We wanted to explore the park and especially to see the Effigy Mounds we had read about, so this afternoon we set out on a hike, following the map we had been given at check-in. We climbed a hill and soon found ourselves surprised by the Niagara Escarpment, which runs through the park and continues into the Upper Peninsula and across Canada through Niagara Falls. A few feet farther west is woodland--and a few feet farther east is woodland. The escarpment seems to rise our of the earth without warning, but the formation is actually the result of slow differential erosion.
 Niagara Escarpment Map |  Lee standing on dramatic escarpment |
After walking along the path a bit farther, past some non-electric campsites, we came to a sign announcing Indian Effigy Mounds. We could see faint mounds, but couldn't really make out an entire animal figure. The mounds in this park are said to be shaped like panthers and to be from 100 to 320 feet long. By the way, although the sign refers to Stone Age Indians, the Effigy Mounds Culture dates to a much later era (A.D. 600-1200).
 Effigy Mounds in Calumet County Park |  ”Calumet” must mean “peace pipe”--the sign says "We extend the calumet to all mankind." |
We noticed the sunset over the lake a bit too late for really good photos, so we're planning on going out to watch a bit earlier tomorrow.
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