Serpent Mound State Memorial (Blog Hike #94)

Trails: Mound Trail and Ohio Brush Creek Trail

Hike Location: Serpent Mound State Memorial

Geographic Location: north of Peebles, OH (39.02382, -83.42976)

Length: 1 mile

Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)

Dates Hiked: June 2001, June 2013

Overview: An easy blacktop trail around the mound, followed by a moderate dirt trail along the creek.

Park Information: https://www.ohiohistory.org/visit/museum-and-site-locator/serpent-mound

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=940201
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Peebles, go north on SR 41 4 miles to SR 73 and turn left on SR 73.  Go west on SR 73 5 miles to the entrance to the memorial on your right.  Turn right into the blacktop driveway, pay the small entrance fee, and park in the large blacktop lot.

The hike: By far the best known of all Indian earthworks in greater Cincinnati, and perhaps in the entire United States, is the Great Serpent Mound in Adams County.  The mound built in the shape of an uncoiling serpent is nearly 0.25 miles long and 2 to 6 feet high.  The coiled tail lies closest to the parking lot and museum, while the large oval for a head lies on a cliff overlooking Ohio Brush Creek. 

            The builders of the mound remain somewhat of a mystery.  No artifacts have been unearthed in the serpent mound, but two other conical mounds nearby (both of which are within the park and can be easily viewed today) have produced artifacts dating to the time of the Adena Indians, 800 B.C. to 1 A.D.  Therefore, it was long accepted that the Adena Indians constructed the serpent mound.  However, recent carbon dating tests taken from clay within the mound date the material to only 1000 A.D.  This is roughly the time of the Ft. Ancient Indians, constructors of the mounds at Ft. Ancient State Memorial in Warren County, covered elsewhere in this blog.  Thus, there is a debate over who really deserves credit for building Serpent Mound.

            Serpent mound did not take long to attract the attention of white settlers moving into the Ohio Valley.  The first study of the mound was conducted by Ephraim Squier and Edwin Davis in their famous tome Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, published in 1848.  Unfortunately, by the late 1800’s, attention from novice scientists and damage from the area’s agricultural industry were slowly destroying the mound.  A Harvard scientist named Frederick Putnam realized the historical value of the mound.  In 1886, Putnam raised enough money to purchase the land in Harvard’s name and, after a proper excavation of the mound, returned it to its original state.   In 1900, Putnam deeded the land to the Ohio Historical Society, who has managed it ever since.

            The grassy mound is still the center of the park today, though some picnic tables, restrooms, a museum, and an observation tower have been added.  There are also two trails around the mound.  A blacktop trail, which is handicapped accessible, makes a tight 0.5 mile loop and remains within sight of the mound all the way.  There is also a more challenging nature trail that allows the visitor to see the natural area around the mound, the way the builders might have seen the site.  A good visit, as described below, takes advantage of both of these trails.           

Historical marker near trailhead

            Make a couple of stops before you start hiking the trails.  Both of the conical mounds within the park sit right beside the parking area, so take a look at the lesser known constructions first.  One mound is only three feet in height, while the other is the tallest mound in the park at nine feet.

            Your next stop should be the log cabin that serves as a museum.  Though small, the museum provides some interesting information about the Serpent Mound and the lives of those who built it.  A trail guide for the nature trail can also be obtained free of charge from the small gift shop near the exit of the museum.

Observation tower near trailhead

            Armed with a better understanding of the mound, proceed down the blacktop path and climb the metal observation tower overlooking the mound.  Located beside the coiled-up tail, the view gives you a good perspective of the mound as well as the surrounding farmland.  After you have admired the earthwork from this perspective, descend back to the blacktop path and begin walking counterclockwise around the mound.  The mound will be on the left and the forest on the right.           

View of Serpent Mound from observation tower

           A frequent question is: what is inside the mound?  The core of the mound consists of hard yellow clay.  Archaeologists suspect that this core was laid down in order to fine-tune the shape of the mound.  Many baskets of dirt were then transported to the site to form the mound we see today.  Over time, grass has covered the mound, and the mound must be mowed once in a while to give it its refined appearance.  Note that no bones or other artifacts have been found within the mound.  This suggests that the mound was probably ceremonial rather than functional in nature.  Serpents are a powerful symbol not only in the Christian culture but in the Indian culture as well.

            After passing an overgrown overlook at the head of the serpent, continue counterclockwise around the mound, looking for a large white sign with blue letters saying “Entrance Ohio Brush Creek Nature Trail” at the edge of the forest on your right.  This sign marks where the nature trail enters the forest.  Leave the blacktop path, enter the forest, and proceed downhill using some wooden steps.  

Entrance to Brush Creek floodplain

            You will soon arrive in the Ohio Brush Creek floodplain.  There are actually two Brush Creeks in Adams County.  Ohio Brush Creek flows south into the Ohio River, draining most of central Adams and southern Highland Counties.  Scioto Brush Creek begins only a few miles southeast of here and flows eastward into the Scioto River, draining eastern Adams, southern Pike, and northern Scioto Counties.

            The trail in the floodplain can be a bit confusing.  At one time numerous trails existed at Serpent Mound State Memorial, but all except this one have been abandoned.  Stay on the right trail by following the numbered posts which correspond to the trail guide you picked up at the museum.

            The trail makes a very small loop through the floodplain, passing some trees where beavers have left their calling card.  Once plentiful throughout Ohio, the beaver nearly became extinct due to overhunting of beaver skins.  Since that practice was restricted, beavers have made a remarkable comeback.  Their handiwork can now be seen along many Ohio creeks.  Ohio Brush Creek itself may look very peaceful now, but the creek is famous for its rapid and serious flooding.   Ohio Brush Creek has one of the longest unrestricted channels in Ohio.  Thus, there is no flood control, and the steep hills of Adams County feed large amounts of water into small places like Ohio Brush Creek.

Overlook of Brush Creek valley

            Post #6 describes a large, smooth dolomite rock formation called Serpent Cliff.  One can easily imagine how someone in a culture that reveres the serpent could be inspired to plan the mound that lies at the top of the cliff while viewing this serpent-shaped rock.  As the trail curves left and begins climbing back toward the mound, you may conclude from the spider webs stretched over the treadway that the park’s nature trail does not get much use.  One tactic is to hold a hiking staff in front of your face so that the stick will break the webs instead of your face.  If you came unprepared such as I did, you may find that your hand works almost as well.

            After a moderate climb, you will arrive back at the blacktop trail on the opposite side of the mound from which you entered the forest.  You can turn right, see the mound again, and complete a circumnavigation of the mound, or turn left and proceed clockwise past the observation tower.  Either route will eventually return you to the parking lot to complete your visit.