THE GOVERNMENT NEWS DESKPERMANENT NPS STORY ARCHIVE
Organized by publication date and destination. Each story retains its permanent State & Nation address and official NPS source.
Calling all volunteers: Pipestone National Monument needs your help on National Public Lands Day! On Saturday, September 26th, volunteers can get out in the tallgrass prairie with park rangers from 9:00am – 12:00pm to help take care of this important cultural site.
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From approximately August 9-14, 2026, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will conduct air sampling around Winnewissa Falls at Pipestone National Monument. The sampling is part of a partnership between USGS and the National Park Service to understand contaminants in Pipestone Creek and assess public health risks.
Official NPS sourcePipestone National Monument is proud to highlight the work of Indigenous artists by hosting an Artist-in-Residence program again this summer! Artists will display and demonstrate their particular style of art for one week, while engaging with and educating visitors from all over the world.
Official NPS sourcePipestone National Monument’s Visitor Center will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30am - 4:30pm in the months of December, January, and February. The Visitor Center will be closed on Sundays and Mondays. The Visitor Center will also be closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Official NPS sourceJoin us on September 28th for the final Star Party of the year at Pipestone National Monument. From 8:30 pm to 10:00 pm, gaze through telescopes with fellow astronomers and learn about the wonders of the cosmos. Photography enthusiasts can also get hands-on experience with astrophotography, guided by photographer Marty DeWitt (just be sure to bring a DSLR or mirrorless camera and a tripod). As always, complimentary star-themed snacks will be available while supplies last!
Official NPS sourceCalling all Volunteers! Pipestone National Monument Needs Your Help on National Public Lands Day! On Saturday, September 28th, volunteers can get out in the tallgrass prairie with park rangers from 9:00am – 11:00am to help take care of this important cultural site.
Official NPS source
Pipestone celebrates the anniversary of its establishment.
Official NPS source
This summer, Pipestone National Monument will host four Indigenous artists at the Visitor Center during four separate residencies, each lasting one week.
Official NPS sourceOn May 4th, Pipestone National Monument will host its first Star Party of the year.
Official NPS sourcePipestone National Monument will be hosting an Artist-in-Residence program this summer. Four artists will be chosen: one for each month of May, June, July, and August. Indigenous artists are encouraged to apply!
Official NPS sourceOn Saturday, October 7, Pipestone National Monument will celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day from 8:00pm - 9:00pm!
Official NPS sourceOn Saturday, September 23rd, volunteers can get out in the tallgrass prairie with park rangers from 9:00am – 11:00am to help take care of this important cultural site!
Official NPS sourceOn Saturday, September 23rd, Pipestone National Monument will host a stargazing event at the park from 8:30pm – 10:00pm! Join astronomers from SDSU and Augustana University along with students from AISES (American Indian Science and Engineering Society) as they offer visitors a chance to look through telescopes, learn about Lakota constellations, engage in hands-on activities, and ask any questions about the cosmos that they want!
Official NPS source
Pipestone National Monument is honored to have received the National Park Foundation’s Open Outdoors for Kids Grant for 2024! This grant will fund field trips to the park from under-resourced communities, with a special focus on re-connecting Indigenous youth to their ancestral land.
Official NPS sourceA new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 78,000 visitors to Pipestone National Monument in 2022 spent $5.2 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 72 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $6.9 million.
Official NPS source
The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service have released the results of a recent study to assess contamination in the Pipestone Creek at Pipestone National Monument. Data was collected in 2018-19 after the park raised concerns about potential health hazards.
Official NPS sourceOn August 21-25, Pipestone National Monument will be hosting a Minnesota Master Naturalist course in partnership with the University of Minnesota Extension Office. Biological Science Technician Richard Schroyer will be offering “Prairies and Potholes,” a class covering the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. The morning sessions will be held on the Minnesota West Pipestone Campus and feature lecture and discussion about the tall grass prairie, its fauna and flora, and the geology of the area. Afternoons will consist of field trips to the Monument. In addition to these activities, participants will create a Capstone Project related to the park.
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The National Park Service’s birthday, also known as Founders’ Day, is August 25. Without quarriers, Pipestone National Monument would not exist. As in past years, we would like our recognition to include a celebration of the people who keep this 3,000-year-old tradition alive.
Official NPS sourceOn Saturday, June 24th, the monument will celebrate Pollinator Week with educational activities, naturalist-led plant walks, citizen science programs, and more! Activities will be offered from 11 am to 2 pm.
Official NPS sourcePipestone National Monument plans to have a prescribed burn lasting one day during the period of April 24 – May 20, 2023. When appropriate wind, temperature, and humidity conditions exist within this date range, approximately 100 acres of the tall grass prairie will be burned.
Official NPS sourceHelp conserve the environment, gain valuable job experience, and have fun working with Pipestone National Monument’s Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) crew this summer. The YCC program provides an opportunity for 15-18 year olds to do conservation work and learn about the Monument’s natural and cultural heritage.
