The Sny Magill Unit of the Effigy Mounds National Monument is located approximately 12 miles south of the main unit. This area features about 100 mounds, most of which are conical in shape, although some are shaped like bears and eagles.
Unlike the mounds in the main unit, which are positioned on elevated sites that overlook the Mississippi River Valley, the mounds in the Sny Magill Unit are situated on the floodplain of the Mississippi River along a backwater slough. Because of their proximity to the river, there are concerns that these mounds may be threatened by flooding. Plans are in place to protect the mounds from potential flood damage.
It is awe-inspiring to walk among these mounds, which remind us that this land has been occupied and held sacred by human beings for thousands of years before European settlement.