From the town of McGregor, take Highway 76 north along the river about 5 miles.

The mounds preserved here are considered sacred by many Americans, especially the Monument's 20 culturally associated American Indian tribes. A visit offers opportunities to contemplate the meanings of the mounds and the people who built them. The 200 plus American Indian mounds are located in one of the most picturesque sections of the Upper Mississippi River Valley.

The monument represents an important link in a complex of protected areas that preserve many of the values characteristic of this region. Much of the nearby Mississippi River bank and island area is protected by the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish refuge, a 261-mile-long preserve that extends from Wabasha, Minnesota, to Rock Island, Illinois. Close by, and adjoining the Heritage Addition is the Yellow River State Forest, administered by the State of Iowa. Combined together Effigy Mounds and Yellow River State Forest are part of the Iowa Audubon Bird Conservation Areas. Situated between the currently developed monument units and the Sny Magill unit is Pikes Peak State Park, which preserves several effigy mounds, as well as bluff tops much like those of the monument.

With approximately 8,000 acres in Yellow River State Forest and over 2,500 acres in Effigy Mounds National Monument, these two areas combined make up the largest public owned forest area in northeastern Iowa. The bird diversity in these areas is significant, and certainly at least 100 breeding bird species call this area home. Iowa Endangered species, which nest here, include the Bald Eagle and the Red-shouldered Hawk. Important woodland nesters include Veery, Cerulean Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Broad-winged Hawk, Acadian Flycatcher, Louisiana Waterthrush, Pileated Woodpecker, Wood Thrush, Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoos, and a host of others. With the Yellow River and Paint Creek winding through these forests, and with the Mississippi River and its associated bluffs forming the eastern boundary, there exist unique habitats which contribute to bird diversity. During migration time, this Blufflands area hosts one of the best fall raptor migration viewing spots in the state. For the last 17 years, Effigy Mounds National Monument has hosted a Hawk Watch Weekend. This Environmental Education event allows thousands of people the opportunity to view migrating raptors, while biologists record the numbers and species of raptors migrating through. A raptor banding station also occurs at this site. Migrant Peregrine Falcons are occasionally banded here, and at least one historic Peregrine cliff eyrie exists within this area.