Pipestone National Monument offers an opportunity to explore American Indian culture and the natural resources of the tallgrass prairie. Established by Congress in 1937 to protect the historic pipestone quarries, the site is considered sacred by many American Indians. Spanning centuries of use, American Indians continue to quarry pipestone which they carve into sacred pipes.
The Basics
Hours:
The Visitor Center is open daily 8am-5pm; Memorial Day to Labor Day extended hours are 8am-6pm. The Circle Trail remains open daily.
The last two weekends in July and the first weekend in August, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, the Visitor Center extended hours are 8am-8pm. These open hours coincide with the presentation of the Hiawatha Pageant by the local Hiawatha Club.
The Visitor Center is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day.
Address:
36 Reservation Avenue
Pipestone, MN 56164
Phone:
507-825-5464
Fax:
507-825-5466
Map
Directions
Pipestone National Monument is easily accessible from the following highways. When you reach the city of Pipestone, road signs will lead you to Pipestone National Monument.
Travel from Luverne, MN, to Pipestone, MN, north on US Highway 75, 25 miles Travel from I-90 north on Minnesota Highway 23 to Pipestone, MN, 27 miles. Travel from Marshall, MN, southwest on Minnesota Highway 23 to Pipestone, MN, 45 miles. Travel from Slayton, MN, west on Minnesota Highway 30 to Pipestone, MN, 29 miles. Travel from Lake Benton, MN, south on US Highway 75 to Pipestone, MN, 19 miles.
Climate
With an altitude of 1,600 feet, the area is high plains. Summer temperatures average in the 80's with the high reaching 100° occasionally. Winters are cold and windy with temperatures sometimes reaching below 0°.
The visitor center features an 8-minute orientation program which provides a history of the pipestone quarries. Interpretive exhibits about the cultural and natural resources of the site can be found throughout the building, in addition to the main museum objects on display. A petroglyph display was recently constructed in the Upper Midwest Indian Cultural Center, located inside the visitor center.
The cultural center features demonstrations of pipe making by American Indian craft workers using stone from the quarries. The demonstrations are available from April to mid-October.
The three-quarter mile self-guiding Circle Trail begins at the visitor center and loops through the quarries, passing sites of historic and scenic interest. A wide variety of wildlife and remnant tallgrass prairie ecosystems can be seen. A trail booklet is available at the visitor center.
The paved Circle Trail, which begins and ends at the Visitor Center, leads to several points of interest at the Monument. It is a delightful walk of three quarters of a mile and requires approximately 45 minutes. Features along the trail include the pipestone quarries, historical markers, Old Stone Face, Winnewissa Falls, Oracle and the native tallgrass prairie. Benches are located along the trail.
Indoor Activities
Interpretive Programs
Organized interpretive programs are available during the summer. Programs may include talks in the Visitor Center on a variety of subjects, a guided walk on the Circle Trail, or a discussion on quarrying by American Indians. Check at the Visitor Center for topics, meeting time, and place.
Cultural Demonstrations
Cultural demonstrations of pipe making by American Indians are provided in the cultural center from April to mid-October.
Nearby Attractions
Pipestone County Museum
The Pipestone County Museum presents the area’s history in a range of interpretive exhibits. Historical information related to Pipestone National Monument is available at the Museum.
Split Rock Creek State Park
Just seven miles south of Pipestone, MN, is the area’s nearest state park, Split Rock Creek State Park. Swim, fish or boat the waters of Split Rock Lake.
Blue Mounds State Park
Blue Mounds State Park protects a bison herd which grazes on one of the most picturesque prairie remnants in the state of Minnesota. The Park is located 25 miles south of Pipestone, MN.
Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site
Amid the prairie grasses at Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site are islands of uncovered rock, where American Indians left carvings - petroglyphs. They tell a story that spans 5,000 years. Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site is located 83 miles east of Pipestone, MN.
