Is there an entrance fee at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park?

NPS lists the park as fee-free, with no entrance fee. Confirm on the official park page before a trip.

What are the park hours?

NPS lists the grounds as open daily all year in daylight. Closing time is sunset.

Are dogs allowed at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park?

NPS lists pets as permitted on 5 of its 6 things to do here. Where pets are allowed, the NPS rule requires a crate or cage, or a leash of six feet or less.

All parks › Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Entrance fee: None^[1]
Busiest month (2025): July^[2]
Recreation visits, 2025: 51,969^[3]
Visitor centers: 1^[4]

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is a unit of the National Park System in Ohio^[5]. NPS lists it as a fee-free park with no entrance fee^[1].

Entrance fees and passes

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for Hopewell Culture National Historical Park^[1]. Some tours, campgrounds or permits inside a park can still have their own fees.

When to visit and hours

NPS says the grounds at four sites are open daily all year in daylight^[6]. They include Mound City Group and Seip Earthworks^[6]. Closing time is sunset, and the grounds open again at sunrise^[6]. In 2025, the busiest month was July with 7,341 recreation visits^[2]. The quietest month was January with 974^[2]. NPS describes summers as hot and humid, averaging about 75 degrees F^[7]. Winters are mildly cold, around 30 degrees F, with generally light snowfall^[7].

Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, July, is highlighted^[2].

Show visits by month

Month, 2025	Recreation visits
January	974
February	1,499
March	4,619
April	5,964
May	6,622
June	7,098
July	7,341
August	6,489
September	5,482
October	2,450
November	2,053
December	1,378

Show visits by year

Year	Recreation visits
2021^[3]	47,847
2022^[3]	51,850
2023^[3]	62,113
2024^[3]	65,350
2025^[3]	51,969

Pets and dogs

Under the national NPS pet rule, where pets are allowed they must be kept in a crate or cage, or on a leash of six feet or less, at all times^[8]. The same rule bars pets from public buildings, public transportation and designated swimming beaches, with an exception for service animals^[8]. NPS lists pets as permitted on 5 of its 6 things to do here, and each park can close more areas to pets^[9]^[8].

Before you go

NPS lists no entrance fee, but fees and hours can change, so check the official park page before you go^[1].
The grounds are open from sunrise to sunset, so plan your visit for daylight^[6].
NPS lists 1 visitor center, the Mound City Group Visitor Center^[4].
NPS lists the Junior Ranger Program and a film called Mysteries of the Ancient Architects among things to do^[9].

Questions people ask

Is there an entrance fee at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park?: NPS lists the park as fee-free, with no entrance fee^[1]. Confirm on the official park page before a trip.
What are the park hours?: NPS lists the grounds as open daily all year in daylight^[6]. Closing time is sunset^[6].
Are dogs allowed at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park?: NPS lists pets as permitted on 5 of its 6 things to do here^[9]. Where pets are allowed, the NPS rule requires a crate or cage, or a leash of six feet or less^[8].
What is the busiest month at the park?: In 2025, the busiest month was July with 7,341 recreation visits^[2].

Facts and sources

NPS lists Hopewell Culture National Historical Park as a fee-free park: there is no entrance fee. National Park Service
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 47,847, 2022: 51,850, 2023: 62,113, 2024: 65,350, 2025: 51,969. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Visitor centers listed by NPS: 1 (Mound City Group Visitor Center). National Park Service
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Historical Park) in Ohio. National Park Service
Operating hours, Park Grounds: The park grounds at Mound City Group, Hopewell Mound Group, Hopeton Earthworks and Seip Earthworks are open every day of the year, during daylight hours. All park grounds officially close at sunset and re-open at sunrise. National Park Service
NPS weather and seasons overview for Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. National Park Service
National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
NPS lists 6 things to do at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park: Mysteries of the Ancient Architects Film, Junior Ranger Program at Hopewell Culture NHP, Hiking & Exploring Mound City Group, Hiking & Exploring Hopeton Earthworks, Hiking & Exploring... National Park Service

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.