WHEN TO GO
Loading…
United StatesSaved
Spiro Mounds’ December 19 tours connect mound forms and solar alignments with excavation history, Native ceremonies and stories. The later walk adds a sunset viewing and a gathering at the visitor center.
All times are local to the venue · America/Chicago
Craig Mound is an exception among Spiro’s earthworks: commercial treasure hunters extensively damaged it in the 1930s, and it was reconstructed decades later using photographs taken before the damage. That distinction offers a useful frame for the Winter Solstice Walks on December 19, when center director Anna Vincent will discuss how to understand the mounds and their relationship to the solstice.
Vincent’s announced topics include the different types of mounds at Spiro, their purposes, the significance of the solstices and the site’s solar alignments. The listing does not promise a demonstration of a particular alignment; it describes a guided discussion of how these features relate to the place.
The program also reaches into the site’s excavation history and Native ceremonies and stories. Vincent will recount unusual events associated with the mounds and take visitors’ questions, giving the walk an interpretive focus beyond simply viewing the earthworks.
Further reading: Winter Solstice Walks | OHS Calendar ↗
Spiro’s FAQ says most of the mounds are prehistoric earthworks built between approximately AD 850 and 1450. Craig Mound was extensively damaged by commercial treasure hunters in the 1930s, before modern archaeological protections were in place. In the 1970s it was reconstructed from photographs taken before it was disturbed; it remains in its original location.
That history gives the excavation theme a concrete dimension: what visitors see includes both original earthworks and a reconstruction that helps convey an earlier form of the mound. The FAQ says archaeological work at Spiro now requires permits and consultation with affiliated tribal nations and relevant agencies, with researchers using non-invasive techniques whenever possible.
Further reading: FAQ | Oklahoma Historical Society ↗
The site’s FAQ describes Spiro as a major religious and ceremonial center for Caddoan Mississippian culture in the Arkansas River Valley, in use from about AD 850 to 1450. The protected property includes 150 acres and 12 mounds, as well as an elite village area and part of the settlement that supported it.
The Oklahoma Historical Society’s account places Spiro’s leaders in political, religious and economic relationships reaching from the Gulf of California to the Gulf of Mexico and from Virginia’s coast to the Great Lakes. It describes horticulture, mound building, elaborate ceremonies and an iconographic writing system among practices shared with more than 60 tribes. This wider context helps explain why the tour’s questions about mound purposes and ceremonies concern a connected cultural world, not just individual structures.
Further reading: FAQ | Oklahoma Historical Society ↗ · Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center | Oklahoma Historical Society ↗
Some artifacts may be covered or removed from display: the Oklahoma Historical Society says most artifacts currently exhibited at the center are undergoing repatriation, with the work conducted alongside the University of Oklahoma and tribal representatives. The center says items may be covered or removed in accordance with affiliated tribal nations’ wishes.
The FAQ identifies the Caddo Nation and Wichita and Affiliated Tribes as culturally affiliated nations involved in consultation. It explains that the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act governs the treatment and repatriation of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony. This context can help visitors understand why the displays may change and why not every object associated with Spiro is on view.
Further reading: Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center | Oklahoma Historical Society ↗ · FAQ | Oklahoma Historical Society ↗
The Saturday, December 19, tours are separate one-hour sessions at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., both led by Anna Vincent. The later walk includes a sunset viewing on the upper terrace, then a bonfire and hot chocolate at the visitor center. If weather is inclement, talks will be held inside the visitor center at both scheduled times.
The listed rates are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors age 62 and older, and $5 for students ages 6–18. Children age 5 and under are free; the family rate is $30 for up to six people. Free admission is listed for Oklahoma Historical Society members, NARM members, veterans and active military with ID, and members of the Caddo Nation and Wichita and Affiliated Tribes.
The group rate is $7 per person for groups of 10 or more. The event listing says reservations are required only for large groups but does not define the group-size threshold. Call 918-962-2062 for information.
Winter Solstice Walks | OHS Calendar ↗ · Plan Your Visit | Oklahoma Historical Society ↗
The FAQ describes the general interpretive trail as about 1.5 miles over natural terrain that can be uneven. It recommends comfortable walking shoes and water, and advises preparing for muddy or difficult footing during and after rain. The event listing does not give the solstice walk’s route or distance, so do not assume it follows the full trail.
The visitor center is wheelchair accessible; portions of the outdoor trail may not be fully accessible to all visitors. Contact the center with specific accessibility questions before attending.
FAQ | Oklahoma Historical Society ↗ · Winter Solstice Walks | OHS Calendar ↗
Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center is at 18154 First Street, Spiro, OK 74959, northeast of Spiro and four miles north of US-271. The site is accessed through the visitor center. The published information does not specify public transit or parking arrangements; the map links can calculate directions from your starting point.
Winter Solstice Walks | OHS Calendar ↗ · Plan Your Visit | Oklahoma Historical Society ↗ · Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center | Oklahoma Historical Society ↗
The center lists regular visitor-center and trail hours as Tuesday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; the afternoon tour is scheduled to end at 4:30 p.m. Because there is no public access outside visitor-center operating hours, call 918-962-2062 to confirm arrival and access arrangements. The center also recommends calling ahead because limited staffing or unexpected circumstances can affect visits.
Plan Your Visit | Oklahoma Historical Society ↗ · Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center | Oklahoma Historical Society ↗ · Winter Solstice Walks | OHS Calendar ↗
The 3:30 p.m. walk includes the sunset viewing on the upper terrace, followed by a bonfire and hot chocolate at the visitor center. If weather is inclement, talks will be held indoors at both session times.
Yes. Pets must remain leashed and under control. Owners are responsible for cleanup and for their animals’ safety and behavior; pets may not be left unattended and must not disturb visitors, wildlife or archaeological resources. Wildlife and stray animals may be present.
18154 First Street, Spiro, OK 74959
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.
Images from the linked sources. Each caption identifies the context of the image.
Event, planning and background information checked 2026-11-01 against the linked sources.