Parks Parks and Parks: Day 4 - Effigy Mounds NM and Pikes Peak State Park

It poured today throughout most of our drive. Thunderstorms were abundant, and we were worried we wouldn’t be able to camp at night. But we pushed on toward our destination, out of Indiana, through Illinois, through Wisconsin, and into Iowa. So much rain, and so many tolls!

But we made it, and guess what – it stopped raining! Sort of. We started our hike at Effigy Mounds and of course the rain started again in the middle of it. Luckily, it was a light rain, and it actually was welcome considering the oppressive heat (it actually wasn’t that hot, we just had to walk uphill). A shady trail, with lots of trees for cover, we didn’t get very wet. And boy, was it worth it! We saw numerous mounds, which are sacred structures built by American Indians, shaped like various animals. They are best viewed from directly above, but this viewpoint is impossible without a plane. Instead, we were able to stand right next to them, and no one else was on the trail.

Also on the two-mile hike were the Fire Point and Eagle Rock overlooks, providing a serene panorama of the Mississippi River. So far, this was likely the highlight of the trip.

After Effigy Mounds, we drove to Marquette for another scenic overlook. Shout out to all the Marquettes out there. Finally, we made it to Pikes Pike State Park, and lo and behold, more rain. We waited it out for about a half hour until it finally stopped, this time for good. We were able to set up our tent, have a dinner, and recharge for another fun day ahead.