"Effigy Mounds National Monument" Effigy Mounds National Monument by PinkFloydActuary

Not the easiest park in the system to get to, but you will get a chance for some pretty river scenery if you approach Effigy Mounds from the north. This was the final destination on our 2008 road trip out West. Wifey and the kids were antsy to get home, so we really only had enough time to do a short hike.

The mounds themselves are still a mystery as to why they were built. As you look at most of them from ground level, it's hard to see the shapes of some of them, but the monument does afford a number of quiet, pretty hiking trails as you take time to ponder what these mounds were built for.

• Pros:Quiet, pretty area
• Cons:A little off the beaten path :)