County: Hale  |   Attraction Types: Arts & Culture, Birding Trail, Historic Site, Museum, Outdoor Recreation, Park

Called “The Big Apple of the 14th Century” by National Geographic, Moundville Archaeological Park was once the site of a powerful prehistoric community that, at its peak, was America’s largest city north of Mexico.  Located on the Black Warrior River at Moundville, Alabama, the park preserves 326 acres where, 800 years ago, Mississippian Indians constructed 28 massive flat-topped earthen pyramids, arranged carefully around a vast central plaza.  The mounds served as elevated platforms for civic and ceremonial structures and the homes of nobles.

Begin your visit by viewing the short film at the park entrance building that explains the remarkable history of this site. Throughout the grounds, you will find interpretative panels that provide details about the different sites.  The park has a museum that combines the latest technology with more than 200 stunning artifacts to describe one of the most significant Native American archaeological sites in the United States. Visitors will find life-size figures displaying the clothing and jewelry of Mississippian cultures, ceremonial feather decorations hand-sewn by Native-American artists, stunning pottery and other artworks placed in display cases that light up when recorded narratives talk about them.   The park also has a 1⁄2-mile nature trail that winds through scenic old-growth hardwood forests. In addition, the park offers picnic areas, great views of the Black Warrior River, and a campground.  The Moundville Archaeological Park is a featured West Alabama birding site on the Alabama Birding Trails system of trails.

Directions: From the traffic light in Moundville, travel north on Highway 69 approximately 0.5 mile and turn west onto the Mound Parkway road.  Drive 0.4 miles to the Park Entrance Building.  GPS coordinates of the Park Entrance Building are N33.002722,W87.628139.