There Are More Sacred Mounds Than There Are Miles Along This Beautiful Hiking Trail In Wisconsin

In Dodge County, you’ll find a place with profound historical significance: Nitschke Mounds Park. This Wisconsin county park preserves what’s left of an important place that was created by the Mound Builders culture that once occupied the Dodge County area. A scenic path winds through this special area, offering a chance for people to learn about a sacred place in Wisconsin. Here’s a look at Dodge County’s Nitschke Mounds Park.

You’ll find Nitschke Mounds Park in one of the most beautiful parts of the state - the area around the Horicon Marsh. It’s a place that’s visited by millions of migratory birds every year.

Nitschke Mounds Park has 37 preserved animal effigy, conical, and linear mounds, believed to have been constructed between 800 AD and 1100 AD by the Late Woodland Culture, otherwise known as the Effigy Mound Builders.

Modern records of an offical investigation of the Nitschke Mound Group date back to 1892, with further exploration and documentation conducted in 1927 by W.C. McKern, an archaeologist with the Milwaukee Public Museum.

Initially consisting of 62 identified mounds, the group is thought to have potentially contained as many as 100 mounds, with 46 of them located within what is now the park boundaries.

In 2003 Dodge County purchased 54 acre property with the assistance of the National Park Service and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Ongoing efforts led by volunteers have cleared brush and trees from the mounds.

Interpretative signs dotting the park provide some insights into the history and significance of the mounds.

I’ve enjoyed exploring areas near the marsh, including the Wild Goose State Trail. This Wisconsin county park is well worth a visit, but tread lightly if you do. Nitschke Mounds Park contains burial sites of ancient inhabitants, and it’s considered sacred ground. Please treat this palce with respect, stay on the trails and do not walk on the mounds. Learn more about Nitschke Mounds Park on the county’s website. Make your Dodge County travel plans on Booking.com, and here’s where to find more Wisconsin adventures.