Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park

Protecting a patchwork of archaeological sites along the shores of Lake Jackson north of Tallahassee, Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park interprets the complex at a central location surrounding two large mounds.

Two trails radiate from the parking area as well. The Butler Mill Trail delves into the ruins of Robert Butler’s waterworks, while the Old Orchard Trails are a series of short nature trails through former pecan orchards.

View from top of mound to grassy clearing below — View from the top of the taller mound towards the picnic pavilion.

Resources

Resources for exploring the area

North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover

Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

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Overview

Location: Tallahassee
Length: 3.5 miles
Trailhead: 30.501509,-84.313847
Address: 3600 Indian Mounds Rd, Tallahassee
Fees: $4-5 per vehicle
Restroom: In the picnic area
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 850-487-7989

Open 8 AM to 5 PM. Leashed dogs welcome. Do not climb on the mounds except by using the provided staircases.

Directions

From the US 27 (Monroe St) exit of Interstate 10, drive north on US 27 for 1.7 miles to Crowder Rd. Turn right and drive one mile, down the hill through a residential area to Indian Mounds Road. Turn right. The road ends inside the park.

About the Park

Part of the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex, this series of six earthen temple mounds and a burial mound have offered up pre-Columbian artifacts for archaeologists to study.

In more “modern” times, the land was a plantation that belonged to Florida’s first Surveyor General, Colonel Robert Butler.

A portion of the Butler Mill Trail traverses the old plantation’s waterworks along an earthen dam adjoining a sluiceway once used to irrigate the fields.

Lake Jackson Mounds Butler Mill Trail Explore a steephead ravine in a cool hardwood forest above the shores of Lake Jackson on the Butler Mill Trail, an interpretive trail into history at Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park.

Water trickles and splashes down the steephead ravines deep in the forest. Between the mounds and the ravines, a walk in this park offers some physical challenges.

Levee above ravine in forest — This levee is a much younger archaeological artifact than the mounds.

Trail Map

Explore More

Video

Hiking Lake Jackson Mounds

Slideshow

See our photos from Lake Jackson Mounds

Nearby Adventures

Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park A hiker's paradise in Tallahassee, Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park offers miles of trails exploring contoured terrain and winding streams under a tall, shady canopy of majestic trees.

White azaleas blooming foreground in a woodland garden

Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park Explore a true Tallahassee treasure on gentle garden paths amid plantings dating back to 1923 or along well-trodden trails into wild woodlands along Lake Hall and Lake Overstreet.

Lake Talquin State Forest With ten distinct tracts surrounding Lake Talquin, a reservoir along the Ochlockonee River, this state forest provides recreation opportunities just west of Tallahassee.

Boardwalk leading to a covered bridge past cherry blossoms

Lafayette Heritage Trail Park Hike, bike, paddle, or fish along the well-marked trails of Lafayette Heritage Trail Park in a deeply wooded landscape east of downtown Tallahassee.

Official Website