Geology of National Parks: Panoramic view of the open Tallgrass prairie in Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota

Pipestone National Monument, Nebraska

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Pipestone National Monument  was founded by congress in 1937 to protect pipestone quarries, sacred to regional indigenous cultures. It is tall-grass prairie preserve that is host to amazing geology and paleohistory related to the mining of "pipestone" (catlinite) used in the manufacture of pipes and other stone artifacts. 

The park's visitor center is host to numerous exhibits relating to the historic and prehistoric quarries along Pipestone Creek and vicinity.  A scenic 1.5 mile long loop trail starts at the Visitor Center and follows a scenic low outcrop belt of Precambrian-age Souix Quartzite. This massive quartzite layer overlies a layer of "catlinite" a metamorphosed layer of volcanic ash with a relatively soft uniform texture ideal for carving into artifacts, stone effigies, and other items. 

Learn about the park geology on the website listed below.

NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota
Map showing the location of Pipestone National Monument in western Minnesota. (Click on map for a larger view.)

The gallery of pictures below illustrate the landscape features and geology in the park, and displays in the park's visitor center.

Figure 1 shows the park entrance sign on 111st in Pipestone, Wisconsin.
Figure 2 is a view of the tall-grass prairie habitats preserved in the park.
Figures 3 and 4 show a lake-filled quarry with outcrops in the Leon H. Moore Park (a developed park area within the national monument).
Figures 5 to 8 show large granite boulder that are glacial erattics left behind by the Ice Age continental ice sheet that covered this region. The three large granite boulders are called the Three Sisters and have sacred significance to the local indigenous Native Americans in the region. Figure 9 shows a close-up view of the coarsely crystalline texture of the granite.
Figure 10 is a close-up view of the brightly colored outcrop of Souix Quartzite of Precambrian age that is exposed troughout the park area.
Figure 11 shows display samples of both Souix Quartzite and the catlinite (pipestone) quarried in the park area.Figures 12 to 14 illustrate some of the Visitor Center displays that show pipe making from pipestone.
Figures 15 through 31 show views along the 1.5 mile loop trail that starts at the Visitor Center. The trail follows an outcrop belt of Souix Quartzite along the Pipestone Creek drainage and leads to history quarry locations and scenic Winnewissa Falls. Figure 32 shows Historic Fort Pipestone (not part of the national monument, but is located near the park entrance).
Sign at the entrace to Pipestone National Monument on 111th Street in Pipestone, Minnesota
1. Entrance to Pipestone NM		 View looking across a broad expanse of tall-grass prairie in Pipestone National Monument.
2. Tall-grass prairie 		View of a lake in a flooded quarry in Pipestone National Monument.
3. Quarry lake in park		 Precambrian-age Souix Quartzite Formation exposed along a quarry wall next to the lake in Pipestone National Monument.
4. Quartzite in quarry wall
Three large boulders of granite (glacial erratics) in a grassy lawn area next to the quarry lake in Pipestone National Monument.
5. Three Sister (boulders) 		One of the Three Sisters, large glacial erratic granite boulder.
6. Glacial erratic (granite) 		Two of the Three Sisters, large glacial erratics granite boulders.
7. Glacial erratics 		Two of the Three Sisters, large glacial erratics granite boulders.
8. Glacial erratics
Close-up view of the coarse crystalline granite in a glacial erratic in Pipestone National Monument.
9. Coarse-crystalline granite		 Finely laminated and crossbedded layers in the colorful (reds) Souix Quartzite Formation of Precambrian age exposed in an outcrop along the park loop trail in Pipestone National Monument.
10. Souix Quartzite 		Exampes of Souix Quartzite and Pipestone (catlinite) on display in the park Visitor Center.
11. Quartzite and catlinite 		An exhibit showing tools and work space of for a pipestone artist in the Visitor Center at Pipestone National Monument.
12. Visitor Center exhibit
An exhibit of catlinite working, pipes and tools, on display in the Visitor Center.
13. Pipe-making display 		Examples of crated pipes and stone art object in a display in the Visitor Center.
14. Pipe-making display 		A pinnacle of Souix Quartzite in the woods along the loop trail from the Visitor Center.
15. Pinnacle along park trail		 An outcrop of Souix Quartzite know as 'The Oracle' because of its face-like appearance.
16. The "Oracle" outcrop.
A park display illustrating the layers in a quarry where pipestone (catlinite) comes from.
17. Quarry layers exhibit		 Entrance to one of the small historic quarries along the loop trail from the Visitor Center.
18. Historic pipestone quarry 		View of the maintained trail from the Visitor Trail.
19. Trail from Visitor Center 		Massive outcrop of Souix Quartzite along the park loop trail.
20. Quartzite outcrop
View of part of the loop trail as it passes along outcrops of Souix Quartzite.
21. Trail from Visitor Center		 View of part of the loop trail as it passes along the outcrop belt of of Souix Quartzite.
22. Quartzite outcrops by trail  		View of the colorful (reds, yellows, and grays) of the cross-bedded Souix Quartzite. Green lichens grow on the lower part of the outcrop.
23. Souix Quartzite 		View of the top of a quartzite outcrop near a spring on a short side trail off the park's loop trail.
24.Top of quartzite outcrop
View looking downstream at grassy meadows, wetlands and riparian habitats along Pipestone creek.
25. Riparian habit along trail 		View of the Souix Quartzite escarpment that includes The Oracle (shown in Figure 16).
26. View of "Oracle" outcrop 		Winnewissa Falls on Pipestone Creek tumbles off the Souix Quartzite escarpment.
27. Winnewissa Falls 		Winnewissa Falls on Pipestone Creek tumbles off the Souix Quartzite escarpment near an overlook along the park's loop trail.
28. Winnewissa Falls
Oak and riparian forest along Pipestone Creek near the Visitor Center loop trail.
29. Riparian forest along trail 		Entrance to a side trail to the 'Spotted Quarry' along the loop trail.
30. Sign for Spotted Quarry 		View of Pipestone Creek along the loop trail that starts at the Visitor Center.
31. Pipestone Creek 		Historic Fort Pipestone is located near the park entrance, but is not part of the National Monument.
32. Historic Fort Pipestone 


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Last modified 7/22/2024