About Waḳaƞ Ṭípi

Waḳaƞ Ṭípi (Dwelling Place of the Sacred, pronounced wah-KAHN TEE-pee) is located just east of downtown along the east side of the Mississippi River. The cultural site features 450 million-year-old limestone and sandstone bluffs, spring-fed wetlands, excellent bird watching opportunities, rich Native American history, and beautiful views of the downtown skyline and Mississippi River. An outdoor classroom and interpretative markers provide added educational opportunities. There is no access to the Mississippi River from Waḳaƞ Ṭípi due to the railroads still in use. 

In May 2025, the City of Saint Paul adopted the recommendations of state Tribal Historic Preservation Officers to rename two culturally significant and sacred Dakota sites. The cultural landscape encompassing Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and Indian Mounds Regional Park is now designated as Imniżaska (white cliffs, pronounced e-me-NE-zha-ska). Within this landscape, the two individual sites will now be designated as Waḳaƞ Ṭípi (Dwelling Place of the Sacred, pronounced wah-KAHN TEE-pee) and Wic̣aḣapi (Dakota cemetery, pronounced we-CHA-ha-pee), respectively. This action reflects the city’s commitment to preserving Indigenous heritage and strengthening its long-standing partnership with Dakota leaders and communities.

Waḳaƞ Ṭípi Restoration

  • After a century of industrial use, the land lay vacant and blighted until a coalition of East Side and Lowertown residents formed the Lower Phalen Creek Project, now called Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi, and worked with the City of Saint Paul to launch an effort to purchase the 27-acre land and restore it.
  • Bluff restoration work at the Waḳaƞ Ṭípi and Wic̣aḣapi began in April 2004.
  • Stormwater that previously flowed into the Mississippi River via storm sewers, is now recaptured by native plants and is stored in three separate clear water ponds and adjacent wetlands.
  • Mulch, incorporated into existing sterile soil, promotes the growth of new plantings.
  • Limestone rock slabs previously used in railroad operations form a waterfall, stone bridge, stairway and ponds.
  • Site remediation and stabilization work is ongoing.
  • Restoration priorities in 2005 focused on combating invasive species, slop stabilization, erosion control, and planting 7.5 acres of native trees.
  • Learn more about ongoing Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi projects, including the Wakan Tipi Center and the Phalen Creek Daylighting Project. 

Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi & Wakan Tipi Center

Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi is a Native-Led, East Side environmental stewardship nonprofit centered in Dakota values. Founded in 1997 by community activists, the project area stretches from Lake Phalen to the Mississippi River and throughout the East Side River District. 

Named Wakan Tipi Center to honor the significance of Wakan Tipi Cave as a Dakota sacred site, the mission of Wakan Tipi Center is to serve as an intergenerational gathering place that honors Wakan Tipi and the maḳa paha as Daḳota sacred sites. The work here connects people to this sacred landscape though immersive experiences in Daḳota history, lifeways, language, and values.

The building will feature an exhibit hall, classrooms, ceremony space, a community gathering area, a teaching kitchen, and teaching gardens to showcase and expand the value of the sanctuary as a place for cultural healing, life-long learning, and inspiration. The Wakan Tipi Center is anticipated to open in Summer 2025. 

Amenities

Benches, Bird Watching, and Hiking Trail 

Wakan Tipi Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary