Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
Collinsville, St. Louis · St. Louis · ~11 mi from downtown St. Louis
OutdoorsFree gem
Free (donations welcome)
The largest prehistoric city north of Mexico: a UNESCO World Heritage site in Collinsville with 80 surviving mounds, topped by the 100-foot Monks Mound. The grounds and mound trails are open daily from dawn to dusk and free; the Interpretive Center is currently closed for renovations.
Good for
Climb a 1,000-year-old mound city
Crowd
History fans, hikers and UNESCO collectors
Getting there
Driving is the norm — about 20 minutes east of downtown St. Louis
Parking
Free parking on site
Accessibility
Grounds trails are grass and gravel; Monks Mound has stairs to the top