Guided field trips are scheduled for groups of 15 or more; not counting underaged siblings or chaperones
- Groups over 25 students will be broken into subgroups, which will rotate through 4 – 5 educational stations.
- Groups of less than 15 students are welcome to visit and take part in self-guided activities but will not receive a guided program.
- We recommend a maximum of 60 students. We can not accommodate more than 80 per field trip.
- While the museum is under construction, please note that there is one single person restroom inside the museum and a port-a-john available on site.
- There must be one Chaperone for every learning station (4 – 5).
A typical Caddo Mounds Field trip requires a 1.5 – 2 hour visit and includes a museum tour and video, 3 – 4 education stations, and a self-guided hike on the Caddo or El Camino Real loop trails.
The charge for On-site Educational Tours and Activities is $1 Per student. Teachers, 1-to-1 Student Aids, and bus drivers are all free of charge. We also allow one free chaperone per every 10 students. Additional chaperones are $1 per adult.
- Teachers and chaperones may be asked to help facilitate aspects of the tour.
- In the event of a lack of staffing or volunteers, there will be self-guided activities available for each education station.
Field trips must be scheduled online first at least three weeks before you hope to visit via https://www.thc.texas.gov/forms/request-tour. You will receive a follow-up email and call to schedule your visit and confirm details.
Guided tours are given on Wednesdays - Fridays. Tours can be booked for either morning or afternoon time slots. Morning slots begin at 9:00/9:30 and afternoon slots begin at 1:00/1:30. Self-guided tours can be booked for any day the site is open.
Students can bring a picnic lunch or school-provided sack lunch to enjoy on site either before or after their tour.
While museum construction is underway, tours at Caddo Mounds are primarily an outdoor experience. Please wear appropriate clothing and shoes.
Please note: For visitor and staff safety, whenever inclement weather and/or severe weather watches are present, group tours will be canceled.
There is no food available for purchase on site. There are water coolers available to refill water bottles and drinks available for a cash donation to our Friends of Caddo Mounds group.
Education Stations
The Museum
The temporary museum and visitor center offers a small exhibit space highlighting both ancestral and contemporary Caddo. There is a 9 – minute site video available to give your students an introduction to the Caddo and Caddo Mounds SHS.
Koo Hoot Kiwat, The Caddo Grass House (Exterior complete, interior partially complete.)
Students will learn about the traditional houses and lifeways of the Caddo who lived for centuries at what is now Caddo Mounds SHS.
Keekah Nattee Toots’ah Naht’ooh, Snake Woman’s Garden
The Caddo were the first farmers of Texas! Students will learn about Caddo agricultural practices as well as about what is growing and living in Snake Woman’s Garden.
Atl Atl (for 4th grade and up)
Students will learn about early hunting technologies and have an opportunity to try their hands at using an atl atl to throw atl atl darts.
The Trails (self-guided)
Walk the loop trails at Caddo Mounds SHS to learn about the Caddo and the history of the Camino Real de los Tejas.
Want to visit two great sites in one day? Schedule a half day at Caddo Mounds and a half day at Mission Tejas State Park (6 miles up the road). Contact Mission Tejas at 936-687-2394.
Contact Information
Caddo Mounds State Historic Site
1649 State Hwy 21W
Alto, TX 75925
Phone: 936.858.3218
Website: www.visitcaddomounds.com
Directions
The site is 6 miles southwest of Alto on State Highway 21.