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The National Park Service (NPS) at Pipestone National Monument (Monument) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate the pedestrian access trail plan and is seeking public comment.
Official NPS source
Join us on Saturday, April 29th for our Spring Star Gazing (rain date is May 6th)!
Official NPS sourceHelp protect a sacred landscape for future generations. Summer jobs at Pipestone National Monument offer meaningful public service, career development opportunities, and competitive salary and benefits. This year, Park Ranger and Biological Science Technician positions are available.
Official NPS sourceFriday, December 30th will be the annual Christmas Bird Count at Pipestone National Monument. Volunteers will meet at the park visitor center at 7:30am for complimentary coffee and donuts, break into groups, and head out to count those birds!
Official NPS sourceStarting December 1, 2022, and running through February 28, 2023, Pipestone National Monument Visitor Center’s normal winter hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, closed Sundays and Mondays. The Visitor Center will also be closed Thursday, November 24, 2022, for Thanksgiving Day.
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Join us on Saturday, November 5th at 1:00pm as we celebrate Native American Heritage Month with a free screening of the classic family movie Brother Bear.
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On Wednesday, October 19 at 6:00 p.m., Pipestone National Monument (Monument) will host a public meeting in the Visitor Center to seek feedback on a proposed pedestrian access trail into the park.
Official NPS sourceJoin us on Saturday, October 15th, for a Mushroom (and other Fungi) BioBlitz at Pipestone National Monument. Be a citizen scientist for a day! Help park rangers and other fungal enthusiasts find and photograph fungi throughout the park. You will learn a little bit about Minnesota's mushrooms and have a chance to explore parts of the park rarely seen by visitors.
Official NPS sourcePipestone National Monument will celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Saturday, October 8th, with lights, music, traditional dance, and storytelling.
Official NPS sourceJoin us on Saturday, September 24th for our Autumn Star Party at Pipestone National Monument! Programs and kids' activities start at 5:00pm and stargazing and astrophotography start at 8:30pm.
Official NPS sourceSaturday, September 24th, is National Public Lands Day. Here at Pipestone National Monument, we focus on restoration of the tallgrass prairie. Come be part of this annual event and join the park staff from 9:00am – 11:00am. Volunteers will assist with collecting prairie seeds, planting native seeds, and removing invasive species. No prior experience is needed - we’ll show you everything you need to know. Bring layers, sturdy shoes, and the whole family (kids tend to love being out in the prairie!). The necessary equipment will be provided.
Official NPS sourceDuring the week of September 13, elders from the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma will be making a historic homecoming journey to Pipestone National Monument, Good Earth State Park at Blood Run, and other ancestral sites in the region. The Iowa were early keepers of the pipestone quarries, working and trading the stone extensively through places like Blood Run.
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On Saturday, July 30th, the Great Plains Zoo Mobile from Sioux Falls will be at the park from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Come out to learn about wildlife, how we can help protect it, and even get to touch them in a safe environment while they're here! The Zoo Mobile crew always puts on a great program that is interactive, educational, and fun.
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The annual night sky viewing party has returned to Pipestone National Monument. Join us Saturday, September 11, 2021 from 8 p.m. – 9 p.m. for an evening of star gazing and learning.
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The National Park Service will celebrate its 105th birthday (Founders Day) on August 25, 2021. But if it weren’t for the peoples who began the tradition of quarrying here thousands of years ago, Pipestone National Monument would not exist today. To honor their legacy and traditions, we invite the public to the official celebration on Saturday, August 21, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Activities are appropriate for all ages and are offered at no cost.
Official NPS sourcePipestone National Monument plans to have a prescribed burn lasting one day during the period of April 26 – May 22, 2021. When appropriate wind, temperature, and humidity conditions exist within this date range, approximately 100 acres of the tall grass prairie will be burned. Additional information will be provided to park neighbors and the media when the appropriated conditions are forecasted, and the specific date of the prescribed burn is determined.
Official NPS source"Ranger for a Day - Hókahé!" is back this summer at Pipestone National Monument! Kids 7-12 years old are invited to come spend a day with park rangers, learn what "Hókahé" means, discover the park's wildlife and learn how to protect it, learn about Indigenous languages and cultures, and more! From culture and history to science and geology, your kids will gain a wealth of knowledge while having fun.
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On Saturday, May 8th, we're hosting a Migratory Bird Day BioBlitz from (brace yourself) 6:00 am - 8:00 am.
Official NPS sourcePipestone National Monument will be increasing visitor services on April 3, following guidance from the White House and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The National Park Service (NPS) has been working servicewide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic, and Pipestone has remained open for outdoor experiences throughout the pandemic.
Official NPS sourceAll national parks will waive entrance fees on 6 special days in 2021.
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