The United States has 138protected areas known asnational monuments. Thepresident of the United States can establish a national monument bypresidential proclamation, and theUnited States Congress can do so by legislation. The president's authority arises from theAntiquities Act of 1906, which allows the president to proclaim "historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest" as national monuments.[1]
Concerns about protecting mostly prehistoricNative American ruins and artifacts, collectively known asantiquities, on western federal lands prompted the legislation, which allowed the president to quickly preserve public land without waiting for legislation to pass through an unconcerned Congress. The ultimate goal was to protect all historic and prehistoric sites on U.S. federal lands,[2] and it has resulted in designation of a wide variety of ecological, cultural and historical sites.
PresidentTheodore Roosevelt established the first national monument,Devils Tower inWyoming, on September 24, 1906.[3] He established 18 national monuments, although only nine still retain that designation.[4] Eighteen presidents have created national monuments under the Antiquities Act since the program began; onlyRichard Nixon,Ronald Reagan, andGeorge H. W. Bush did not.[5][6]Bill Clinton created 19 and expanded three others.
Jimmy Carter protected vast parts ofAlaska, proclaiming 15 national monuments, 7 of which were later promoted tonational parks. PresidentBarack Obama created or expanded 34 national monuments by proclamation, the most of any president, with over half a billion acres of public land and water protected.[7][8][5]
National monuments are located in 33 states,Washington, D.C., theVirgin Islands,American Samoa, theMinor Outlying Islands, and theNorthern Mariana Islands.California has the most national monuments, with 20, followed byArizona with 19 andNew Mexico with 13. At least seventy-nine national monuments protect places of natural significance, including nineteen primarily for their geological features, eight marine sites, and nine volcanic sites (two of which are designated "National Volcanic Monuments"). At least sixty-six national monuments primarily protect historic sites, including twenty-eight associated withNative Americans, eleven relating toAfrican American history, and eleven forts. Four have been designatedWorld Heritage Sites. With the variety of resource types there is significant variation in the size of national monuments; the median size is roughly 3,500 acres (14 km2). The five largest national monuments are all oceanic marine sites that protect waters and submerged lands where commercial fishing is prohibited.
Manyformer national monuments have been redesignated as national parks or another status by Congress, while others have been transferred to state control or disbanded.
Ninefederal agencies in fivedepartments manage the 138 current U.S. national monuments. Of these, 121 monuments are managed by a single agency, while 17 are co-managed by two agencies. Two of the NPS's national monuments,Grand Canyon–Parashant andAvi Kwa Ame, are notofficial units because they overlap withLake Mead National Recreation Area. Management practices vary across agencies and sites according to their missions, the size or type of protected place, and legal authorization. Generally, hunting, fishing, and extraction of resources are prohibited.
Monuments and memorials that were not designated by the U.S. government, such as theUSSMaine National Monument, are not listed here.
| Agency | Department | Co-managed | Total managed |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Park Service (NPS) | Interior | 3 with BLM, 1 with FWS, 1 with Army | 89 |
| Bureau of Land Management (BLM) | Interior | 3 with NPS, 6 with USFS | 31 |
| United States Forest Service (USFS) | Agriculture | 6 with BLM | 16 |
| Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) | Interior | 5 with NOAA, 1 with NPS, 1 with DOE | 9 |
| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) | Commerce | 5 with FWS | 5 |
| Department of Energy (DOE) | Energy | 1 with FWS | 1 |
| Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) | Defense | 1 | |
| United States Army | Defense | 1 with NPS | 2 |
| United States Air Force (USAF) | Defense | 1 | |
| (duplications) | (17) | ||
| Total | 138 | ||
| Name | Location | Agency | Date established | Area[9][10] [11][12][13] | Visitors (2018)[14] | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admiralty Island
| Alaska 57°38′N134°21′W / 57.64°N 134.35°W /57.64; -134.35 (Admiralty Island) | USFS | December 1, 1978 | 1,019,861 acres (4,127.2 km2) | Occupying most ofAdmiralty Island, the 7th largest in the United States, this monument is part ofTongass National Forest inSoutheast Alaska. The monument protects the densest known population ofbrown bear on Earth, along with habitat for theSitka black-tailed deer. Most of the monument has been designated as the Kootznoowoo Wilderness, restricting future development.[15] | |
| African Burial Ground
| New York 40°42′52″N74°00′15″W / 40.7144°N 74.0042°W /40.7144; -74.0042 (African Burial Ground) | NPS | February 27, 2006 | 0.35 acres (0.001 km2) | 45,035 | Re-discovered in 1991 during excavations for a new federal building, this former burial ground that contains the remains of more than 400 free and enslaved Africans buried during the 17th and 18th centuries was designated aNational Historic Landmark memorial in 1993.[16] |
| Agate Fossil Beds
| Nebraska 42°24′58″N103°43′41″W / 42.416°N 103.728°W /42.416; -103.728 (Agate Fossil Beds) | NPS | June 14, 1997 | 3,057.87 acres (12.4 km2) | 16,238 | The valley of theNiobrara River is known for its large number of well-preservedMiocene mammalfossils which date from about 20 million years ago.[17] |
| Agua Fria
| Arizona 34°09′N112°05′W / 34.15°N 112.08°W /34.15; -112.08 (Agua Fria) | BLM | January 11, 2000 | 70,980 acres (287.2 km2) | Located around the canyon of theAgua Fria River, it contains more than 450 distinctNative American structures, including largepueblos with more than 100 rooms.[18] | |
| Aleutian Islands World War II
| Alaska 52°52′N173°10′W / 52.87°N 173.16°W /52.87; -173.16 (Aleutian Islands World War II) | FWS | December 5, 2008 | 4,950 acres (20.0 km2) | During World War II Japan briefly occupiedAttu Island andKiska Island in the Aleutian chain. The monument within theAlaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge includes the site of the19-day battle to reclaim Attu, artifacts of theoccupation at Kiska, and the crash site of a U.S.B-24D Liberator onAtka Island. Originally designated as part ofWorld War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, which was divided and renamed March 12, 2019.[19][20] | |
| Alibates Flint Quarries
| Texas 35°34′N101°40′W / 35.57°N 101.67°W /35.57; -101.67 (Alibates Flint Quarries) | NPS | August 21, 1965 | 1,370.97 acres (5.5 km2) | 7,415 | Alibates was the quarry site for high-quality, rainbow-huedflint that was distributed throughout theGreat Plains inpre-Columbian times. It is jointly operated with theLake Meredith National Recreation Area and includes the ruins of several Plains Village Indian dwellings.[21] |
| Aniakchak
| Alaska 56°54′N158°09′W / 56.9°N 158.15°W /56.9; -158.15 (Anikchak) | NPS | December 1, 1978 | 137,176 acres (555.1 km2) | 100 | Mount Aniakchak, which erupted 3,500 years ago, and the surrounding region make up one of the least visitedNPS sites. Surprise Lake, within the volcano's 6-mile (9.7 km) wide, 2,500-foot (760 m) deepcaldera, is the source of theAniakchak River.[22] |
| Avi Kwa Ame
| Nevada 35°24′N115°00′W / 35.4°N 115.00°W /35.4; -115.00 (Avi Kwa Ame) | BLM,NPS | March 21, 2023 | 506,814 acres (2,051.0 km2) | Spirit Mountain (Avi Kwa Ame) is the site of creation for theYuman tribes, who hold the area sacred. Consisting of theEldorado Valley,Piute Valley, and surrounding mountain ranges of theMojave Desert, the area is home to expansiveJoshua tree forests and provides important habitat for species such as thedesert bighorn sheep,desert tortoise andGila monster.[23] | |
| Aztec Ruins
| New Mexico 36°50′N107°00′W / 36.83°N 107.00°W /36.83; -107.00 (Aztec Ruins) | NPS | January 24, 1923 | 318.4 acres (1.3 km2) | 54,933 | The ruins containPueblo structures from the 11th to 13th centuries with more than 400 masonry rooms which were misidentified by early American settlers asAztec. It has been included in the Chaco CultureWorld Heritage Site, which also includesChaco Culture National Historical Park.[24] |
| Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon
| Arizona 35°32′N112°00′W / 35.54°N 112°W /35.54; -112 (Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument) | BLM,USFS | August 8, 2023 | 917,618 acres (3,713.5 km2) | This monument protects land on both sides ofGrand Canyon National Park that is significant to several tribal nations. Includes part ofKaibab National Forest[25] | |
| Bandelier
| New Mexico 35°47′N106°16′W / 35.78°N 106.27°W /35.78; -106.27 (Bandelier) | NPS | February 11, 1916 | 33,676.67 acres (136.3 km2) | 198,441 | Frijoles Canyon containsAncestral Pueblo homes,kivas,rock paintings andpetroglyphs. The Pueblo structures made of volcanictuff date to 1150 CE, with other artifacts more than 11,000 years old.[26][27] |
| Basin and Range
| Nevada 37°54′N115°24′W / 37.9°N 115.4°W /37.9; -115.4 (Basin and Range) | BLM | July 10, 2015 | 703,585 acres (2,847.3 km2) | The remoteMount Irish,Seaman, andGolden Gate Ranges surround the Garden andCoal Valleys andWhite River Narrows and are home to many desert species and 4,000-year-old rock art.[28][29] | |
| Bears Ears
| Utah 37°38′N109°52′W / 37.63°N 109.86°W /37.63; -109.86 (Bears Ears National Monument) | BLM,USFS | December 28, 2016 | 1,360,000 acres (5,503.7 km2)[30] | TheBears Ears are a pair of buttes that rise above sandstone canyons and mesas. Other points of geologic interest include the twin Six Shooter dome-shaped peaks, striated sandstone pinnacles, and natural arches. The wider region has tens of thousands of archaeological sites including rock art, ancient cliff dwellings, and ceremonial kivas. Part is inManti–La Sal National Forest[31][32][33] | |
| Belmont-Paul Women's Equality
| District of Columbia 38°53′N77°00′W / 38.89°N 77.00°W /38.89; -77.00 (Belmont-Paul Women's Equality) | NPS | April 12, 2016 | 0.34 acres (0.001 km2) | 9,081 | Home of theNational Woman's Party since 1929, thisAdamFederal style house near theUS Capitol was the home where party leaderAlice Paul and others lived and worked.[34][35][36] |
| Berryessa Snow Mountain
| California 39°13′N122°46′W / 39.22°N 122.77°W /39.22; -122.77 (Berryessa Snow Mountain) | USFS,BLM | July 10, 2015 | 344,476 acres (1,394.0 km2) | Less than 100 miles (160 km) from theSan Francisco Bay Area, Berryessa Snow Mountain protects part of theCalifornia Coast Range, one of the most biodiverse regions in the state, home to elk, osprey, river otters, half the state's dragonfly species, and California's second-largest population of wintering bald eagles. Part is inMendocino National Forest.[28][37][38] | |
| Birmingham Civil Rights
| Alabama 33°30′47″N86°48′54″W / 33.513°N 86.815°W /33.513; -86.815 (Birmingham Civil Rights) | NPS | January 12, 2017 | 0.88 acres (0.004 km2) | This site preserves theA. G. Gaston Motel, which was bombed by theKKK afterMartin Luther King Jr. andBirmingham campaign leaders had stayed there, inciting theBirmingham riot of 1963.[39][40][41] | |
| Booker T. Washington
| Virginia 37°07′23″N79°45′58″W / 37.123°N 79.766°W /37.123; -79.766 (Booker T. Washington) | NPS | April 2, 1956 | 239.01 acres (1.0 km2) | 22,732 | This preserves portions of the 207-acre (0.84 km2)tobacco farm on which educator and civil rights leaderBooker T. Washington was born into slavery on April 5, 1856. The site contains replicas of the house Washington was born in, a smokehouse, a blacksmith shed, a tobacco barn, and a horse barn.[42] |
| Browns Canyon
| Colorado 38°36′54″N106°03′32″W / 38.615°N 106.059°W /38.615; -106.059 (Browns Canyon) | BLM,USFS | February 19, 2015 | 21,604 acres (87.4 km2) | Steep granite cliffs and colorful rock outcroppings overlook theArkansas River, where visitors can go whitewater rafting. Prehistoric campsites and shelters date back 11,000 years, while sites from gold mining remain from the late 1800s. About half is inSan Isabel National Forest.[43][44] | |
| Buck Island Reef
| US Virgin Islands 17°47′N64°37′W / 17.79°N 64.62°W /17.79; -64.62 (Buck Island Reef) | NPS | December 28, 1961 | 19,015.47 acres (77.0 km2) | 31,411 | Most of this monument is underwater, containing a largeelkhorn coral barrier reef that provides cover for a great variety of reef fish,sea turtles andleast terns. It is based around Buck Island, an uninhabited 176-acre (0.71 km2) island.[45] |
| Cabrillo
| California 32°40′N117°14′W / 32.67°N 117.24°W /32.67; -117.24 (Cabrillo) | NPS | October 14, 1913 | 159.94 acres (0.6 km2) | 842,104 | This monument commemorates the landing ofJuan Rodríguez Cabrillo atSan Diego Bay on September 28, 1542, which was the first European expedition to what later became the West Coast of the U.S. The monument includes a statue of Cabrillo, a rockyintertidal zone, and 20th-centurycoastal artillery batteries built to protect the harbor of San Diego from enemy warships.[46] |
| California Coastal
| California 36°53′N122°11′W / 36.89°N 122.18°W /36.89; -122.18 (California Coastal) | BLM | January 11, 2000 | 2,628 acres (10.6 km2) | This monument ensures the protection of all of the more than 20,000 islets, reefs and rock outcroppings from the coast ofCalifornia to a distance of 12 nautical miles (22 km), along the entire 840-mile (1,350 km) long California coastline.[47] | |
| Camp Hale — Continental Divide
| Colorado 39°26′N106°22′W / 39.44°N 106.37°W /39.44; -106.37 (Camp Hale — Continental Divide) | USFS | October 12, 2022 | 53,804 acres (217.7 km2) | Soldiers in the US Army's10th Mountain Division used Camp Hale to learn skiing, climbing, and snowshoeing to fight in the Italian Alps during World War II. Part ofWhite River National Forest.[48] | |
| Camp Nelson
| Kentucky 37°47′N84°36′W / 37.78°N 84.60°W /37.78; -84.60 (Camp Nelson Heritage) | NPS | October 26, 2018 | 373 acres (1.5 km2) | Established in 1863 as a depot for the Union Army during the Civil War, Camp Nelson became a large recruitment center for African American Union soldiers: a key site of emancipation for those soldiers and a refugee camp for their families.[49] | |
| Canyon de Chelly
| Arizona 36°08′N109°28′W / 36.13°N 109.47°W /36.13; -109.47 (Canyon de Chelly) | NPS | April 1, 1931 | 83,840 acres (339.3 km2) | 439,306 | Located within theNavajo Nation, it preserves the valleys and rims of Canyon de Chelly, Canyon del Muerto, and Monument Canyon. Several Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings are built into the canyon walls.[50] |
| Canyons of the Ancients
| Colorado 37°22′N109°00′W / 37.37°N 109°W /37.37; -109 (Canyon of the Ancients) | BLM | June 9, 2000 | 176,370 acres (713.7 km2) | SurroundingHovenweep National Monument, it preserves and protects more than 6,000archeological sites, the largest concentration in the U.S. These includeLowry Pueblo, dating to 1103 CE, and Painted Hand Pueblo built by theAncestral Puebloans[51] | |
| Cape Krusenstern
| Alaska 67°25′N163°30′W / 67.41°N 163.50°W /67.41; -163.50 (Cape Krusenstern) | NPS | December 1, 1978 | 649,096.15 acres (2,626.8 km2) | 15,087 | Co-located with theNHLD Cape Krusenstern Archeological District, this coastal plain contains largelagoons and rolling hills oflimestone. The bluffs record thousands of years of change in the shorelines of theChukchi Sea, as well as evidence of some 9,000 years of human habitation.[52] |
| Capulin Volcano
| New Mexico 36°47′N103°58′W / 36.79°N 103.96°W /36.79; -103.96 (Capulin Volcano) | NPS | August 9, 1916 | 792.84 acres (3.2 km2) | 67,411 | Capulin is an extinctcinder conevolcano that is approximately 59,000 years old and part of theRaton-Clayton Volcanic Field. The crater is 400 feet (120 m) deep and its rim is more than 1,500 feet (460 m) in diameter.[53] |
| Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School
| Pennsylvania 40°13′N77°11′W / 40.21°N 77.18°W /40.21; -77.18 (Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School) | NPS,Army | December 9, 2024 | 24.5 acres (0.1 km2) | The United States Indian Industrial School (better known as the Carlisle Indian Industrial School) was the flagshipIndian boarding school in the United States from its founding in 1879 through 1918, serving as an important symbol ofefforts to culturally assimilate Native Americans by the federal government.[54] | |
| Carrizo Plain
| California 35°10′N119°45′W / 35.16°N 119.75°W /35.16; -119.75 (Carrizo Plain) | BLM | January 12, 2001 | 211,045 acres (854.1 km2) | Carrizo Plain is the largest singlenativegrassland remaining in California. It contains part of theSan Andreas Fault and is surrounded by theTemblor Range and theCaliente Range. At the center of the plain isSoda Lake, which is nearPainted Rock.[55] | |
