Jesse took me back to Tuscaloosa for the holidays to see his family and friends. He utilized the 4 day trip to show me around his hometown including taking me to an Alabama vs. Auburn game and showing me some of the beautiful nature that surrounds his town of Duncaville. His parents chose Moundville Archaeological Site as our outdoors activity, and I couldn’t believe how incredible the scenery was!
We started the self guided tour of the site by watching a short documentary explaining the mounds and the archaeological site. We learned that this site was once the hub for a powerful Native American community dating back to a time between the 11th and 16th centuries, the second largest site of the classic Middle Mississippian era. The 28 pyramid-like mounds cover a large plot of land surrounded by a beautiful wooded area. Scattered throughout the park are benches, a museum featuring artifacts, reconstructed homes, and plenty of wildlife. During the self-guided tour you’re given a map of the area and some background information on the significance of each area, a great option for people that want to tour the site at their leisure.
We came prepared with a picnic, utilizing a space near an overlook that provided a gorgeous view of the Black Warrior River. A handful of bridges found near the wooded area made for the perfect locations to shoot some couples and family photography with our DSLRs. After we got the shots we wanted, we headed to the museum there, featuring an array of artifacts found during the various excavations. We ended the trip to the site with a quick hike before the sun went down. The hike was very moderate and offered great views of greenery, water, bridges, and plenty of birds. Given that it was the end of fall, the leaves had all changed colors and began falling making for a perfect photo opportunity filled with the colors of fall.
This park is great for people of all ages and athletic backgrounds. Throughout our visit we saw several joggers there, families having picnics, people getting their photos taken, couples hiking, and a mix of other visitors learning about the history of the site.
Plug in the following address to get to the site using GPS:
Moundville Archaeological Park
634 Mound State Parkway
Moundville, AL 35474-6413
Parking is available on site with park hours from 9:00 AM to dusk. Park entrance fees vary:
- $8 – Adults
- $7 – Seniors
- $6 – Students
- $6 – Children
- All children under 5 are free
- Native Americans with tribal membership card are free
- University of Alabama Museums Members are free
Camping is also available on site for $12/ night plus a 1-day park admission fee. While we did a self-guided tour, there are guided tours available for an extra fee. More information is available on the Moundville Archaeological Site website.
See more photos from our trip on the Facebook page.
Images shot with a Nikon D7000 16.2 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera with a Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens with Auto Focus
