Pipestone National Monument
Pipestone National Monument
The first National Park Service area established within the boundaries of Minnesota, Pipestone National Monument possesses a valuable spiritual resource to many American Indians. The pipestone quarries are a sacred site for many American Indians attracting tribes across North American to quarry red pipestone for making pipes and effigies from the easily carveable material.
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: Jim La RockPhone Number: 507-825-5464
Entrance Fees: Individual (valid for 7 days): $5; Vehicle (valid for 7 days): $5; Child (15 years & under): Free; Pipestone National Monument Annual Pass: $15
Sights: Upper Midwest Indial Cultural Center; Nature Walk; Pipestone Quarries; Old Stone Face; Winnewissa Falls; Oracle Tallgrass Prairie
Important Dates
Established as Park: August 25, 1937By The Numbers
Acres: 281.00Annual Visitation: 66,867 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :44.013310 / -96.325050 (map it)
State: MN
Nearby Big City: Pipestone, MN
Gateway Communities: Pipestone, MN; Ihlen, MN; Trosky, MN; Holland, MN; Jasper, MN; Woodstock, MN; Egan, SD; Ruthton, MN; Lake Benton, MN; Hardwick, MN; Flandreau, SD
Nearby Airports: Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD); Reston/R.M. of Pipestone Airport (TC LID)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : No
Has Volunteer Program? : No
Park Photos
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National Park Service
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National Park Service
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National Park Service
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In Detail
Activities & Programs 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 th ... read more.
Animals Pipestone National Monument is home to many animal species. Among the more popular and visible residents are; thirteen-lined ground squirrels, great blue herons, snapping turtles, and beaver. Dur ... read more.
Camping Campgrounds Campgrounds are not available at the park, but are available at these nearby locatoins. Pipestone RV Campground, across from the park's entrance. Phone 507-825-2455 Split Rock Creek Stat ... read more.
Frequently Asked Questions Where is the Monument? The Monument consists of the pipestone quarries in western Minnesota and the 283 acres surrounding them. There is no specific structure, plaque, marker, or monument. A National ... read more.
Geology Quarrying Process The actual quarrying of pipestone is often an unappreciated part of the tradition surrounding pipemaking. The task of extracting pipestone from the earth is a slow and labor intensi ... read more.
History At an ancient time the Great Spirit, in the form of a large bird, stood upon the wall of rock and called all the tribes around him, and breaking out a piece of the red stone formed it into a pipe a ... read more.
Just For Kids Junior Ranger Program Kids ages 5-12 can be a Junior Ranger at Pipestone National Monument! To become a Junior Ranger, stop by the information desk in the visitor center and ask for a Trailsheet and ... read more.
Lodging & Dining Lodging Motels in Pipestone, Minnesota Arrow Motel - phone 507-825-3331 Historic Calumet Inn - phone 507-825-5871 Super 8 Motel - phone 507-825-4217 ... read more.
Natural World Located in rural southwest Minnesota, Pipestone National Monument offers an opportunity to explore unique cultural and natural resources. The Monument was established in 1937 to provide American I ... read more.
Planning Your Visit Things to Know Before You Come The pipestone quarries are a sacred site for many American Indians. For centuries, tribes across North American traveled to this site to quarry red pipestone for makin ... read more.
Plants Pipestone National Monument, by virtue of its protected status, has some of the only native prairie habitat left in the southwest Minnesota. The plants of the prairie can be seen close up along the ... read more.
Sights to See Nearby Attractions Pipestone Chamber of Commerce The Pipestone Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitor's Bureau can provide additional information for planning your visit to Pipestone, MN. Pip ... read more.
Things To Do Visitor Center The visitor center features an eight-minute orientation program which provides a history of the pipestone quarries. Interpretive exhibits about the cultural and natural resources of t ... read more.
Who's Who at the Park Volunteer Become a VIP and put yourself at the heart of the park experience. As a Volunteer at Pipestone National Monument you can make a difference in your life and lives of others as you help the n ... read more.
Pipestone In Depth
News from the Parks
Light Pollution Harms Not Just Stargazers
December 2, 2008 - 1:03pm
For students of astronomy, Sunday and Monday night is the equivalent of a World Cup Final, a new Mac operating system, and a Zeppelin reunion show all rolled into one. That’s because, as Horizons guest blogger Pete Spotts noted in his post Sunday, Jupiter, Venus, and the moon will gather to direct a lopsided frown at North America, an arrangement that won’t happen again for another 44 years.
December 2, 2008 - 1:03pm
For students of astronomy, Sunday and Monday night is the equivalent of a World Cup Final, a new Mac operating system, and a Zeppelin reunion show all rolled into one. That’s because, as Horizons guest blogger Pete Spotts noted in his post Sunday, Jupiter, Venus, and the moon will gather to direct a lopsided frown at North America, an arrangement that won’t happen again for another 44 years.
Tourists Bite on ‘Twilight’ Vampire Tours of Forks, Washington
December 2, 2008 - 12:59pm
Fans of the hit movie “Twilight,” inspired by Stephenie Meyer’s vampire series, are swarming tiny Forks on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where the novels are set, and checking out “Twilight”-themed tours, hotel packages and even food.
December 2, 2008 - 12:59pm
Fans of the hit movie “Twilight,” inspired by Stephenie Meyer’s vampire series, are swarming tiny Forks on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where the novels are set, and checking out “Twilight”-themed tours, hotel packages and even food.
Crowds Observe World AIDS Day In GG Park
December 2, 2008 - 12:56pm
People from across the country gathered in Golden Gate Park's National AIDS Memorial Grove Monday to observe the 20th annual World AIDS Day.
December 2, 2008 - 12:56pm
People from across the country gathered in Golden Gate Park's National AIDS Memorial Grove Monday to observe the 20th annual World AIDS Day.
Grounded in God, Green and Glaciers
December 2, 2008 - 12:37pm
Remember when Arizona Sen. John McCain criticized spending millions of taxpayer dollars to fund the DNA of grizzly bears in Montana during one of the presidential debates? “That’s us,” said David Restivo, a Roberts Wesleyan College alumnus and visual information specialist at Glacier National Park in Montana.
December 2, 2008 - 12:37pm
Remember when Arizona Sen. John McCain criticized spending millions of taxpayer dollars to fund the DNA of grizzly bears in Montana during one of the presidential debates? “That’s us,” said David Restivo, a Roberts Wesleyan College alumnus and visual information specialist at Glacier National Park in Montana.
Smokies' Formation Began 500 Million to 600 Million Years Ago
December 2, 2008 - 12:35pm
As the Great Smoky Mountains National Park prepares to celebrate its 75th year, students of history and geology are pondering questions that go back much farther than the park's creation in the 1930s. The most fascinating queries to them concern the actual formation of the mountains, their age and topography.
December 2, 2008 - 12:35pm
As the Great Smoky Mountains National Park prepares to celebrate its 75th year, students of history and geology are pondering questions that go back much farther than the park's creation in the 1930s. The most fascinating queries to them concern the actual formation of the mountains, their age and topography.
