Pipestone National Monument

The story of this stone and the pipes made from it spans four centuries of Plains Indian life. Inseparable from the traditions that structured daily routine and honored the spirit world, pipes figured prominently in the ways of the village and in dealings between tribes. The story parallels that of a culture in transition: the evolution of the pipes influenced - and was influenced by - their makers' association with white explorers, traders, soldiers, and settlers.

Plains Indian culture has undergone radical change since the era of the free-ranging buffalo herds, yet pipecarving is by no means a lost art. Carvings today are appreciated as artworks as well as for ceremonial use. Once again, as commanded by the spirit bird in the Sioux story of its creation, the pipestone here is quarried by anyone of Indian ancestry. An age-old tradition continues in the modern world, ever changing yet firmly rooted in the past.

36 Reservation Ave
Pipestone, MN 56164-1269
507-825-5464 - Headquarters

By Plane
Commercial service is located in Sioux Falls, SD, approximately 50 miles from the monument. Car rental is available at the airport. A small airport is operated in Pipestone, MN, however, no commercial service is available.

By Car
The monument is easily accessible from the south by interstate highway I-90 to Minnesota 23 or US 75, from the west by interstate highway I-29 to South Dakota 34 and Minnesota 30 to US 75, from the north by US 75, and from the east by Minnesota 30 or 23 to US 75. From US 75, road signs will lead you to the monument.

Getting Around
For your safety and for the protection of sacred sites, please stay on paved trails. Travel is prohibited in quarries, on rock rubble piles, and on quartzite outcroppings.

Summer is warm and pleasant, with high temperatures generally in the 80s F and lows in the 60s F. Ocassionally, highs will reach 100 F with high humidity. Winter is generally cold, with temperatures ranging from near freezing to below 0 F. Snow generally accumulates.

Here are some of the activities that are offered at Mount Rainier National Park.

• Educational Programs
• Nature Walks

Recommended Activities
Visit the Upper Midwest Indian Cultural Center and watch the cultural demonstrations, April through October.

Travel the 3/4-mile Circle Trail through native prairie to the pipestone quarries and Winnewissa Falls. In summer, join rangers along the trail to learn about the cultural traditions surrounding pipestone use, prairie plants and their medicinal use by Native Americans, or early European-American exploration.