Hiking & Exploring Mound City Group

Steps away from the park visitor center lies the only fully reconstructed Hopewellian site in the world, the Mound City Group.  Visitors will find 23 mounds of varying sizes and shapes enclosed by a 3 foot high earthen wall.  Walking inside of the group, visitors will find interpretive signs at various locales.  Also available is a nature trail that encircles the mound group and winds through the young forest and also parallels the Scioto River on the east side of the park.

Details

Duration

20-180 Minutes

Duration depends on level of interest and personal stamina.  A walk around the earthen mounds on the nature trail in the forested part is just under one mile and will average about 30 minutes, depending on pace and level of interest.  There are benches situated on the trail for visitor use.

Activity

Front-Country Hiking

Most of the trails and grounds are flat and easy to navigate.  There is a descending and ascending part of the trail which goes to the river walk area.  That part of the trail is paved and has concrete steps to access the lower walk area.  The upper walk area near the river is gravel-covered and flat and has no ascending or descending parts.  Trails within the mound area is grass-covered and flat.  Trails winding through the forest are mulch and grass-covered.  Appropriate shoes and/or hiking boots are recommended.

Age(s)

All ages, but minors must be with an adult parent or guardian especially on the river walk area.

Pets Allowed

Yes

Pets are always welcome, but must be leashed and in control at all times.  Owners are responsible for picking up pet's poop and disposing of properly.

Activity Fee

No

No fees

Location

Mound City Group

Mound City Group is located on State Route 104, just on the northen fringe of Chillicothe.

Reservations

No

No reservations required

Season

Year Round

Time of Day

Day

Park grounds are open every day of the year, from sunrise to sunset.

Accessibility Information

Mound City Group Visitor Center:

• Parking: Two spaces available, closest to building
• Entrance: Front and side doors to visitor center open outwards, manually operated.
• Trails: Paved from parking lot area, flat surface. One paved sidewalk, slight decline when walking towards the nature trail and mound enclosure area. Nature trail covered with mulch and pebbled dirt on north side of enclosure, south side of trail is grassy and flat.
• Restrooms: Men's and Women's both wheelchair accessible with wall-mounted baby changing stations in both.
• Water: Water fountains located inside visitor center between restrooms and one located outside off of parking lot sidewalk (outside fountain is shut off in winter).
• No pay phones
• Benches and picnic tables: Provided around the outside of visitor center building, including a few wheelchair-friendly picnic tables.
• Exhibits: Bench and interactive kiosk in rear of museum are wheelchair friendly. Exit doors from museum to paved patio are manually operated.
• Mobility-Impaired: One All-Terrain wheelchair is available for first come, first serve use. Wheels have deep, oversize tread to help with traction on mulch, dirt and grass trails. Availability of All-Terrain wheelchair is during normal visitor center operating hours.

Whether you're familiar with the Hopewell or not, a walk around the grounds of Mound City Group will enlighten you and inspire you. Stroll within the mound area and read from the interpretive panels placed at various locations to understand why the mounds may have been built or how they were built. Find out about what was discovered during excavations nearly 100 years ago. Continue your walk down to the river portion of the trail and learn how important this waterway was to daily life. A walk around the mounds on the nature trail exposes your senses to the natural wonders of the flora and fauna of the park.

Visit the park's Directions page for detailed directions to the park's visitor center and for maps of the local area.