Mississippi River Parkway Commission

Great River Road Sign

How to Find Us

The Monument is located in northeast Iowa, along the "Great River Road", which is HWY 76 in our neck of the woods. Public transportation to the Monument is usually not a viable option; passenger service along the railroad line that passes by has not been available since the days of the steam locomotive pictured above!

Driving is your best bet; there can be limited taxi / shuttle service from hotels located in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin (located directly across the Mississippi River from the Monument).

NPS Photo by Ken Block

You Made It! The Monument's Entrance Sign

...and the sign said...

The Monument is located about 60 miles south of I-90 as it crosses the Mississippi River near La Crosse, WI and La Crescent, MN. We are and 130 miles north of I-80 from Davenport, IA.

When traveling along very narrow, winding, hilly and rural roadways in the bluff lands along the Mississippi, it is easy for the scenery to take your eyes away from the road....

...of course, that is exactly why you should come! Experience one of the best kept scenic drive secrets in America - and keep your eyes on the road and "peeled" for the few small brown highway signs that simply state "Effigy Mounds". 

The Great River Road in Iowa:

A National Scenic Byway, the route actually incorporates a variety of highway routes & numbers as it winds along the Mississippi River south from Minnesota, and north from Missouri. See our local approach directions, study your map and look for Great River Road Signs. When you get close, look for those legendary brown "Effigy Mounds" signs. If you see them, we'll be seeing you, and you'll also (probably) qualify for the Navy's "Top Gun" program.

* Traveling from the north, many folks will drive from La Crosse, WI along highway 35 on the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River to Prairie du Chien.We are just across the river following U.S. Highway 18 to Marquette, Iowa.

Prairie du Chien is the home to FIVE (5) National Historic Landmarks; the first established in the State of Wisconsin (August 1960). These sites, unlike National Register sites which are selected for state-wide importance, are deemed nationally significant - and are technically part of the National Park System.