Pipestone National MonumentLocation: Pipestone, MN
Trail Length: 3/4mile paved loop
Cost: $7 entrance fee for anyone 16+ (don’t forget seniors can get a $10 pass to all National Parks that will cover an entire family entering with them)
Just an hour down the road from us is the Pipestone National Monument. So we loaded up three generations worth of the family and headed out for an afternoon of exploring. The location is rather small but perfect for anyone to access with relatively short, flat, paved walking paths.
The facility looks like it hasn’t had a facelift in thirty years but is well maintained. In the building there are a few cases displaying different examples of the stone and some of the pipes that have been carved out of the stone. There is a theater with a short film that plays that explains the value the native population put on the stone and the significance of the quarry. The film is a must see before going out to walk as it helps you understand the difficulty of the mining and the techniques being practiced to mine the stone. The building also houses a small gift shop and most interesting has a pipe carver in residence who can discuss the carving process and show works in progress.
When you head out the back doors to stroll you see a whole host of various open pits, some filled with water some with tools littered about. There isn’t much shade so prepare for the sun to hound you most of the way. There are several points of interest along the way such as looking at a “face” through a hole in the stone, a waterfall that you can see from above and below and the stream itself that flows throughout.
It would be wise to keep smaller children in strollers since there are open mine pits all over. It doesn’t take longer than two hours to see the entire site. Overall a nice way to spend an afternoon learning a little history and having a nice stroll. Perfect for when family is visiting the area and you want to show them something regional.
tamingthemilemonster 