The Mounds

At 988 feet, The Mounds is a summit in Indiana. The The Mounds Trail covers 3.5 miles (loop) with about 259 feet of elevation gain — a gradual walk with modest climbing.

The Route

The climbing is spread fairly evenly from start to finish rather than stacked into one steep section. The steepest stretch arrives around mile 2.49, gaining roughly 600 feet per mile — expect a slow, deliberate pace through here.

Getting There

The trailhead is at 39.4823, -84.98858 (tap for driving directions). It's roughly 250 miles northeast of Nashville, Tennessee. Arrive early on weekends — trailhead lots at popular peaks fill quickly, and cell service is often unreliable once you leave the highway.

When to Go

Spring through fall is the main season. Conditions change fast in the shoulder months — check a point forecast for the summit, not the nearest town, before you commit.

Know Before You Go

The Easy rating comes from the National Park Service difficulty formula, which weighs total distance against elevation gain. Most hikers should budget about 1.5 hours of moving time; add margin for breaks, photos and the descent. Download the GPX track from this page before you go — cell coverage is unreliable in the mountains and a saved route works offline in any GPS app. Conditions change: verify current access, closures and weather with the official land manager before you go. Trail data is sourced from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Looking to link objectives or plan a weekend? Nearby summits include Battle Point, Hog Back and Donalds Knoll — each has its own guide on this site.