Winter Birds of Effigy Mounds National Monument & Film Festival
Upcoming Events at Effigy Mounds National Monument including winter birding program and film screenings in January, February, and March.
Official NPS sourceSTATE & NATION TRAVEL
Iowa Travel.
National parks, historic sites and practical visitor updates, directly from the National Park Service.
NPS sources checked 10/3/2026, 3:09:00 PM Eastern
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Latest NPS News
Browse the archiveNew program manager selected for NPS Regions 6, 7, 8 National Trails Office
The National Park Service (NPS) has selected Patrick Malone as program manager of Region 6, 7 and 8 National Trails Office. In this role, Malone will administer the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail, California National Historic Trail, El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail, Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, Old Spanish National Historic Trail, Oregon National Historic Trail, Pony Express National Historic Trail, Santa Fe National Historic Trail, Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, and the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program.
Official NPS sourcePrescribed Burn at Herbert Hoover NHS
The staff at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site is planning a prescription burn in the reconstructed tallgrass prairie. Because prescribed burns are so dependent on weather conditions, we have been keeping an eye on the weather outlook over the last few weeks. Per the National Park Service Fire Management Officer (FMO) who oversees the fire program for us, next week has been identified as the best time this fall to hold a prescribed burn.
Official NPS sourceEffigy Mounds Fall Ranger Guided Hikes
The public is invited to join a ranger on a series of guided hikes this fall at Effigy Mounds National Monument.
Official NPS source2024 Herbert Hoover NHS Interpretive Offerings for 'A Christmas Past'
The Herbert Hoover NHS will offer several programs and performances during the 'A Christmas Past' event on December 6 - 7.
Official NPS sourceEffigy Mounds National Monument 75th Anniversary Commemoration
Join us on Saturday, October 26 at 10:00 a.m. to celebrate the 75th anniversary.
Official NPS sourceCome Celebrate the National Park Service's 108th Birthday with Effigy Mounds National Monument: August 25, 2024
An invitation to celebrate the 108th birthday of the National Park Service at Effigy Mound National Monument.
Official NPS sourceIntern Presentations & Cross Quarter Day Sunrise Hike
On July 25th at 1:00PM summer interns will be presenting their projects at the visitor center. On August 6th there will be a ranger-led hike to Fire Point begining at 5:00AM.
Official NPS sourceTerrain360 and the National Park Service-Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Embark on a Historic Mapping Expedition of the Yellowstone River
In a groundbreaking collaboration, Terrain360, the National Park Service’s (NPS) Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, and the Lewis and Clark Trust, Inc. is proud to announce a project that aims to map a portion of the Yellowstone River. The mapping will use state-of-the art 360° ultra-high-definition spherical imagery to capture 507 miles of river starting just south of Livingston, Montana to the confluence of the Missouri-Yellowstone Rivers. This monumental endeavor will generate over 1 million ultra-high-resolution images, providing an unparalleled view of this historically significant river.
Official NPS sourcePark Explorer Junior Ranger Day: “Pack Like a Ranger”
HARPER’S FERRY, IA -- Effigy Mounds National Monument invites children of all ages to participate in Park Explorer Junior Ranger Day: "Pack Like a Ranger" on Saturday, July 27, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Official NPS sourceLewis and Clark National Historic Trail 2023 Annual Report Released
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail has released its 2023 Annual Report. The report documents a year of work with partners across the U.S. to commemorate and protect the 4,900-mile-long historic route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Official NPS sourceHerbert Hoover National Historic Site to Host Night Hike
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site to Host Night Hike Nature doesn’t go to sleep when the sun goes down. The park remains full of activity in the darkness as the night takes over. The staff at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site want to give visitors a chance to see the park after dark. Experience the sights, touches, sounds, and smells by joining the Herbert Hoover NHS naturalist intern for a Night Hike along the tallgrass prairie near park loop road Saturday, November 25. Meet in front of the visitor center at 110 Parkside Dr. in West Branch at 5:15pm to gather. The half-mile hike will be from 5:30-6:30 p.m. This event is free and open to all ages. This will be an evening exploration to give participants a feel for what goes on in nature during the night. Hikers may hear coyotes howling or owls calling for their mates. You may even smell a conifer scent along the trail. The moon will be almost full and if the night is clear, it will cast pools of dappled moonglow through the trees and constellations through the sky. Folklore and other stories may be shared through the night walk. Participants should bring a small flashlight or headlamp and dress for the weather. Red lenses on flashlights are encouraged. Red cellophane will be provided with rubber bands to cover regular flashlights if needed. Programs may be canceled due to inclement weather.
Official NPS source“A Christmas Past”
Take a step back in time as you stroll through the park’s historic neighborhood decorated and illuminated in period-appropriate, festive style.
