The Serpent
Walk the paved path around the whole effigy, from the coiled tail to the open jaws.
Serpent Mound
The largest serpent effigy in the world, a quarter-mile earthwork snake uncoiling along a ridge in southern Ohio, built by ancient Native American peoples.
Serpent Mound is the largest serpent effigy in the world: a low, grassy earthwork about a quarter mile long that coils along a ridge in southern Ohio, its head pointing toward the summer-solstice sunset. Ancient Native American peoples built it, and archaeologists still debate exactly when.
A path circles the serpent, an observation tower gives the view from above, and a small museum explains the mound and the rare meteor-impact crater it sits on.
- Best Time
- April–October; the solstices for special events
- Time Needed
- 2 hours
- Cost Level
- $$$$
- Open
- Every day; check arcofappalachia.org for hours
- Getting There
- Near Peebles in rural Adams County, about 90 minutes east of Cincinnati by car.
What to See
0 of 3 are freeObservation Tower
Climb for the best view of the serpent's curves.
Museum
How the mound was built and studied, and the crater beneath it.
Know Before You Go
- The site is a sacred place. Stay on the path; walking on the mound is not allowed.
- Admission is a parking fee per vehicle.
Where to Stay
Visit as a day trip from Cincinnati or Columbus.
Where to Eat
Our picks are on the way.
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Last checked 2026-10-31. Part of the Midwest list.