Mound City — Decode Hopewell Cosmogram
Decipher the astronomical alignments and hidden geometry of the Hopewell ceremonial complex. Two thousand years of secrets lie buried in earthen walls—uncover why this sacred landscape was abandoned.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
Two thousand years ago, the Hopewell people erected monumental earthworks at Mound City, a sacred hub pulsing with cosmic knowledge
Mound City — Decode Hopewell Cosmogram
You are an early 20th-century archaeologist, personally commissioned by President Warren G.
Harding to uncover the secrets of the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. Your mission takes you to
Delve into the mysterious past of the Hopewell builders and decipher the ancient cosmograms etched into the Ohio earth.
The story that haunts this land
Your quest begins at the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, specifically the Mound City Group in Chillicothe. This site, built by the Hopewell Native Americans between 1 and 400 AD, is an enclosure of earthen walls surrounding at least 24 mounds over an area larger than 10 American football fields. It is the only fully restored Hopewell earthworks complex, declared a National Monument in 1923 by President Warren G. Harding. Here, approximately 100 cremated human remains were discovered, testifying to the ritual importance of the place. Your first task will be to decipher the geometric patterns that structure these sacred mounds in Ohio.
Continue your exploration of the Chillicothe earthworks by heading to the Hopewell Mound Group, located at 4731 Sulphur Lick Road. This site, open daily during daylight hours with no visitor center on site, offers a 2-mile (3.2 km) self-guided interpretive trail. It is equipped with restrooms and a picnic shelter, contrasting with the hustle and bustle of Camp Sherman which occupied Mound City Group during World War I. The Tri-County Triangle Trail, a paved bike path over 30 miles long between Chillicothe and Washington Courthouse, also crosses this National Historic Park, connecting Hopewell sites and Ohio's heritage.
Your journey then takes you to the Mound City Group Visitor Center, the recommended first stop for any park visitor, located at 16062 State Route 104, Chillicothe. Open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, this unique administrative center for the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park houses offices, resource management, and maintenance. You can watch the 19-minute film 'Mysteries of the Ancient Architects,' shown on demand, which sheds light on Hopewell construction techniques. Note the absence of RV parking, inviting you to park on the shoulder or around the flagpole, a distinctive feature of this Ohio historical site.
The Ross County Historical Society Museum in Chillicothe, while not a Hopewell earthwork itself, allows you to deepen your understanding of the region and the populations that succeeded the Hopewell. It presents collections illustrating the local history of Chillicothe and Ross County, providing context for the archaeological discoveries you have observed. This museum is a testament to Ohio's heritage, from ancient civilizations to pioneers, and helps you piece together the puzzle of this territory's evolution.
Finally, your journey concludes with a synthesis of the knowledge gained about the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park and the Chillicothe earthworks. You have explored the sites where the Hopewell left their mark between 1 and 400 AD, from restored complexes to interpretive trails. This interactive visit to Chillicothe has allowed you to visualize the scale of their engineering and the richness of their culture, long before the arrival of Europeans. You leave with an understanding of the 'Mysteries of the Ancient Architects' and a new perspective on Ohio's heritage.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 sites to explore by car within the day
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 14,90€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Earthwork Wonders
Explore geometric mound complexes and effigies, testaments to advanced pre-Columbian engineering.
Cosmic Knowledge
Unravel astronomical alignments and ritual calendars integrated into the sacred landscapes.
Trade Networks
Follow the routes of exotic materials, revealing the extent of Hopewell influence and complexity.
The past is never dead. It's not even past.
In the shapes of the earth, ancient knowledge awaits revelation.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
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Your turn to play
Delve into the mysterious past of the Hopewell builders and decipher the ancient cosmograms etched into the Ohio earth.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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