| Casa Grande Ruins
| Arizona 32°59′N111°32′W / 32.99°N 111.54°W /32.99; -111.54 (Casa Grande Ruins) | NPS | August 3, 1918 | 472.5 acres (1.9 km2) | 62,995 | This monument preserves a group of structures surrounded by a compound wall in theGila Valley that were built in the early 13th century. They were inhabited by theHohokam people until they were abandoned in the mid-15th century.[56] |
| Cascade–Siskiyou
| Oregon,California 42°05′N122°28′W / 42.08°N 122.46°W /42.08; -122.46 (Cascade-Siskiyou) | BLM | June 9, 2000 | 114,000 acres (461.3 km2) | One of the most diverseecosystems found in theCascade Range, it has more than 100 dwelling and root-gathering sites belonging to theModoc,Klamath, andShasta tribes.[57] | |
| Castillo de San Marcos
| Florida 29°53′53″N81°18′40″W / 29.898°N 81.311°W /29.898; -81.311 (Castillo de San Marcos) | NPS | October 15, 1924 | 19.38 acres (0.1 km2) | 748,058 | This Spanish fort nearSt. Augustine, called Fort Marion when first protected, served for 205 years under four different flags. Built in 1672, it was involved in sieges with the British while under Spanish command, theAmerican Revolution under Britain, theCivil War under theConfederacy, and theSeminole Wars and theSpanish–American War under the United States.[58] |
| Castle Clinton
| New York 40°42′13″N74°01′01″W / 40.7036°N 74.0169°W /40.7036; -74.0169 (Castle Clinton) | NPS | August 12, 1946 | 1 acre (0.004 km2) | 4,533,564 | A circular sandstonefort built in 1811 at the southern tip ofManhattan to protectNew York City from the British, Castle Clinton is now located inBattery Park. It later became abeer garden, a theater, the first immigration station (predatingEllis Island), a publicaquarium, and a ticket office for theStatue of Liberty National Monument.[59] |
| Castle Mountains
| California 35°15′N115°07′W / 35.25°N 115.11°W /35.25; -115.11 (Castle Mountains) | NPS | February 12, 2016 | 21,025.5 acres (85.1 km2) | TheCastle Mountains sit in the Mojave Desert between the Nevada state line andMojave National Preserve. It protects desert grasslands home toJoshua tree forests, wildlife including golden eagles and bighorn sheep, and historic Native American sites.[60][61] | |
| Castner Range
| Texas 31°54′N106°30′W / 31.9°N 106.5°W /31.9; -106.5 (Castner Range) | Army | March 21, 2023 | 6,672 acres (27.0 km2) | This portion of theFranklin Mountains of west Texas'sChihuahuan Desert includes 41 archaeological sites that show evidence of human presence dating to 6,000 BC. The site was used as a weapons testing range forFort Bliss for 40 years and is still undergoing remediation of munitions. Castner Range is the only land conservation national monument within theDepartment of Defense.[62][63] | |
| Cedar Breaks
| Utah 37°38′N112°51′W / 37.63°N 112.85°W /37.63; -112.85 (Cedar Breaks) | NPS | August 22, 1933 | 6,154.6 acres (24.9 km2) | 644,515 | A naturalamphitheater canyon similar to formations atBryce Canyon National Park, it stretches over 3 miles (4.8 km) and is more than 2,000 feet (610 m) deep.[64] |
| César E. Chávez
| California 35°13′38″N118°33′41″W / 35.2273°N 118.5614°W /35.2273; -118.5614 (Cesar E. Chavez) | NPS | October 8, 2012 | 116.56 acres (0.5 km2) | 12,769 | This monument commemorates the life and work of labor leader and civil rights activistCesar Chavez. Called La Paz, the site was Chavez's home for about 20 years, and his gravesite is on the premises. It is also the location of the headquarters ofUnited Farm Workers, which was founded by Chavez.[65][66] |
| Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers
| Ohio 39°42′26″N83°53′25″W / 39.7072°N 83.8903°W /39.7072; -83.8903 (Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers) | NPS | March 25, 2013 | 59.66 acres (0.2 km2) | 31,448 | Charles Young was the first African American to reach the rank of colonel in the US Army. He was also the first national park superintendent, ofSequoia andGeneral Grant National Parks, and a professor atWilberforce University. His home at Wilberforce is a museum commemorating his life.[67][68] |
| Chimney Rock
| Colorado 37°11′30″N107°18′23″W / 37.1917°N 107.3064°W /37.1917; -107.3064 (Chimney Rock) | USFS | September 21, 2012 | 4,724 acres (19.1 km2) | The jewel ofSan Juan National Forest, the site was once home to the ancestors of the modern Pueblos. Roughly 1,000 years ago, the Ancestral Pueblo People built more than 200 homes and ceremonial buildings high above the valley floor.[69] | |
| Chiricahua
| Arizona 32°01′N109°21′W / 32.02°N 109.35°W /32.02; -109.35 (Chiricahua) | NPS | April 18, 1924 | 12,024.73 acres (48.7 km2) | 60,577 | These pillars ofrhyolite tuff are the eroded remains of an immensevolcanic eruption that shook the region some 27 million years ago. It was called the Land of the Standing-Up Rocks by the Apache.[70] |
| Chuckwalla
| California 33°36′N115°18′W / 33.6°N 115.3°W /33.6; -115.3 (Chuckwalla) | BLM | January 14, 2025 | 624,270 acres (2,526.3 km2) | A sweeping desert landscape in Southern California where the Mojave, Sonoran, and Colorado deserts converge, preserving jagged canyon ranges, ancient tribal trails and rock art, WWII military-training sites, rare desert tortoises and bighorn sheep, and dramatic geology.[71] | |
| Colorado
| Colorado 39°02′N108°41′W / 39.04°N 108.69°W /39.04; -108.69 (Colorado) | NPS | May 24, 1911 | 20,536.39 acres (83.1 km2) | 375,467 | Monument Canyon runs the width of the park and includes rock formations formed by erosion. The monument covers semi-desert land high on theColorado Plateau and has a wide range of wildlife includingpinyon pines,juniper trees,ravens,jays,desert bighorn sheep, andcoyotes as well as a range of recreational activities.[72] |
| Craters of the Moon
| Idaho 43°25′N113°31′W / 43.42°N 113.52°W /43.42; -113.52 (Craters of the Moon) | NPS,BLM | May 2, 1924 | 343,000 acres (1,388.1 km2) | 263,506 | One of the best preservedflood basalt areas in the continental U.S. contains three lava fields along the Great Rift of Idaho. Among the volcanic cinder cones, lava tubes, and fissures created 15,000 to 2,000 years ago is the world's deepest openrift crack. The adjoining National Preserve protects an additional 410,000 acres.[73][74] |
| Devils Postpile
| California 37°30′N119°05′W / 37.50°N 119.08°W /37.50; -119.08 (Devils Postpile) | NPS | July 6, 1911 | 800.19 acres (3.2 km2) | 139,724 | Once part of Yosemite National Park, this monument is a dark cliff ofcolumnar basalt created by a lava flow at least 100,000 years ago. It also has the 101-foot-high (31 m) Rainbow Falls.[75] |
| Devils Tower
| Wyoming 44°35′N104°43′W / 44.59°N 104.72°W /44.59; -104.72 (Devils Tower) | NPS | September 24, 1906 | 1,347.21 acres (5.5 km2) | 468,216 | The tower is amonolithicigneousintrusion ofvolcanic neck rising dramatically 1,267 feet (386 m) above the surrounding terrain. Proclaimed by Theodore Roosevelt, this was the first national monument.[3] |
| Dinosaur
| Colorado,Utah 40°32′N108°59′W / 40.53°N 108.98°W /40.53; -108.98 (Dinosaur) | NPS | October 4, 1915 | 210,281.92 acres (851.0 km2) | 304,468 | Thissandstone andconglomerate bed at the confluence of theGreen andYampa Rivers was formed in theJurassic Period and contains fossils of dinosaurs includingAllosaurus and various long-neck and long-tail sauropods.[76] |
| Effigy Mounds
| Iowa 43°05′N91°11′W / 43.09°N 91.19°W /43.09; -91.19 (Effigy Mounds) | NPS | October 25, 1949 | 2,526.39 acres (10.2 km2) | 55,576 | This monument preserves three prehistoric sites with 206 prehistoricmounds, notable for 31 unusual mounds in the shape of mammals, birds, or reptiles.[77] |
| El Malpais
| New Mexico 34°53′N108°03′W / 34.88°N 108.05°W /34.88; -108.05 (El Malpais) | NPS | December 31, 1987 | 114,347.11 acres (462.7 km2) | 154,368 | An extremely rough, ruggedlava flow covers much of the park, filling a large basin rimmed by higher sandstone that forms large, wind-carved bluffs. It haslava tube caves that stretch over 17 miles (27 km) and the Cebolla Wilderness, a forested rimrock area that features prehistoric rock art and the Zuni-Acoma Trail, an ancient Pueblo trade route.[78] |
| El Morro
| New Mexico 35°02′N108°21′W / 35.04°N 108.35°W /35.04; -108.35 (El Morro) | NPS | December 8, 1906 | 1,278.72 acres (5.2 km2) | 65,453 | On the site of an ancient east–west trail is a great sandstone promontory with a pool of water at its base. There are inscriptions from the 17th century as well as olderpetroglyphs made by theAncestral Puebloans.[79] |
| Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley
| Illinois Mississippi 33°52′N90°16′W / 33.86°N 90.27°W /33.86; -90.27 (Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley) | NPS | July 25, 2023 | 5.7 acres (0.0 km2) | Three sites honor the memory ofEmmett Till, anAfrican American boy who was abducted, tortured, andlynched inMississippi in 1955 at the age of 14, after being accused of offending a white woman, Carolyn Bryant, in her family's grocery store.[80] TheRoberts Temple Church of God in Christ, Bronzeville, Chicago, Illinois was the site of Till's memorial service in September 1955, hosted by his motherMamie Till.[80] Graball Landing on theTallahatchie River in Mississippi is believed to be where Till's body was retrieved from the river and the Tallahatchie County Second District Courthouse inSumner was where the trial of and acquittal of Roy Bryant and J. W. Milam for Till's murder took place.[81][82] | |
| Florissant Fossil Beds
| Colorado 38°55′N105°16′W / 38.92°N 105.27°W /38.92; -105.27 (Florissant Fossil beds) | NPS | August 20, 1969 | 6,300 acres (25.5 km2)[19] | 79,568 | Huge petrifiedredwoods and incredibly detailedfossils of ancient insects and plants reveal a very different landscape inColorado of almost 35 million years ago in theEocene age.[83] |
| Fort Frederica
| Georgia 31°13′26″N81°23′35″W / 31.224°N 81.393°W /31.224; -81.393 (Fort Frederica) | NPS | May 26, 1936 | 305 acres (1.2 km2)[19] | 183,591 | Built byJames Oglethorpe between 1736 and 1748, these remnants of a fort and town protected the southern boundary of the British colony ofGeorgia fromSpanish raids. It was a few miles from the site of theBattle of Bloody Marsh.[84] |
| Fort Matanzas
| Florida 29°42′54″N81°14′20″W / 29.715°N 81.239°W /29.715; -81.239 (Fort Matanzas) | NPS | October 15, 1924 | 300.11 acres (1.2 km2) | 608,103 | This 1740 Spanish fort guardedMatanzas Inlet, the southern mouth of theMatanzas River, which allowed access toSt. Augustine. The monument is managed in conjunction withCastillo de San Marcos National Monument and also protects 100 acres (0.40 km2) ofsalt marsh andbarrier islands.[85] |
| Fort McHenry
| Maryland 39°15′47″N76°34′44″W / 39.263°N 76.579°W /39.263; -76.579 (Fort McHenry) | NPS | March 3, 1925 | 43.26 acres (0.2 km2) | 486,113 | The only place designated a national monument and historic shrine, Fort McHenry is astar-shaped fort best known for its role in theWar of 1812 when it successfully defendedBaltimore Harbor from an attack by theBritishnavy. The events inspiredFrancis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner".[86] |
| Fort Monroe
| Virginia 37°00′14″N76°18′29″W / 37.004°N 76.308°W /37.004; -76.308 (Fort Monroe) | NPS | November 1, 2011 | 367.12 acres (1.5 km2) | The six-sided star fort spans the American story from the 17th to the 21st centuries:Captain John Smith's journeys, a haven of freedom for the enslaved during the Civil War, and a bastion of defense for theChesapeake Bay.[87] | |
| Fort Ord
| California 36°38′21″N121°44′07″W / 36.639167°N 121.735278°W /36.639167; -121.735278 (Fort Ord) | BLM | April 20, 2012 | 14,658 acres (59.3 km2) | Fort Ord was an Army post from 1917 to 1994. It now has recreational trails and various wildlife in grassland, chaparral, and woodland ecosystems.[88] | |
| Fort Pulaski
| Georgia 32°01′37″N80°53′24″W / 32.027°N 80.890°W /32.027; -80.890 (Fort Pulaski) | NPS | October 15, 1924 | 5,623.1 acres (22.8 km2) | 419,930 | In 1862 during theAmerican Civil War, theUnion Army successfully tested arifledcannon against the defending Confederates, rendering brick fortifications obsolete. Fort Pulaski was also used as aprisoner-of-war camp during the war. The national monument includes most ofCockspur Island (containing the fort) and all of adjacent McQueens Island.[89] |
| Fort Stanwix
| New York 43°13′05″N75°27′32″W / 43.218°N 75.459°W /43.218; -75.459 (Fort Stanwix) | NPS | August 21, 1935 | 15.52 acres (0.1 km2) | 90,507 | Fort Stanwix guarded a strategic 18th centuryportage known as theOneida Carrying Place. It was built during theFrench and Indian War (1754–1763). The fort successfully resisted the1777 siege by a British invasion army during theSaratoga campaign of theAmerican Revolutionary War. Erased by the development ofRome, New York, it was rebuilt as a national monument in the late 1970s.[90] |
| Fort Union
| New Mexico 35°55′30″N105°00′32″W / 35.925°N 105.009°W /35.925; -105.009 (Fort Union) | NPS | April 5, 1956 | 720.6 acres (2.9 km2) | 10,860 | A frontier military post and supply depot in the late 19th century, it sat at the intersection of the Mountain and Cimarron Branches of the oldSanta Fe Trail.[91] |
| Fossil Butte
| Wyoming 41°52′N110°46′W / 41.86°N 110.77°W /41.86; -110.77 (Fossil Butte) | NPS | October 23, 1972 | 8,198 acres (33.2 km2) | 21,349 | Fossil Butte preserves the 50-million-year-oldGreen River lake beds, the bestpaleontological record oftertiary aquatic communities in North America. Fossils including fish, alligators, bats, turtles, dog-sized horses, insects, and many other species of plants and animals suggest that the region was a low, subtropical, freshwater basin when the sediments accumulated, over about a 2-million-year period.[92] |
| Frances Perkins
| Maine 44°00′18″N69°33′22″W / 44.005°N 69.556°W /44.005; -69.556 (Frances Perkins) | NPS | December 16, 2024 | 57 acres (0.23 km2) | Frances Perkins became the firstfemale cabinet member when appointedSecretary of Labor in 1933. Serving until 1945, Perkins remains the longest-serving Secretary of Labor and longest-serving female cabinet member in United States history. Perkins lived at the site as a child as well as intermittently throughout her life. | |
| Freedom Riders
| Alabama 33°39′29″N85°49′52″W / 33.658°N 85.831°W /33.658; -85.831 (Freedom Riders) | NPS | January 12, 2017 | 5.96 acres (0.02 km2) | Preserves two sites in and nearAnniston, Alabama during thecivil rights movement—a former Greyhound bus station in the town whereFreedom Riders were attacked by a racist mob and the site outside town where their bus was burned.[39][95] | |
| George Washington Birthplace
| Virginia 38°11′10″N76°55′50″W / 38.1861°N 76.9305°W /38.1861; -76.9305 (George Washington's Birthplace) | NPS | January 23, 1930 | 653.18 acres (2.6 km2) | 111,058 | Representative of 18th-century Virginia tobacco farms, this site is the birthplace and boyhood environment ofGeorge Washington. The entrance includes a Memorial Shaftobelisk of Vermont marble that is a one-tenth scale replica of theWashington Monument in Washington, D.C. Also within the monument are the historic birthplace home area, a kitchen house, and the Washington family burial ground.[96] |
| George Washington Carver
| Missouri 36°59′10″N94°21′14″W / 36.986°N 94.354°W /36.986; -94.354 (George Washington Carver) | NPS | July 14, 1943 | 210 acres (0.8 km2) | 44,411 | The site preservesMoses Carver's farm, which was the boyhood home ofGeorge Washington Carver, a scientist and educator who developed many uses forpeanuts. It was the first national monument dedicated to an African American and first to a non-president.[97] |
| Giant Sequoia
| California 36°02′N118°30′W / 36.04°N 118.50°W /36.04; -118.50 (Giant Sequoia National Monument) | USFS | April 15, 2000 | 352,626 acres (1,427.0 km2) | The monument includes 38 of the 39giant sequoia groves in theSequoia National Forest, amounting to about half of thesequoia groves currently in existence. This includes one of theten largest giant sequoias, theBoole Tree. Its two parts are aroundKings Canyon andSequoia National Parks inSequoia National Forest.[98] | |
| Gila Cliff Dwellings
| New Mexico 33°14′N108°17′W / 33.24°N 108.28°W /33.24; -108.28 (Gila Cliff Dwellings) | NPS | November 16, 1907 | 533.13 acres (2.2 km2) | 79,108 | Located within theGila Wilderness, the people of theMogollon culture lived in thesecliff dwellings 180 feet (55 m) above the canyon floor from the 1280s through the early 14th century. They lived in five caves with 46 rooms.[99] |
| Gold Butte
| Nevada 36°16′52″N114°12′04″W / 36.281°N 114.201°W /36.281; -114.201 (Gold Butte National Monument) | BLM | December 28, 2016 | 296,937 acres (1,201.7 km2)[100] | This Mojave Desert landscape of dramatic red sandstone and canyons has forested mountains, ancient rock art, rock shelters, and a mining ghost town. It is an important habitat of theMojave Desert tortoise.[31][101] | |
| Governors Island
| New York 40°41′28″N74°00′58″W / 40.691°N 74.016°W /40.691; -74.016 (Governors Island) | NPS | January 19, 2001 | 22.91 acres (0.1 km2) | 589,798 | From 1783 to 1966,Governors Island inNew York Harbor was anArmy post, and from 1966 to 1996 it was aCoast Guard installation. Located on Governors Island areCastle Williams andFort Jay, which served as outposts to protectNew York City from sea attack.[102] |
| Grand Canyon–Parashant
| Arizona 36°24′N113°42′W / 36.4°N 113.7°W /36.4; -113.7 (Grand Canyon-Parashant) | BLM,NPS | January 11, 2000 | 1,021,030 acres (4,132.0 km2) | Located on the northern rim of theGrand Canyon on theShivwits Plateau, this diverse landscape includes geologic resources including millennia of eroded formations forming canyons, cliffs and buttes; abundant fossils of ancient marine invertebrates; and desert volcanic peaks. Archaeological sites preserve artifacts of theAncestral Puebloans, while abandoned ranches and mills were left behind by early pioneers. A fifth of the monument is also withinLake Mead National Recreation Area; Grand Canyon-Parashant is not considered an official unit of the park system. There are no paved roads or visitor services but offroad vehicles can reach scenic viewpoints.[103][104] | |
| Grand Portage
| Minnesota 47°58′N89°41′W / 47.96°N 89.68°W /47.96; -89.68 (Grant Portage) | NPS | January 27, 1960 | 709.97 acres (2.9 km2) | 94,137 | The Grand Portage itself is an 8.5-mile (13.7 km) footpath which bypasses a set of waterfalls on thePigeon River nearLake Superior. The region was a vitaltrade route and center offur trade activity as well as an AnishinaabegOjibwe heritage site.[105] |
| Grand Staircase–Escalante
| Utah 37°24′N111°41′W / 37.4°N 111.68°W /37.4; -111.68 (Grand Staircase–Escalante) | BLM | September 18, 1996 | 1,870,000 acres (7,567.6 km2)[30] | TheGrand Staircase, theKaiparowits Plateau, and theCanyons of the Escalante make up the three areas of the monument, home to unique dinosaur fossils, sandstone arches, and the sequence of layers of rock units spanning 400 million years. It is notable for itspaleontological finds and geology, and it was the first monument to be maintained by theBureau of Land Management.[106] | |
| Hagerman Fossil Beds
| Idaho 42°47′N114°57′W / 42.79°N 114.95°W /42.79; -114.95 (Hagerman Fossil Beds) | NPS | November 18, 1988 | 4,351.15 acres (17.6 km2) | 26,477 | This monument contains the largest concentration ofHagerman horse fossils in North America. It protects the world's richest known fossil deposits from the latePliocene epoch, 3.5 million years ago. These plants and animals represent the last glimpse of time that existed before theIce Age, and the earliest appearances of modern flora and fauna.[107] |
| Hanford Reach
| Washington 46°29′N119°32′W / 46.48°N 119.53°W /46.48; -119.53 (Hanford Reach) | FWS,DOE | June 8, 2000 | 194,450.93 acres (786.9 km2) | Created from what used to be the security buffer surrounding theHanford Nuclear Reservation, this area has been untouched by development or agriculture since 1943. The area is part of theColumbia River Plateau, formed by basalt lava flows and water erosion, and is named after theHanford Reach, the last free flowing section of theColumbia River.[108] | |
| Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad
| Maryland 38°26′54″N76°08′19″W / 38.4483°N 76.1387°W /38.4483; -76.1387 (Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad) | FWS | March 25, 2013 | 480 acres (1.9 km2) | Harriet Tubman was a famed conductor on theUnderground Railroad, leading dozens of slaves to freedom. This monument includes sites relating to Tubman's life, including the slave-built Stewart's Canal and the home of Jacob Jackson.[67] The areas within the national monument that are managed by the NPS have been redesignated as a National Historical Park (NHP), and the FWS lands are inBlackwater National Wildlife Refuge.[109] | |
| Hohokam Pima
| Arizona 33°11′N111°55′W / 33.19°N 111.91°W /33.19; -111.91 (Hohokam Pima) | NPS | October 21, 1972 | 1,690 acres (6.8 km2) | Hohokam Pima is part of theGila River Indian Community and not open to the public. The monument includes the site of theSnaketown settlement, archeological remains of theHohokam culture, which lived in the area until 1200. Excavations ofpit houses, fields, and irrigation canals were refilled in the 1960s, leaving nothing above ground.[110] | |
| Hovenweep
| Colorado,Utah 37°23′N109°05′W / 37.38°N 109.08°W /37.38; -109.08 (Hovenweep) | NPS | March 2, 1923 | 784.93 acres (3.2 km2) | 40,574 | Hovenweep contains six clusters ofNative American ruins. Holly Canyon, Hackberry Canyon, Cutthroat Castle andGoodman Point are in Colorado and Square Tower and Cajon are in Utah.Ancestral Puebloans lived in the Hovenweep area from 1150 to 1350.[111] |
| Ironwood Forest
| Arizona 32°28′N111°34′W / 32.46°N 111.57°W /32.46; -111.57 (Ironwood Forest) | BLM | June 9, 2000 | 129,055 acres (522.3 km2) | Located within theSonoran Desert, significant concentrations of ironwood (Olneya tesota) trees and twoendangered animal and plant species are found within the monument. More than 200 Hohokam and Paleoindian archeological sites have been identified from between 600 and 1450 AD[112] | |
| Jewel Cave
| South Dakota 43°44′N103°50′W / 43.73°N 103.83°W /43.73; -103.83 (Jewel Cave) | NPS | February 7, 1908 | 1,273.51 acres (5.2 km2) | 142,356 | Jewel Cave is the third longestcave in the world, with more than 215 miles (346 km) of mapped passageways beneath theBlack Hills of South Dakota.[113] The entrance was discovered by miners in 1900 and was named for itscalcite crystals.[114] |
| John Day Fossil Beds
| Oregon 44°40′N120°03′W / 44.67°N 120.05°W /44.67; -120.05 (John Day Fossil) | NPS | October 26, 1974 | 14,062.02 acres (56.9 km2) | 204,621 | Located within theJohn Day River Basin, the Fossil Beds have a well-preserved, complete record offossil plants and animals from more than 40 of the 65 million years of theCenozoic Era. The monument is divided into three units:Painted Hills, named for its delicately coloredstratifications; Sheep Rock; and Clarno. Blue Basin near Sheep Rock is avolcanic ash bowl transformed into claystone by eons oferosion, colored pastel blue byminerals.[115] |
| Jurassic
| Utah 39°19′N110°41′W / 39.32°N 110.69°W /39.32; -110.69 (Jurassic) | BLM | March 12, 2019 | 850 acres (3.4 km2) | More than 12,000 bones from at least 74 dinosaurs have been found at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry so far, making it the paleontological site with the greatest concentration of bones from theJurassic period. The bones come from a variety of mostly carnivorous species (more than halfAllosaurus) and it is unknown why they are mixed together.[19][116][117] | |
| Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks
| New Mexico 35°40′N106°25′W / 35.67°N 106.42°W /35.67; -106.42 (Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks) | BLM | January 17, 2001 | 4,647 acres (18.8 km2) | Kasha-Katuwe is known for its geology of layers of volcanic rock and ash deposited by a volcanic explosion. Over time,weathering anderosion of these layers has created canyons andtent rocks. The tent rocks themselves are cones of softpumice andtuff beneath hardercaprocks.[118] | |
| Katahdin Woods and Waters
| Maine 45°58′N68°37′W / 45.97°N 68.62°W /45.97; -68.62 (Katahdin Woods and Waters) | NPS | August 24, 2016 | 87,564.27 acres (354.4 km2) | Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument protects mountains and wilderness in theNorth Maine Woods, including a section of theEast Branch Penobscot River. It borders the eastern side ofBaxter State Park.[119] | |
| Lava Beds
| California 41°43′N121°31′W / 41.71°N 121.51°W /41.71; -121.51 (Lava Beds) | NPS | November 21, 1925 | 46,692.42 acres (189.0 km2) | 127,771 | This is the site of the largest concentration oflava tubecaves inNorth America. It also includes Petroglyph Point, one of the largest panels of Native American rock art. The monument lies on the northeast flank of theMedicine Lake Volcano, the largest volcano in theCascade Range.[120] |
| Little Bighorn Battlefield
| Montana 45°34′N107°26′W / 45.57°N 107.43°W /45.57; -107.43 (Little Bighorn Battlefield) | NPS | July 1, 1940 | 765.34 acres (3.1 km2) | 272,591 | The 1876Battle of the Little Bighorn betweenGeorge Armstrong Custer's7th Cavalry and a combinedLakota Sioux,Northern Cheyenne andArapaho force led bySitting Bull andCrazy Horse took place here.[121] |
| Marianas Trench Marine
