Bear Creek Indian Mound on the Natchez Trace Parkway

Bear Creek Indian Mound is the last stop on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi when traveling north from Natchez. Here you will find a solitary Indian mound that dates back to between 1100 and 1300 AD. Excavation of the mound revealed artifacts used in building construction, so the mound was most likely used as a platform on which to build a house or temple. Just as people today like to build their homes on hills so they can overlook the surrounding area, so did the ancient people. You can walk out to the mound, but don’t expect much. You won’t find arrowheads, bones, or any other type of Indian-related items.

Bear Creek Indian Mound near Tishomingo, Mississippi

As you can see from the photos, the Bear Creek Indian Mound is not very tall. In fact, it has been restored to its estimated eight-foot height by the National Park Service. When the NPS acquired the property in 1965, it inherited a mound that had been reduced in size due to farmers plowing the top to raise crops on it. Today it is about 8 feet tall and 85 feet in length.