Pipestone National Monument

Hats off to Pipestone National Monument

Pipestone National Monument in southwest Minnesota protects a quarry that Native people have used for more than 3,000 years to mine catlinite, a soft red stone also known simply as pipestone, prized for carving ceremonial pipes. The site is sacred to many tribal nations across North America, and tradition holds that even rival tribes would set aside conflict to quarry there together. Quarrying isn’t just history here — it still happens today. Permits are limited to enrolled members of federally recognized tribes, and with 23 tribal nations affiliated with the park and an eight-to-ten-year waitlist, the quarries remain an active, living tradition rather than a relic behind glass.

The monument also preserves over 300 acres of native tallgrass prairie, along with dramatic quartzite outcrops and Winnewissa Falls. Keep an eye on the rocky, thin-soil areas and you might spot something unexpected for Minnesota: Plains prickly pear cactus grows wild here, blooming with yellow flowers in early July.