Official NPS sourceThe Iowa Tribe and Effigy Mounds
Lance Foster, Vice Chairman and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska as well as the director of the Ioway Tribal National Park, to speak Tuesday, November 7 at 6:00 pm. His presentation, “Iowa Tribe and Effigy Mounds: A Sister Park Connection,” will be given in the visitor center auditorium at Effigy Mounds National Monument.
Official NPS sourceHerbert Hoover National Historic Site to Host Hoover and Veterans Talk on November 11
Join a park ranger at 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 11th, for a presentation about Hoover’s policies and actions involving veterans.
Official NPS sourceTree Walk
If you have ever wondered about the native trees of Iowa, please join Herbert Hoover NHS staff for a guided tree walk on Saturday, October 14, at 10 a.m. The walk will begin at the Park Visitor Center and will last approximately an hour and a half. Nearly three dozen different varieties of trees are found in the park, including a wide variety of native species and some unusual trees from other parts of the country. The unique history of some of the trees will also be highlighted during the tour. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes and plan on walking a full mile.
Official NPS sourceNATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY VOLUNTEER EVENT
West Branch, IA – On September 23, 2023, tens of thousands of volunteers across the country will join in trail maintenance and planting projects, trash pick-ups, and other activities aimed at restoring and caring for our public lands to celebrate the 30th annual National Public Lands Day (NPLD).
Official NPS sourceTourism to Herbert Hoover National Historic Site contributes $6,855,000 to local economy
A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 103,804 visitors to Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in 2022 spent $6,855,000 in communities near the park. That spending supported 101 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $9,144,000.
Official NPS sourceUpcoming NPS Events
NEXT 90 DAYSBook Talk with Dr. William Green: "This is the Route of My Forefathers: The 1837 Ioway Map"
Come join William Green, Ph.D. as he discusses his new book about the 1837 Ioway Map. Dr. Green will be joined by curator for the Iowa of Kansas and Nebraska Tribe, Reuben Noah, to discuss the No Heart map. This map was created by the Ioway during the removal to document their traditional lands. Dr. Green and the late Lance Foster, former tribal historical preservation officer for the Iowa of Kansas and Nebraska spent over 30 years carefully studying this map and its significance for the history of the Iowa.
Official NPS sourceFall Colors Hike in the Heritage Addition
Come join a park ranger in an approximately 4-mile hike in the heritage addition. This hike is along the old county road with little to no elevation.
Official NPS sourceRanger Guided Marching Bears Hike
Join park rangers to hike to the Marching Bears mound group in our South Unit. Meet the ranger at the Day Use area along Highway 76 and the Mississippi River. The hike is approximately 4 miles round trip with a steep incline to get to the top of the bluffs.
Official NPS sourceOld Military Road Guided Hike with Dr. Josh Wacuta
Join Joshua Wachuta, Ph.D. and park rangers to hike to hike the Military Road in the South Unit. Dr. Wachuta will discuss the relationship of this road to the Treaties of Prairie du Chien and the 1830 Indian Removal Act throughout the hike. Meet the ranger at the Day Use area along Highway 76 and the Mississippi River. The hike is approximately 4 miles round trip with a steep incline to get to the top of the bluffs.
Official NPS sourceOfficial destination calendars
National Parks & Federal Sites
4 DESTINATIONSNational Historic Trail
Lewis & Clark
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail winds nearly 4,900 miles through the homelands of more than 60 Tribal nations. It follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Pacific Ocean. Follow the trail to find the people, places, and stories that make up the complex legacy of the expedition.
Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · North Dakota · Ohio · Oregon · Pennsylvania · South Dakota · Washington · West VirginiaNational Historic Trail
Mormon Pioneer
Explore the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail across five states to see the 1,300-mile route traveled by Mormons who fled Nauvoo, Illinois, to the Great Salt Lake Valley in 1846-1847.
Illinois · Iowa · Nebraska · Utah · WyomingNational Monument
Effigy Mounds
The mounds preserved here are considered sacred by many Americans, especially the Monument's 20 culturally associated American Indian tribes. A visit offers opportunities to contemplate the meanings of the mounds and the people who built them. The 200 plus American Indian mounds are located in one of the most picturesque sections of the Upper Mississippi River Valley.
IowaNational Historic Site
Herbert Hoover
Orphaned at age nine, Herbert Hoover left West Branch never to live here again. In later years, he returned to his humble birthplace to celebrate his long career of public service. A memorial landscape remains to tell his story: how community, hard work, honesty, and usefulness to others opened a world of opportunity— and the presidency of the United States— to a child of simple beginnings.
IowaDestination directory sourced from NPS state listings, October 3, 2026. Official NPS directory
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