A memorable and enriching experience

Visit the Newark Area Earthworks

Built by ancient American Indians between AD 1 to AD 400, the Great Circle and Octagon Earthworks were part cathedral, part astronomical observatory. You can visit these architectural wonders in the charming cities of Newark and Heath, Ohio, stand where these brilliant builders stood, and feel the wisdom they wrote into the land.

Tips for your visit

Parking lots are a moderate distance away from the earthworks and museum
Great Circle Earthworks has a Visitor’s Center with Restrooms
Guided or Self-Guided Tours Available
Public Path & Signage

Travel Resources

There’s more to do after visiting the Great Circle and Octagon Earthworks. Newark, a historic town and the seat of Licking County, boasts a wide range of tourism offerings and attractions related to Ohio’s early industry. Located about 35 minutes away from the Columbus metropolitan area, there’s plenty to do, see, and explore.

Find more details to help you plan your visit, additional driving directions, and more about the Newark Area Earthworks.

Learn more about the towns, book a stay at a local campground, or explore one of the area’s beautiful trails.

Great Circle Earthworks

Explore the small museum and visitors center located at the Great Circle, easily accessible from a nearby parking area. Start your journey with a bronze model at the entrance, providing an overview of the Newark Earthworks complex. Inside, you’ll find restrooms, a bookshop, interactive media programs, and engaging exhibits. Trail maps of both Newark sites and the Guide to the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks are available to enhance your visit. The exhibits at the Newark Great Circle offer a complete understanding of the former Newark Earthwork complex, guiding you to both the Great Circle site and the Octagon Earthworks, just two miles away.

Discover interpretive signage placed around the Great Circle, allowing you to explore at your own pace. Self-guided visits are available year-round at both Newark sites, while guided interpretation is offered seasonally. Tours at the Great Circle include an introduction at the bronze model, a guided tour of the enclosure, and access to interpretive signs throughout the park. Over a thousand school children visit on field trips each year, immersing themselves in Ohio’s fourth-grade curriculum on American Indian history and culture.

Visitor Info

455 Hebron Road
Heath, Ohio 43056

Park grounds: Open dawn until dusk
Visitor center: Please call for hours
Museum Open: Thursday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Coordinates:

40.0402671 °N

82.4277555 °W

Octagon Earthworks

At the Octagon Earthworks, park in the designated area and take in the site’s beauty from the southern perimeter. You can enjoy the view from the elevated platform near the parallel walls of the Avenue or from the path near the Observatory Mound. The site is open during daylight hours, though there are no public amenities.

Join periodic tours and public open house days at the Octagon, with program offerings expanding upon Ohio History Connection acquiring full access to the property. Contact the site manager at 740-344-0498 to confirm open house days, where visitors are invited to enter and explore the Octagon.

Visitor Info

125 North 33rd Street
Newark, Ohio 43055

Park grounds: Open dawn until dusk
Museum Open: Thursday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Note: The full Octagon Earthworks site is not currently open 24/7 except for the observation tower.

Coordinates:

40.0519828 °N

82.4463745 °W