| Northern Mariana Islands,Guam 20°N145°E / 20°N 145°E /20; 145 (Marianas Trench Marine) | FWS,NOAA | January 6, 2009 | 61,077,668 acres (247,172.6 km2) | This marine monument includes the waters and submerged lands of the three northernmost islands of theMariana Archipelago, the submerged lands of 21 designated volcanic features, and theMariana Trench, the deepest place on Earth.[122][123][124][125] | |
| Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home
| Mississippi 32°20′28″N90°12′47″W / 32.341°N 90.213°W /32.341; -90.213 (Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home) | NPS | December 10, 2020 | 0.74 acres (0.0 km2) | Medgar Evers was a civil rights activist who served as a field secretary for theNAACP to end segregation and promote voting rights in Mississippi. He was assassinated outside his home inJackson by a white supremacist in 1963. His wifeMyrlie moved away but owned the home until 1993 and later served as chairwoman of the NAACP.[126][127] | |
| Military Working Dog Teams | Texas 29°23′24″N98°37′01″W / 29.390°N 98.617°W /29.390; -98.617 (Military Working Dog Teams National Monument) | Air Force | October 28, 2013 | 0.069 acres (0.0 km2) | The memorial atLackland Air Force Base, the home of theU.S. Department of Defense Military Working Dog Program, honors the efforts and sacrifices ofmilitary working dogs in the service of the United States.[128] | |
| Mill Springs Battlefield
| Kentucky 37°04′N84°44′W / 37.07°N 84.74°W /37.07; -84.74 (Mill Springs Battlefield) | NPS | September 22, 2020 | 1,459 acres (5.9 km2) | TheBattle of Mill Springs was fought at this site in January 1862 and was the first major victory for theUnion Army. The one-day battle saw Union forces led byGeorge Henry Thomas defeat Confederate regiments led byFelix Zollicoffer, who died in action. The site is now largely an open field with a visitor center adjacent toMill Springs National Cemetery.[117][129] | |
| Misty Fjords
| Alaska 55°37′N130°37′W / 55.62°N 130.61°W /55.62; -130.61 (Misty Fjords) | USFS | December 1, 1978 | 2,294,072 acres (9,283.8 km2) | Called TheYosemite of the North for its similar geology, the monument has widespread light-coloredgranite, about 50 to 70 million years old (Eocene Epoch toCretaceous Period), that has been sculpted byglaciers that gouged deep U-shaped troughs.Mountain goats live in the higher elevations, while brown and black bear are also common. Part ofTongass National Forest.[130] | |
| Mojave Trails
| California 34°36′N116°00′W / 34.6°N 116.0°W /34.6; -116.0 (Mojave Trails) | BLM | February 12, 2016 | 1,600,000 acres (6,475.0 km2) | The Mojave Trails National Monument includes several rugged mountain ranges, ancient lava flows at theAmboy Crater, and the Cadiz Dunes. Human features are Native American trading routes, World War II-era training camps, and an undeveloped segment ofRoute 66.[131][132] | |
| Montezuma Castle
| Arizona 34°37′N111°50′W / 34.61°N 111.84°W /34.61; -111.84 (Montezuma Castle) | NPS | December 8, 1906 | 1,015.52 acres (4.1 km2) | 390,151 | Montezuma Castle featurescliff dwellings built by thePre-ColumbianSinagua people between 1100 and 1400 AD. The site's name is a misnomer as is it has no connection toMontezuma. However, some modern day native tribes that do have connections to the site include theYavapai,Hopi, andZuni. The monument also includesMontezuma Well, which has been used for irrigation since the 8th century.[133] |
| Mount St. Helens Volcanic
| Washington 46°14′N122°11′W / 46.23°N 122.18°W /46.23; -122.18 (Mount St. Helens) | USFS | August 27, 1982 | 113,205 acres (458.1 km2) | 183,000 (2016)[134] | Following the1980 eruption of the now-8,363-foot-tall (2,549 m)Mount St. Helens, the environment was left to respond naturally to the disturbance. The volcanic crater is surrounded by apumice plain with deposits from the landslide, preserved wind-blown trees, and theApe Cavelava tube. Part ofGifford Pinchot National Forest.[135] |
| Muir Woods
| California 37°53′N122°35′W / 37.89°N 122.58°W /37.89; -122.58 (Muir Woods) | NPS | January 9, 1908 | 553.55 acres (2.2 km2) | 957,932 | Part of theGolden Gate National Recreation Area, it protects one of the lastold growthCoast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) groves in theSan Francisco Bay Area as well as one of the most easily accessed.[136] |
| Natural Bridges
| Utah 37°35′N110°00′W / 37.58°N 110°W /37.58; -110 (Natural Bridges) | NPS | April 16, 1908 | 7,636.49 acres (30.9 km2) | 103,118 | Located at the junction ofWhite Canyon and Armstrong Canyon, it is part of theColorado River drainage. It features the second- and third-largestnatural bridges in the western hemisphere, carved from the whiteTriassic sandstone of theCedar Mesa Formation that gives White Canyon its name.[137] |
| Navajo
| Arizona 36°41′N110°32′W / 36.68°N 110.53°W /36.68; -110.53 (Navajo) | NPS | March 20, 1909 | 360 acres (1.5 km2) | 61,195 | This monument preserves three of the most intact cliff dwellings of theAncestral Puebloan people. The monument is high on the Shonto plateau, overlooking the Tsegi Canyon system on the Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona.[138] |
| Newberry Volcanic
| Oregon 43°41′N121°15′W / 43.69°N 121.25°W /43.69; -121.25 (Newberry Volcano) | USFS | November 5, 1990 | 57,323 acres (232.0 km2) | 225,000 (2018)[139] | This monument protects the area around theNewberry Volcano and its geologic features includingLava Butte and theLava River Cave. The volcanic site in the Cascades is still geothermally active and includes lakes and ancient lava flow fields. Part ofDeschutes National Forest.[140] |
| Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine
| Atlantic Ocean 40°24′N68°00′W / 40.4°N 68°W /40.4; -68 (Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine) | FWS,NOAA | September 15, 2016 | 3,144,320 acres (12,724.6 km2) | The monument protects four underwater seamounts and three very deep canyons in the continental shelf 100 miles (160 km) off the coast of Massachusetts, home todeep-water corals, endangered whales, and migratory fish and birds.[141][142][143] | |
| Oregon Caves
| Oregon 42°06′N123°25′W / 42.10°N 123.41°W /42.10; -123.41 (Oregon Caves) | NPS | July 12, 1909 | 4,554.03 acres (18.4 km2) | 67,417 | The monument is known for itsmarblecaves, as well as for thePleistocenejaguar andgrizzly bearfossils found in the deeper caves. There are four primary buildings: TheOregon Caves Chateau, The Ranger Residence, The Chalet, and the old Dormitory.[144] |
| Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks
| New Mexico 32°18′N106°33′W / 32.3°N 106.55°W /32.3; -106.55 (Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks) | BLM | May 21, 2014 | 419,532 acres (1,697.8 km2) | The protected area includes five mountain ranges that rise above theChihuahua Desert:Robledo Mountains,Sierra de las Uvas,Doña Ana Mountains,Organ Mountains andPotrillo Mountains. There are approximately 870 vascular plant species, and the area is popular for hiking and climbing.[145] | |
| Organ Pipe Cactus
| Arizona 32°02′N112°52′W / 32.04°N 112.86°W /32.04; -112.86 (Organ Pipe Cactus) | NPS | April 13, 1937 | 330,688.86 acres (1,338.3 km2) | 260,375 | This monument is the only place in the United States where theorgan pipe cactus grows wild. There are many other types ofcacti and desert flora native to theSonoran Desert. TheBates Well Ranch andDos Lomitas Ranch are also within the monument.[146] |
| Pacific Islands Heritage Marine
| US Minor Outlying Islands south-southwest of Hawaii 16°45′N169°31′W / 16.75°N 169.52°W /16.75; -169.52 (Pacific Islands Heritage Marine) | FWS,NOAA | January 6, 2009 | 313,941,851 acres (1,270,477.6 km2) | The marine monument consists ofBaker Island,Howland Island,Jarvis Island,Johnston Atoll,Kingman Reef,Palmyra Atoll, andWake Island, which are scattered across thePacific Ocean southwest of Hawaii. It was expanded in 2014 to include the oceans 200 nmi (370 km) offshore, approximately a 16-fold increase in size, to conserve vast populations of unique corals, fish, marine mammals, birds, and plants.[125][147] | |
| Papahānaumokuākea Marine
| Hawaii,U.S. Minor Outlying Islands 25°42′N171°44′W / 25.7°N 171.73°W /25.7; -171.73 (Papahānaumokuākea) | FWS,NOAA | June 15, 2006 | 372,848,597 acres (1,508,864.7 km2) | The marine monument consists of ocean waters and 10 islands and atolls of theNorthwestern Hawaiian Islands includingMidway Atoll. The monument was created in 2006 with 139,797 square miles (362,070 km2), and its boundaries were expanded on August 26, 2016, more than quadrupling in size to be the largest protected area onEarth, almost as large as theGulf of Mexico.[148] The Northwestern Hawaiian Islandsarchipelago "is the planet's largest seabird gathering site, with more than 14 million birds from 22 species, and is home to nearly allLaysan albatrosses and the remaining endangeredHawaiian monk seals."[149] It was declared aWorld Heritage Site in 2010.[150][151] | |
| Petroglyph
| New Mexico 35°10′N106°46′W / 35.16°N 106.76°W /35.16; -106.76 (Petroglyph) | NPS | June 27, 1990 | 7,209.3 acres (29.2 km2) | 268,613 | This monument protects a variety of cultural and natural resources, including fivevolcanic cones, hundreds of archeological sites and an estimated 25,000 images carved by native peoples and early Spanish settlers. It lies onWest Mesa, avolcanicbasaltescarpment.[152] |
| Pipe Spring
| Arizona 36°52′N112°44′W / 36.86°N 112.73°W /36.86; -112.73 (Pipe Spring) | NPS | May 31, 1923 | 40 acres (0.2 km2) | 25,179 | Rich with Native American, early explorer, andMormon pioneer history, this site showsAncestral Puebloans and KaibabPaiute Indian andpioneer life in theOld West, including the cabin where explorerJohn Wesley Powell's survey crew stayed in 1871. The water of Pipe Spring, discovered in 1858, made it possible for plants, animals, and people to live in this dry desert region.[153] |
| Pipestone
| Minnesota 44°01′N96°20′W / 44.01°N 96.33°W /44.01; -96.33 (Pipestone) | NPS | August 25, 1937 | 281.78 acres (1.1 km2) | 73,267 | This monument preserves traditionalcatlinitequarries used to makeceremonial pipes, vitally important to traditionalPlains Indian culture. The quarries are sacred to theSioux andLakota people and are historically neutral territory where enrolled citizens of all tribes can quarry the stone.[154] |
| Pompeys Pillar
| Montana 45°59′24″N108°00′04″W / 45.99°N 108.001°W /45.99; -108.001 (Pompeys Pillar) | BLM | January 17, 2001 | 51 acres (0.2 km2) | Pompeys Pillar is a 150-foot (46 m)sandstone pillar from the lateCretaceousHell Creek Formation next to theYellowstone River. It has an abundance ofNative Americanpetroglyphs, as well as the signature ofWilliam Clark, who named the formation afterSacagawea's infant son.[155] | |
| Poverty Point
| Louisiana 32°38′N91°25′W / 32.63°N 91.41°W /32.63; -91.41 (Poverty Point) | NPS[156] | October 31, 1988 | 910.85 acres (3.7 km2) | Poverty Point is a prehistoric archeological site that dates from between 1650 and 700 BC and consisting of six earthen rings and seven mounds. The diameter of the outside ridge is 0.75 miles (1.21 km), and the largest mound rises 51 feet (16 m).[157] Although an NPS unit, the monument is owned and operated by the state of Louisiana. It was declared aWorld Heritage Site in 2014.[158] | |
| Prehistoric Trackways
| New Mexico 32°21′N106°54′W / 32.35°N 106.9°W /32.35; -106.9 (Prehistoric Trackways) | BLM | March 30, 2009 | 5,280 acres (21.4 km2) | Prehistoric Trackways contains fossilized footprints of numerous Paleozoic amphibians, reptiles, and insects, as well as fossilized plants and petrified wood dating back approximately 280 million years.[159] | |
| President Lincoln and Soldiers’ Home
| District of Columbia 38°56′30″N77°00′42″W / 38.9416°N 77.0117°W /38.9416; -77.0117 (President Lincoln and Soldiers' Home) | AFRH | July 7, 2000 | 2.3 acres (0.01 km2)[160] | President Abraham Lincoln and his family resided seasonally on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, which was founded in 1851 for homeless and disabled war veterans. The national monument and visitor center are preserved and operated by President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldiers’ Home on behalf of the Armed Forces Retirement Home.[161] | |
| Rainbow Bridge
| Utah 37°05′N110°58′W / 37.08°N 110.96°W /37.08; -110.96 (Rainbow Bridge) | NPS | May 30, 1910 | 160 acres (0.6 km2) | 110,904 | Rainbow Bridge is one of the world's largestnatural bridges. It stands 290 feet (88 m) tall and spans 275 feet (84 m) wide; the top of the bridge is 42 feet (13 m) thick and 33 feet (10 m) wide. It was made fromsandstone formed during theTriassic and theJurassic periods.[162] |
| Río Grande del Norte
| New Mexico 36°40′00″N105°42′00″W / 36.66667°N 105.7°W /36.66667; -105.7 (Rio Grande del Norte) | BLM | March 25, 2013 | 242,710 acres (982.2 km2) | This site includes part of theRio Grande Gorge and extinct volcanoes of theTaos Plateau volcanic field. There are a variety of archaeological and historical artifacts including petroglyphs and Hispanic settlement sites. It is home to an assortment of wildlife and recreation opportunities.[67][163] | |
| Rose Atoll Marine
| American Samoa 14°33′S168°32′W / 14.55°S 168.54°W /-14.55; -168.54 (Rose Atoll Marine) | FWS,NOAA | January 6, 2009 | 8,609,045 acres (34,839.6 km2) | This marine monument consists of the two small islands ofRose Atoll, its lagoon, and waters surrounding it. The atoll's coral reef is colored by distinct pinkcoralline algae and provides habitat to nestinghawksbill andgreen turtles, large predators includingwhitetip reef shark, and endangered fish like thehumphead wrasse. Seventeen species of protected seabirds nest on the island. It is east of American Samoa and thesouthernmost point in the U.S.[125][164][165][166] | |
| Russell Cave
| Alabama 34°58′N85°48′W / 34.97°N 85.80°W /34.97; -85.80 (Russell Cave) | NPS | May 11, 1961 | 310.45 acres (1.3 km2) | 21,620 | Donated by theNational Geographic Society, the cave's exceptionally large main entrance was used as a shelter byprehistoric Indians from the earliest known human settlement in the southeastern United States. The rock from which Russell Cave was formed originated in sediments deposited over 300 million years ago at the bottom of an inland sea that covered the region.[167] |
| Saint Francis Dam Disaster
| California 34°33′N118°31′W / 34.55°N 118.51°W /34.55; -118.51 (Saint Francis Dam Disaster) | USFS | March 12, 2019 | 353 acres (1.4 km2) | TheSt. Francis Dam was a 700 ft-wide (210 m) dam that supported a reservoir for Los Angeles's water supply. It catastrophically failed in 1928 and the flood killed at least 431 people. The site now has ruins of the dam's concrete base in a forested valley. Part ofAngeles National Forest.[19][117] | |
| Salinas Pueblo Missions
| New Mexico 34°16′N106°04′W / 34.26°N 106.06°W /34.26; -106.06 (Salinas Pueblo Missions) | NPS | November 1, 1909 | 1,071.42 acres (4.3 km2) | 34,629 | Formerly known as Gran Quivira National Monument, it is whereNative American trade communities of Tiwa- and Tompiro-speakingPuebloans lived when SpanishFranciscan missionaries made contact in the 17th century. What remains are the ruins of four mission churches, at Quarai, Abó, and Gran Quivira, and the partially excavated pueblo of Las Humanas.[168] |
| San Gabriel Mountains
| California 34°13′N118°04′W / 34.22°N 118.06°W /34.22; -118.06 (San Gabriel Mountains) | USFS | October 10, 2014 | 452,096 acres (1,829.6 km2) | TheSan Gabriel Mountains in northernLos Angeles County and westernSan Bernardino County, California have peaks as high as 10,068 ft (3,069 m), providing a habitat for the endangeredCalifornia condor andNelson's bighorn sheep. It is an importantwatershed and recreation site for the Los Angeles area and contains more than 600 archaeological sites. Part ofAngeles andSan Bernardino National Forests.[169][170] | |
| San Juan Islands
| Washington 48°32′N123°02′W / 48.53°N 123.03°W /48.53; -123.03 (San Juan Islands) | BLM | March 25, 2013 | 970 acres (3.9 km2) | The rugged landscapes of theSan Juan Islands, an archipelago in thePacific Northwest, are a habitat for orcas, eagles, and seals and provide opportunities for kayaking, birdwatching, and other activities. The monument protects numerous small rocks, islands, and points, including theCattle Point Light.[171][67] | |
| Sand to Snow
| California 34°05′N116°41′W / 34.08°N 116.68°W /34.08; -116.68 (Sand to Snow) | BLM,USFS | February 12, 2016 | 154,000 acres (623.2 km2) | This monument extends from theMojave andSonoran Desert floors up to over 10,000 feet in theSan Bernardino Mountains, including theSan Gorgonio Wilderness. The site protects 1,700 Native American petroglyphs and other archaeological sites. Part is inSan Bernardino National Forest.[61][172][173] | |
| Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains
| California 33°48′N116°42′W / 33.80°N 116.70°W /33.80; -116.70 (Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains) | BLM,USFS | October 24, 2000 | 280,009 acres (1,133.2 km2) | This monument preserves large portions of theSanta Rosa andSan Jacinto ranges, the northernmost of thePeninsular Ranges. Parts are withinSan Bernardino National Forest and the California Desert Conservation Area.[174][175] | |
