British Trading Post

The outline of a Trading Post that was established here in 1690 for trade between the British and the Muscogee (Creek).

• A large grassy field with a five-sided wooden outline depicting the shape of the British Trading Post's foundations.

Civil War Earthworks

During “The War Between the States” the young city of Macon was threatened with destruction on two separate occasions when Union and Confederate forces met just across the river from the city. Both conflicts took place on the grounds of Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. Today, one of the few surviving Civil War earthworks in Macon remains in the park; a reminder of another time in history adding to the heritage that is Ocmulgee.

• A small grassy mound in a field with a patch of trees behind it. A park bench and wayside are in front of the earthworks.

Clay Pond

A hotspot for wildlife viewing, Clay Pond offers a great view into the wetlands environment of Ocmulgee Mounds.

• A roughly circular pond in a wetlands environment surrounded by trees.

Cornfield Mound

A ceremonial cornfield adjacent to the Earth Lodge.

• A gently sloping grassy mound with one side smooth and the other full of sunken depressions.

Dunlap House

In 1856, Samuel S. Dunlap constructed this house as part of his 400-acre cotton plantation. On July 30, 1864, the Dunlap house was occupied by Union troops during the Battle of Dunlap Hill, part of Stoneman’s Raid. After the war, Captain Dunlap turned the plantation into a dairy farm. This area is not open to the public.

Earth Lodge

Visitors experience a view of the ancient past when they enter the Earth Lodge, a reconstructed council chamber of the Mississippian culture. The clay floor inside is the original floor, making it over 1,000 years old.

• The exterior is a circular earthen lodge covered in green grass with a rectangle entrance that is 26 inches high and 24.5 inches wide. The entrance is constructed of pine logs and has a door made of woven reeds. The interior includes the original clay floor. Formed into the floor was a circle of 50 seats against the circular walls of the lodge, a large fire pit in the center of the room, and a bird effigy in the center of the back wall opposite the entrance. The circle is divided by the long, low entrance and the bird effigy. Three of the seats are positioned on top of the massive clay image of a bird.

Funeral Mound

This mound was built in seven stages to be a burial ground for the elite members of the Mississippian society. Please do not walk on this mound.

• A twenty-foot-tall, grassy mound that is surrounded by a small field of grass and a line of trees behind it.

Great Temple Mound Complex

Consisting of the two tallest mounds in the park, the Great Temple Mound Complex is where the chief and second-chief would have lived during the Mississippian Period, and offers a beautiful view of the surrounding area from atop the mounds.

• Two grass-covered mounds side by side. The taller one on the right is fifty-five feet high, and is the Great Temple Mound. The smaller one on the left, the Lesser Temple Mound, is ten feet high. Wooden steps built by park staff allow visitors to climb to the top of both mounds.

McDougal Mound

Located near the old park entrance, this mound is named after a captain stationed at nearby Fort Hawkins in 1809.

• A grassy mound at the top of a small hill.

Mound X

A Mississippian mound that is no longer visible.

• An open grassy field surrounded by trees.

Ocmulgee Mounds Association Bookstore

The park store is operated by the Ocmulgee Mounds Association, an official non-profit partner of the National Park Service dedicated to supporting the educational mission of Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. The park store has a wide range of books, magnets, postcards, and other items available for retail sale.

• A park bookstore with merchandise such as books, magnets, postcards, etc.

Southeast Mound

One of the lesser-known mounds in the park, the Southeast Mound was likely built near the end of the Mississippian period.

• A small, three-foot-high grassy mound surrounded by trees.

Ocmulgee Mounds Visitor Center

• Ocmulgee Mounds Visitor Center
• Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Park grounds and walking trails from 8:00 to 5:00 pm daily. The Visitor Center and Earth Lodge are open from 9:00 am-5:00 pm daily.

• Main Trail
• A 1/2 mile trail leading to three of the park's most popular points of interest.

• Wildlife Watching at Ocmulgee Mounds
• Ocmulgee Mounds offers a plethora of wildlife to watch as visitors explore the park.

• Ocmulgee River Trail
• A trail that winds through a wooded area to the Ocmulgee River.

• Heritage Trail
• A paved trail that is a favorite for bikers.

• Dunlap Trail
• A short, 1/4th of a mile long trail leading to the Dunlap Mound and Civil War earthworks.

• McDougal Trail
• A 1/2mile-long dirt path winding through woods to reach McDougal Mound.

• Bartram Trail
• A 3/4th mile hike through woods between the Southeast Mound and the Visitor Center.

• Funeral Loop Trail
• A 1/4th mile loop through woods near the Funeral Mound parking lot.

• Hitchiti Village Site Trail
• A 1/4th mile hike through woods connecting the Trading Post to the Funeral Mound.

• Southeast Mound Trail
• This short trail connects the Main Trail to the Bartram Trail. It also leads to the Southeast Mound, one of the lesser-known mounds in the park.

• Cornfield Mound Trail
• A short, grassy trail connecting the Earth Lodge to the Heritage Trail.

• Opelofa Loop Trail
• A small loop trail off-shooting from the Opelofa Trail.

• Opelofa Trail
• A 1-mile loop trail through the wetlands of the park.

• Biking at Ocmulgee Mounds
• Biking is a great way to experience Ocmulgee Mounds while getting in some exercise.

Self-Guided Tour

This walking tour highlights seven major places in the park that focus on the prehistoric and Civil War history of the area.