Hike Indian Mounds and Overlook Loop at Indian Mounds Regional Park

Rating	★★★★☆(4/5)
Overall Difficulty	Easy
Navigation Difficulty	Easy
Distance	0.5 miles roundtrip
Time	15 minutes
Terrain	Mostly flat
Best Seasons	All
Family Friendly	Yes
Dog Friendly	Yes
Accessible	Yes

Highlights

One of the few places you can see the Minneapolis and St. Paul skyline simultaneously
Preserved Native American burial mounds

Hike Summary

While this isn't much of a hike, it is a destination in the Twin Cities that you shouldn't miss. With scenic views and historic Native American burial mounds in a location next to downtown St. Paul, this park is a testament to the wonderful natural amenities the Twin Cities has to offer. The park's namesake mounds, pictured below, are somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 years old (so long ago that there were still pharaohs in Egypt) created by the Hopewellians and added to by the Dakota. After a short walk around the mounds, you can walk across the street to enjoy a picnic, play a game of tennis, or play on the playground.

Snow covering these historic burial sites

The grassy burial mounds in spring

There's not much to the trail system here -- it's a couple of paved loops around the mounds that you're free to wander. Along the wall behind the mounds, you will find overlooks giving you the view of South St. Paul pictured below. The overlook is best in the late fall through early spring when the foliage doesn't obscure your view.

This overlook provides excellent views of South St. Paul

Just past the mounds is another slice of history, the airway beacon. This tall metal tower was built in 1929 to aid pilots delivering airmail, marking the route between St. Paul and Chicago. GPS and electronic navigation systems eventually made the tower obsolete, and this is one of the few remaining beacons in the U.S., which still operates with a flashing, rotating light.

The nearly 100 year-old airway beacon

Next to the airway beacon is a bench with a commanding view of both Minneapolis and St. Paul, as pictured below. This is one of the few places in the Twin cities where you can see both skylines simultaneously!

From this bench you can see the skylines of both Minneapolis and St. Paul

The same view of Minneapolis and St. Paul during spring

Smack in the middle of St. Paul, this park is a must visit for anyone in the Twin Cities. After checking out the mounds and the views, head over to the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary for some pretty trails! Connect with me using the social media links below and share your adventures!

Important Information

Dogs are allowed on leash. This is a destination suited for people of all ages and ability levels. There is one accessibile parking spot in the lot, and the trails around the mounds are paved and flat. I visited on a cold Friday afternoon and unsurprisingly had the park to myself, so I'm not even going to try and pretend like I know how crowded the park gets on a summer weekend.

Directions

By Bike
The off-street bike path along Mounds Boulevard runs through the park and connects to the bike lane on Johnson Parkway to the east and to the trail through Swede Hollow Park to the west.

By Bus
Metro Transit line 70 -- traveling between Highland Park through Downtown St. Paul, then through East St. Paul to the Sun Ray Shopping Center -- stops at the corner of Burns Avenue and Earl Street two blocks away. Walk south on Earl Street from the bus stop to reach the park.

By Car
From Downtown St. Paul, take Interstate 94 east and exit at Mounds Boulevard. Turn right at the light, then continue straight to stay on Mounds Boulevard. Drive past the first lot on the right side of the road with a sign for Indian Mounds Regional Park, and continue straight as the road bends to the left and heads uphill. You'll pass the mounds and a tall metal tower, then park in the lot on the right side after the stop sign.

Google Maps Directions

Parking, Fees, and Facilities

Parking is free! If the small lot is full, you can find street parking on Thorn Street by turning right out of the parking lot then turning left on Thorn. The bathroom facilities are located across the street from the lot, where there are also several picnic tables, shelters, and playgrounds.