the correct way on the trails as people I encountered there will scream at you if you vear off the trail a smidgen. I think other places in the cities are have better views and nicer people traveling through. There are numerous bike trails. A couple of mounds is t anything to make my pulse quicken.
Written June 27, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nikonnex
Houston, TX68 contributions
Jun 2014 • Friends
Much like the antiquities of Egypt which have been surrounded by modern "civilization" or the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas which is a dot in the urban landscape, these mounds are part of an urban landscape. Fortunately there is enough park land around them that one does NOT see a McDonald's sign framed by the mounds. Strolling through the park and taking it all in is a pleasant experience.
Unfortunately, the unthinking visitors who have tromped over the mounds in the past and helped themselves to "souvenirs" from these grounds have made fences necessary around the base lines of the mounds, which, while helping to protect the mounds, lessen their visual impact.
However, even on a hazy day, the view across the Mississippi River to St Paul is impressive, and underscores the often overlooked fact that both Minneapolis and St Paul extend over both sides of the river, and their downtowns are NOT on opposite sides of the river overlooking each other.
Without the mounds, the park itself would be a nice but ordinary city park with playground equipment, walking trails, picnic areas and comfort stations. Hopefully soon there will be more historical reference material available onsite to better help put the mounds into historical perspective.
Unfortunately, the unthinking visitors who have tromped over the mounds in the past and helped themselves to "souvenirs" from these grounds have made fences necessary around the base lines of the mounds, which, while helping to protect the mounds, lessen their visual impact.
However, even on a hazy day, the view across the Mississippi River to St Paul is impressive, and underscores the often overlooked fact that both Minneapolis and St Paul extend over both sides of the river, and their downtowns are NOT on opposite sides of the river overlooking each other.
Without the mounds, the park itself would be a nice but ordinary city park with playground equipment, walking trails, picnic areas and comfort stations. Hopefully soon there will be more historical reference material available onsite to better help put the mounds into historical perspective.
Written September 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Most hotels in the downtown/entertainment district of St. Paul area are a 10-15 drive from this site located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.
Written August 19, 2019
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