Hopewell Culture National Historical Park


Nearly 2000 years ago, American Indians built dozens of monumental mounds and earthen enclosures in southern Ohio. These earthwork complexes were ceremonial landscapes used for feasts, funerals, rituals, and rites of passage associated with an American Indian religious movement that swept over half the continent for almost 400 years. Come walk among the earthworks and experience the past.

Take U.S. 23. Exit U.S. 23 at State Route 207 and turn right. Continue on S.R. 207 for 2 miles until it merges with S.R. 104 (Make no turns, continue straight on road as it turns into S.R. 104). Follow S.R. 104, turn left into park (approximately 1.8 miles past the S.R. 104 & S.R. 207 intersection), follow entrance road to visitor center.

  • Arts and Culture
  • Biking
  • Road Biking
  • Food
  • Dining
  • Guided Tours
  • Self-Guided Tours - Walking
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store

  • Archeology
  • Burial, Cemetery and Gravesite
  • Native American Heritage
  • Wars and Conflicts
  • World War I
  • Animals

Mound City Group sunrise

An early morning sun casting long shadows over grass-covered mounds.

Dawn at the Mound City Group as the sun casts long shadows over the grass.

The Mound City Group visitor center

A tan building with a red-peaked roof surrounded by green grass and tan sidewalks

The Mound City Group visitor center main entrance with Mound City Group in the background view

Hopeton Earthworks

A green, grassy field with taller areas of uncut grass in geometric shapes under a partly cloudy sky

The overlook area of Hopeton Earthworks allowing visitors to view the interpretive mowing of the geometric shapes

Hopewell Mound Group overlook

An overlook area showing a green grassy field with a panel showing artwork and text

The main overlook area of Hopewell Mound Group showing the enormity of the site.

Seip Earthworks

A grassy trail running between tall trees in a green field leads to a large grass-covered mound

A cut grass trail leading to the large Seip Mound at Seip Earthworks.

Museum Mural

A large art mural showing Native Americans standing and crouching in front of a pit.

A large mural in the park museum showing an artistic rendition of what the Hopewell may have engaged in over 2,000 years ago.

The Duck Pot

A clay pot with impressions of ducks etched into the sides

One of the Duck Pots recovered at Mound City Group during excavations in the early 1900's.

Bone Scraper and Awl

Tall pieces of bone on display in a museum case

A bone scraper and awl on display in the park museum.

Ranger Desk

A tan-orange curved information desk with a man sitting behind the counter

The information desk inside of the Mound City Group visitor center.

School field trips at the park

Several children walking with a park ranger in a flat hat near grass-covered mounds.

A school field trip visiting the Mound City Group as a ranger leads them on a tour.

The Mound City Group bookstore

Several square pedestals hold books and other gifts in the middle of a carpeted floor

The bookstore inside of the Mound City Group visitor center.

Yoga at the Mound City Group

Several people sitting on blankets in the shade under a tree on the green grass.

Visitors performing yoga during a Yoga event at the Mound City Group under the shade of a large tree.

Mound City Group river walk

An asphalt path with a steel handrail on the left with green vegetative slope to the right.

The paved river walk trail at the Mound City Group.

Spruce Hill trail

A gravel trail with exposed shale on the right side of the trail.

The trail to the Spruce Hill plateau showing exposed shale on the right side fo the gravel path.

A coyote in the park

A gray coyote begins walking in the grass in front of a grass-covered mound

A lone coyote stares at the photographer while walking in front of a mound at Mound City Group.