Mille Lacs Kathio State Park near Onamia in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Kathio Landmark Trail
Photographed by McGhiever, May 29, 2025
1. Kathio Landmark Trail Marker
The Landmark Trail introduces you to the beautiful landscape of the park and explains why Kathio is designated a National Historic Landmark. This self-guided trail winds through the "old campground" area, then heads north along Ogechie Lake.
Signs along the trail mark points of interest, as well as where archaeologists discovered ancient village sites and pioneer homesteads.
The distance to the last sign is ¾ mile. At that point, you may return to this parking lot for a total walk of about 1½ miles, or continue along the Hiking Club Trail, which will bring you back here after a walk of 3¼ miles.
Kathio National Historic Landmark District
More than 30 archaeological sites have been discovered at Mille Lacs Kathio State Park, and the park has been designated a National Historic Landmark District. The Historic Landmark status notes national significance. Of the 22 National Historic Landmarks in Minnesota, Kathio is the only one to be designated because of its archaeology. it is listed as a District because of the many related sites. The Landmark commemorates the international significance of the meeting of Europeanexplorers and Dakota villagers in the 1600s, and thousands of years of human interaction with the landscape. Kathio is also recognized as the prehistoric homeland of the Dakota nation and as the historic homeland of the Mille Lacs Band of the Ojibwe nation.
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Erected 2004 by Minnesota State Parks, Interpretive Services.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Exploration • Indigenous Peoples and Communities. A significant historical year for this entry is 1964.
Location. 46° 8.657′ N, 93° 46.405′ W. Marker is near Onamia, Minnesota, in Mille Lacs County. It is in Mille Lacs Kathio State Park. It is on the road to Ogechie Campground. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Onamia MN 56359, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Minnesota. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the
Photographed by McGhiever, May 29, 2025
2. Kathio Archeological District National Historic Landmark plaque
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A Wealth of Resources (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Ogechie Wetlands (about 600 feet away); Ojibwe Wild Rice Harvest (about 700 feet away); Archaeology Uncovers the Unwritten Past (about 700 feet away); House & Home (about 700 feet away); A Wealth of History (about 800 feet away); Kathio Forest: Past & Future (approx. 0.2 miles away); Homeland of the Dakota (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Onamia.
Photographed by McGhiever, May 29, 2025
3. Adjacent wayfinding marker
Photographed by McGhiever, May 29, 2025
4. Markers at the start of the Kathio Landmark Trail
Credits. This page was last revised on August 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 12, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 17 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 12, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
