Indian Shell Mound Park, Alabama, United States
3.5 (116 reviews) Spent Ranking #7 in Dauphin Island State Parks
Shell Mound is small, but the spirits are mighty.
Shell Mound is one of those ancient places that we may never completely understand. There are about 8 mounds you can make out, but the ground is littered all over with oyster shells. The largest mound was tested and found to be at least 800 years old. There are layers of charcoal , shell, fish and between the seasons, Mother Nature reclaims the sight. Meal after meal for 800 years have built the mounds. The area is only 11 acres but plants grow there from as far away as the Appalachians and the Yucatan, Mexico. The locals can hear flute music and soft drums from time to time. The Oaks are old and wise as well. One is believed to be older than the mounds. She has seen all that has gone before. People see faces of the Old Ones in pictures taken of the tree. It is a place that demands respect.
Address
Iberville Drive , Alabama, United States.
Current local date and time now
Thursday, May 09, 2024, 10:59
User Ratings
3.5 based on (116 reviews)
Reviews
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4Theresa L 5:00 PM Jul 19, 2016
A Serene, Beautiful Place for a Stroll
This is a lovely park and very quiet. We hiked over the mounds and through the forest. There are benches scattered through the park, inviting you to sit and meditate. It's hard to believe that Native Americans built these mounds more than 11,000 years ago. You can get a sense of tranquility just walking around. CAVEAT: don't go when it's too still during the summer months. The black flies and biting yellow flies will carry you off!
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420hdk 5:00 PM Mar 14, 2015
Interesting, small park
We spent an afternoon on Dauphin Island and, as a last stop, stopped to see this park, not sure what to expect. We were there late in the day, after 5pm. There were a few bikes and another car parked near a trail so it was evident there were others here at the same time. Once past the sign at roadside, we didn't find another sign, just a few trails to left, right and center and an occasional wood bench. We were a little concerned we'd get lost in the woods but this is a very small park and you can easily walk out of it in any direction. We chose a path here, another there. I was taken by the huge trees draped in Spanish Moss and sent my husband up a hill for perspective of the tree size when I snapped a picture. It was then we realized we were on one of the mounds with oysters shells everywhere. Then we were fascinated, feeling no need for signs any longer. We walked every path, taking in the mounds, the trees and the vistas over the Bay from the edge of the woods. This small park was a great way to end our day on the Island.
