Pipestone National Monument
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Pipestone at a glance
- Best time
- April–May, September–October
- Trip length
- 1–2 days
- Don't miss
- Hike the Circle Trail
- Nearby city
- Gateway towns in MN
Explore this park
About Pipestone National Monument
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.
Weather Information
Weather varies seasonally from warm and humid
- Summer
to cold and snowy
in the winter. Visitors should be prepared for seasonal weather and for rapidly-changing conditions.
Operating Hours
Park Grounds
The grounds are open 24 hours a day year-round so that visitors may walk the 3/4-mile Circle Trail at any time.
- MondayAll Day
- TuesdayAll Day
- WednesdayAll Day
- ThursdayAll Day
- FridayAll Day
- SaturdayAll Day
- SundayAll Day
Common questions
Planning Pipestone National Monument
The summary above covers timing and highlights. These go deeper on reservations, crowds, and logistics — check Alerts and Permits for live updates.
Reservation rules vary by season and activity for Pipestone. Check the Permits tab on this page and Recreation.gov before you travel — campground, tour, or backcountry permits may apply even without park-wide timed entry.
See Permits tab →
