Kincaid Mounds Visitor Guide

Have you ever been to Kincaid Mounds in Southern Illinois?

I’m not talking about Cahokia Mounds, which features multiple mounds you can walk on and a visitor center. I’m talking about the smaller mound site located in rural Southern Illinois near Metropolis. This site features several beautiful ancient Native American mounds, with extensive interpretive information.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to visit Kincaid Mounds and why you should add them to your bucket list if you haven’t seen them already.

Information and History About Kincaid Mounds

Kincaid Mounds State Historical Site is an archeological site of the Mississippian culture of Native Americans that existed long before European settlers arrived in what is now the United States. The mounds are located in rural Massac County around Metropolis and Brookport, Illinois, near the Ohio River. The public can visit the mounds, but there are strict rules regarding visits.

The mounds are believed to have been built by the Mississippian people around 1050 CE. The platform mounds are thought to have been topped with temples or council houses. Some of the mounds were used for burial purposes. Now the mounds are protected but displayed to the public who wishes to see them.

I recommend you visit the official website of the mounds to learn more about the area’s history.

How to Reach Kincaid Mounds

Kincaid Mounds is located in rural Massac County near Brookport, Illinois.

To reach the site from the Superman Museum in Metropolis:

• Take W 5th Street/Highway 45 and head South/Southeast for 8.5 miles.
• Turn left onto Unionville Road and take it for 6.8 miles.
• Turn right onto Newcut Road (gravel) and continue for about 4 miles.
• Then turn left onto Newcut Road and continue for about a half mile.
• The Kincaid Mound site will be on your left.

Please see this Google Maps Link for full directions to Kincaid Mounds from the Superman Museum in Metropolis. If you haven’t been to the Superman Museum, you should check it out—it’s full of cool stuff.

The roads to this site are a mix of highways, back roads, and gravel roads. The gravel roads will have potholes. You should drive slowly on the gravel roads to avoid potholes and prevent your vehicle from spinning out on loose gravel.

During the wet season, this area could be inaccessible due to flooding along the Ohio River. During the winter months, snow and ice removal will likely not occur in this area, and getting to it will be very difficult or otherwise impossible.

How to Visit the Kincaid Mounds Site

There are no trails at this site, but there is a viewing platform that you’re encouraged to visit.

Accessing this area and platform (aside from driving) is very easy. There are also features to access the boardwalk for those who are wheelchair bound or require ADA accessibility.

The parking lot is small and can only fit a few cars. Parking on the side of the road is possible. However, please respect farmers who may need the road to allow very large farm equipment through to access their fields.

What You Will See at Kincaid Mounds

Even though there is no trail present at this site, there is still a lot to see when you visit Kincaid Mounds.

You can view the mounds from the platform. There are multiple mounds in a single area. They appear to be large piles of dirt with vegetation growing on top.

There could be birding opportunities in this area, so be sure to bring binoculars and, if you photograph birds, camera gear.

On the platform, there are signs with a lot of information about the mounds’ history, the artifacts found, and the educators’ discovery of the mounds. This would be a great place to bring kids and teach them more about the mounds and the cultures of that era.

Every now and then, tours and public speaking events are held at the Kincaid Mounds, in case you’re interested in learning more.

Special Guidelines and Safety Information

The Kincaid Mounds are protected and monitored, with likely surveillance cameras in place to further protect them.

You are prohibited by law from walking to mounds, getting on them, digging around them, or going past the no trespassing signs in place. Please do not attempt to violate these restrictions. Doing so may get you trespassed from the site, fined, and potentially arrested and charged with a crime. Locals keep an eye on the mounds and will report trespassers.

As a reminder, flooding is common here when the Ohio River reaches flood stage. Reaching the mounds during that time will be impossible and dangerous.

Lodging, Dining, Shopping, and Sightseeing Nearby

For lodging near the Kincaid Mounds, I recommend checking out the Hohman Lake area for several cabins and Airbnb options. There are also lodging options available in Metropolis.

Dining opportunities are all over Metropolis. We love eating pizza at Super City Bar and Grill. Get donuts at Munel’s and Ice Cream at Sissy’s Sweet Shop. There are even more dining options in Metropolis if you prefer other types of food.

There are many different places to stop for sightseeing and shopping around the area. Head to Fort Massac State Park and visit the state’s first state park. Visit the Superman Statue and Museum for all your Superman needs. Metropolis is full of antique and other gift shop locations that you’ll love to shop at.

Please remember to shop locally because it helps the community and keeps the area unique for everyone who lives here and visits.

Final Advice About the Kincaid Mounds

When visiting Kincaid Mounds, stop and listen, stay quiet, and just take it all in. You definitely feel something when you visit a sacred place like that. Remember to leave only footprints and take only a picture (or video).

I hope you have enjoyed this free visitor guide. I publish these guides for free, but I pay out of pocket for my website to be up and running, as well as gas to get to these places to document them for you. Consider supporting me by becoming a Patreon Member for a very low monthly cost that can be canceled at any time.

If you haven’t already, subscribe to my monthly newsletter to get more hiking tips, gear reviews, and upcoming local events in the area. The newsletter is free!

And until next time, I’ll see you on the trail!

Watch the videos for this trail!

Below is a recent video that we filmed while enjoying this area.

Check out the trail gallery!

Enjoy these photos taken around this area!

Please Support Hiking with Shawn

Alrighty folks, I hope you have enjoyed this content. I provide it for free and it takes a while to create. If you would be so kind enough to support my efforts, you can do so by sharing this post with others, especially on social media. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel to see my latest videos, shorts and live streams. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for unique content that you will only find on those pages. You might also join my Southern Illinois Hiking & Outdoor Resources Group on Facebook, too!

You can also support me by becoming a Patreon Supporter for as little as $3/month and you can cancel anytime (no contracts or catches). Patreons get access to extra features, exclusive articles, sticker packs, gifts and more. Consider buying official Hiking with Shawn Merchandise as another way to support me. I spend a lot of money on Hiking with Shawn and because of extremely high public land permit fees, I make very little money in return so everything helps.

Thanks again for checking out another one of my articles and until next time, I’ll see you on the trail!