Fire Point and Twin Views
A 3-mile walk past Little Bear Mound to river lookouts.
Effigy Mounds and the Upper Mississippi
About 200 Native mounds, many shaped like bears and birds, high on the bluffs above the Mississippi.
The Woodland people shaped these mounds some 1,000 to 1,400 years ago, and you can only really see them from the air. Walk the bluff trail for the river view, and it's splendid in fall.
- Best Time
- May–October
- Time Needed
- Half a day
- Cost Level
- $$$$
- Open
- Check before you go; hours vary by season
- Getting There
- About an hour by car north of Dubuque.
What to See
2 of 2 are freePikes Peak State Park
A high lookout at the meeting of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers.
Know Before You Go
- The mounds are sacred. Stay on the trails.
Where to Stay
Stay in McGregor or Marquette, Iowa.
Where to Eat
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Last checked 2026-11-02. Part of the Midwest list.