pipestone | MN | Find park

Pink wall of rock next to path and grass

The outcroppings along the trail are a surprise to many visitors expecting a flat prairie

Purple and yellow wildflowers in a field of tall grass

The tallgrass prairie is an explosion of color spring through fall

A couple outside in snowshoes smiling at the camera

Snowshoeing is available for free after January 1st

A sheet of stone being taken off a thick slab of stone in a quarry pit

It can take months or even years to reach the pipestone layer in a quarry pit.

A woman standing next to a little girl helping her make a clay pot

Kids have opportunities throughout the summer for hands-on activities

A man in a quarry pit swings a hammer as a woman watches

Quarriers must break through over 6 feet of quartzite to reach the pipestone layer

A man watches over a woman as she saws a piece of stone

Travis Erickson teaches new carver, Jessica Arkeketa, how to make a pipe

Winnewissa Falls is a favorite spot for visitors all year long

A man works with tools in a quarry as kids watch

Quarrier and carver Francis Eastman teaches Indigenous youth how to quarry

A man in a quarry pit holding a sledge hammer

Quarrier Aaron Prim working his way through 6 feet of quartzite to reach pipestone

Sun reflecting off of water through a canopy of trees

The 3/4-mile Circle Trail is open 7 days a week all year for visitors to enjoy

Physical Address:

36 Reservation Ave

Pipestone, MN 56164

Mailing Address:

36 Reservation Ave

Pipestone, MN 56164

contact-details

Phone Number: 5078255464 Voice
Phone Number: 5078255466 Fax

Email Address: pipe_interpretation@nps.gov
Description:

Fees

Entrance Fees

Entrance Passes

For over 3,000 years, Indigenous people have quarried the red stone at this site to make pipes used in prayer and ceremony - a tradition that continues to this day and makes this site sacred to many people.

park designation:National Monument

Directions:

Plane: Commercial service - located at Sioux Falls, SD -Joe Foss Field airport. 50 miles from Pipestone National Monument. Rental cars are available at the airport. Non-Commercial service - located at Pipestone MN airport. Courtesy car or transit service available to Pipestone National Monument from the airport. Car: Pipestone National Monument is easily accessible from local highways. When you reach the city of Pipestone, road signs will lead you to Pipestone National Monument.

For detailed directions, please visit this link.

Directions

Operating Hours:

Trail

The grounds are open 24 hours a day year-round so that visitors may walk the 3/4-mile Circle Trail at any time.

Weather Information:

Weather varies seasonally from warm and humid in the summer to cold and snowy in the winter. Visitors should be prepared for seasonal weather and for rapidly-changing conditions.