emerald mound

Travellers looking for spiffy tourist sites with lots of bright signage and endless "interpretive" displays in comfy buildings which have easy parking, coffee kiosks and gift shops, if you are seeking a "developed", predigested carnival ride-- don't stop here.Emerald Mound is a enormous raised flat surface with small mounds on each end. The Natchez took years to build it and maintained it for centuries. On top were structures. It was the center of life for them. They made all this extraordinary effort in order to leave something of themselves for a future they hoped would remember them. It is a key between the earth and air. It elevates you above the entangling greenery below. If you seek a peaceful moment in nature, with only you, god, and the spirits of the Natchez Indians, that most advanced and exotic culture, half-Aztec and half-Mississippian, if you sit in the grass for a while, you will find it. It was from the top that the Great Sun (chief) raised his arms each dawn and called out a greeting to his brother rising in the sky, proclaiming the dependence of all human life on that light and warmth, but also acknowledging that a new day was another step towards mortality. If you feel nothing there, you are in the wrong place.

After spending the day visiting another mound and other areas around Natchez, this was a pleasant surprise. It really is in the middle of nowhere, but after climbing to the top I realized how beautiful the view was. Great for kids and a short climb to the top.

Second largest mound in the US. Again, out in the middle of nowhere, we just chanced upon it but the size of it and knowing the history was like being in an outdoor church.

This was not a particularly interesting stop on the Natchez Trace. There is a paucity of signage explaining the mound and its significance. If you're interested in Native American culture, you would be advised to read up on this mound before visiting. The road to it off of the Natchez Trace is not well paved.You walk up a short path to the large, grass covered plateau that makes up the majority of the mound. On one edge is a higher dome-shaped mound with steps leading to its top. If you are really into this type of thing, it is worth a few minutes.

It doesn't take much imagination to picture the perfect green lawn atop the mound as the site of a temple complex for the Mississippian Indians hundreds of years ago. The mound is impressive simply to look at, but if you download the information brochure about the history of the mound from the national park service website you get a much deeper understanding of the culture and history beneath your feet. You don't need to allow long to see the pyramid, but try to steal a few moments alone at the top to appreciate the beauty and quiet of this ancient sacred space.

Large mound with hidden meaning and significance. Was studied in 1949, and a theory has been illustrated on site...but who knows?A worthy stop on the Natchez Trace.

We were cycling along the Nachez Trace and stopped at the Emerald Mound. It is an interesting place to visit but really all that is there is the football-size mount. We climbed to the top and surveyed the scene, imagined what might have gone on there in ages past and then left. Probably a 10-20 minute stop for most people.

We actually returned to this location to study it in greater detail. It is quite large, and it is located remotely enough to allow you the quiet needed to feel the spiritually of the area. There is lots of historical information available regarding the archaeological digs conducted over the years. It is worth taking the time to visit it if you are a lover of Native American history.

This is the second largest Indian Mound in the America's. It will give the visitor insight into the civilization and religion of the native Indians.

This is about 1 1/2 mi. Off the Trace, but worth the time. Walk to the top, imagine building that a basketfull of dirt at a time! Imagine what was there! Very inspiring!

Don't miss this stop on the trace. It's only a few minutes off the trace, and you can't capture how big this mound is in photos. Take the time to enjoy this historical stop and climb to the very top.

We had seen pictures of this as we traveled along the Natchez Trace Parkway and was so glad to see it in person. The history of the mound is interesting.

A bit of a climb to get to the top of the mound, but it gives you a real sense of the culture and life of the Natchez. Before we visited Emerald Mound, we toured the Grand Village of the Natchez which gave us a feel for what every day life would have been like at Emerald Mound. Worth the drive.

The history is interesting at what the Mound is and how it was made , but there isn't much to see ... about 5 minutes will do it.

I can say this is not much. It is a great place for a picnic but that is it. There is a sign placed all over to let you know that there is snakes and they will bite.