| Sáttítla Highlands
| California 41°30′N121°30′W / 41.5°N 121.5°W /41.5; -121.5 (Sáttítla Highlands) | USFS | January 14, 2025 | 224,676 acres (909.2 km2) | A vast, remote volcanic landscape in Northern California centered on the immense Medicine Lake Volcano, where towering obsidian flows like Glass Mountain, sprawling lava fields, caves, and cinder cones coexist with rare relict forests, dark skies, critical aquifers that supply millions with clean water, and sacred Indigenous homelands now co-stewarded with tribes.[176] | |
| Scotts Bluff
| Nebraska 41°50′N103°42′W / 41.83°N 103.70°W /41.83; -103.70 (Scotts Bluff) | NPS | December 12, 1919 | 3,004.73 acres (12.2 km2) | 142,028 | Scotts Bluff is an important 19th century geologic formation and landmark on theOregon Trail andMormon Trail. It contains multiple bluffs on the south side of theNorth Platte River, but it is named after a prominent bluff called Scotts Bluff which rises more than 830 feet (250 m) above the plains at its highest point. The monument is composed of five rock formations named Crown Rock, Dome Rock, Eagle Rock, Saddle Rock, and Sentinel Rock.[177] |
| Springfield 1908 Race Riot
| Illinois 39°48′14″N89°38′28″W / 39.804°N 89.641°W /39.804; -89.641 (Springfield 1908 Race Riot) | NPS | August 16, 2024 | 1.57 acres (0.0 km2) | In 1908 a mob of 5,000 white residents attacked the Black community ofSpringfield, Illinois, destroyed several blocks of residences and business, andlynched two Black Americans. Themass racial violence was one of many such events of brutality and intimidation in that era, leading to the establishment of theNAACP. The monument includes the excavated foundations of several of the destroyed homes in the segregated neighborhood.[178][179] | |
| Sonoran Desert
| Arizona 33°00′N112°28′W / 33.00°N 112.46°W /33.00; -112.46 (Sonoran Desert) | BLM | January 17, 2001 | 486,400 acres (1,968.4 km2) | This monument protects a small portion of theSonoran Desert. It is home to several federally listed endangered species and also has three wilderness areas, many significant archeological and historic sites, and remnants of several important historic trails.[180] | |
| Statue of Liberty
| New York,New Jersey 40°41′N74°02′W / 40.69°N 74.04°W /40.69; -74.04 (Statue of Liberty) | NPS | October 15, 1924 | 58.38 acres (0.2 km2) | 4,335,431 | This iconic statue, built in 1886 onLiberty Island and 151 feet (46 m) tall, commemorates the centennial of the signing of theUnited States Declaration of Independence and is a gesture of friendship from France to the U.S.Liberty Enlightening the World is a symbol of welcoming immigrants to the U.S. and is listed as aWorld Heritage Site.Ellis Island, where 12 million immigrants entering the U.S. passed through, is included in the monument.[181] |
| Stonewall
| New York 40°44′01″N74°00′08″W / 40.73364°N 74.00212°W /40.73364; -74.00212 (Stonewall) | NPS | June 24, 2016 | 7.7 acres (0.0 km2) | 511,220 | TheStonewall Inn is agay bar inNew York City and the site of theStonewall riots of 1969, which are widely considered to be the single most important event leading to thegay liberation movement and the modern fight forLGBT rights in the United States. Also included isChristopher Park acrossthe street.[182][183] |
| Sunset Crater Volcano
| Arizona 35°22′N111°30′W / 35.36°N 111.50°W /35.36; -111.50 (Sunset Crater Volcano) | NPS | May 30, 1930 | 3,040 acres (12.3 km2) | 104,583 | Sunset Crater is the youngest in a string of volcanoes in theSan Francisco volcanic field that is related to the nearbySan Francisco Peaks. Final volcanic activity in the 13th century painted the upper portion of the cone with bright red and orange rocks, giving the volcano its name. Hikers can walk through a black lava flow and on a second cinder crater.[184] |
| Timpanogos Cave
| Utah 40°26′N111°43′W / 40.44°N 111.71°W /40.44; -111.71 (Timpanogos Cave) | NPS | October 14, 1922 | 250 acres (1.0 km2) | 121,311 | The Timpanogos cave system is in theWasatch Range in theAmerican Fork Canyon. Three main chambers are accessible: Hansen Cave, Middle Cave, and Timpanogos Cave. Many colorful cave features orspeleothems can be seen, includinghelictites, cave bacon, cave columns,flowstone,cave popcorn, andcave drapery.[185] |
| Tonto
| Arizona 33°39′N111°05′W / 33.65°N 111.09°W /33.65; -111.09 (Tonto) | NPS | October 21, 1907 | 1,120 acres (4.5 km2) | 39,822 | Lying on the northeastern edge of theSonoran Desert along theSalt River, Tonto preserves two cliff dwellings that were occupied by the Salado culture during the 13th to 15th centuries. The monument is surrounded byTonto National Forest.[186] |
| Tule Lake
| California 41°53′N121°22′W / 41.89°N 121.37°W /41.89; -121.37 (Tule Lake) | NPS,FWS | December 5, 2008 | 1,391 acres (5.629 km2) | Tule Lake Segregation Center was the largest of ten concentration camps used for theinternment of Japanese Americans during World War II. 29,800 US citizens and immigrants were held there, including those segregated from other camps for political reasons. The site includes the main segregation camp;Camp Tulelake, which was originally aCivilian Conservation Corps work site and later a prisoner-of-war camp and extension of the segregation center; and the Peninsula/Castle Rock bluff inTule Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Originally designated as part ofWorld War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, which was divided and renamed March 12, 2019.[187][19][188] | |
| Tule Springs Fossil Beds
| Nevada 36°19′N115°16′W / 36.32°N 115.27°W /36.32; -115.27 (Tule Springs Fossil Beds) | NPS | December 19, 2014 | 22,650 acres (91.7 km2) | A major archaeological site north ofLas Vegas where thousands of prehistoric fossils, includingmammoth,lion, andcamel, have been found in an area that was once a wetland.[189] | |
| Tuzigoot
| Arizona 34°47′N112°02′W / 34.79°N 112.04°W /34.79; -112.04 (Tuzigoot) | NPS | July 25, 1939 | 811.89 acres (3.3 km2) | 98,090 | Tuzigoot preserves a two- to three-storypueblo ruin on the summit of a limestone and sandstone ridge in theVerde Valley. It was built by theSinagua people between 1125 and 1400.[190] |
| Upper Missouri River Breaks
| Montana 47°47′N109°01′W / 47.78°N 109.02°W /47.78; -109.02 (Upper Missouri River Breaks) | BLM | January 17, 2001 | 377,346 acres (1,527.1 km2) | A series of badland areas characterized by rock outcroppings, steep bluffs and grassy plains along the 149-mile (240 km)Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River in central Montana, The Breaks is home to at least 60 mammal species and hundreds of bird species.Charles Marion Russell often painted here, andLewis and Clark traveled on this pathway.[191] | |
| Vermilion Cliffs
| Arizona 36°49′N111°44′W / 36.81°N 111.74°W /36.81; -111.74 (Vermilion Cliffs) | BLM | November 9, 2000 | 279,566 acres (1,131.4 km2) | Steep eroded escarpments consisting primarily ofsandstone,siltstone,limestone andshale rise as much as 3,000 feet (910 m) above their base. Thesesedimentary rocks have been deeply eroded for millions of years, exposing hundreds of layers of richly colored rock strata alongParia Canyon. TheCoyote Buttes, across the Paria Plateau from the Canyon andVermilion Cliffs, include undulating slopes likeThe Wave.[192] | |
| Virgin Islands Coral Reef
| US Virgin Islands 18°19′N64°43′W / 18.31°N 64.72°W /18.31; -64.72 (Virgin Islands Coral Reef) | NPS | January 17, 2001 | 12,708.07 acres (51.4 km2) | These coral reefs, sandy sea bottoms,seagrass beds, andmangrove forests are in a 3-mile (4.8 km) marine belt that surroundsSt John andVirgin Islands National Park.[193] | |
| Waco Mammoth
| Texas 31°36′22″N97°10′26″W / 31.606°N 97.174°W /31.606; -97.174 (Waco Mammoth) | NPS | July 10, 2015 | 107.23 acres (0.4 km2) | 106,932 | The Waco Mammoth National Monument is a paleontological site and museum in Waco, Texas, where fossils of twenty-fourColumbian mammoths (Mammuthus columbi) and other mammals from the Pleistocene Epoch have been uncovered. The site is the largest known concentration of a single herd of mammoths dying from the same event, which is believed to have been a flash flood.[28][194] |
| Walnut Canyon
| Arizona 35°10′N111°31′W / 35.17°N 111.51°W /35.17; -111.51 (Walnut Canyon) | NPS | November 30, 1915 | 3,529.26 acres (14.3 km2) | 167,736 | Walnut Canyon protects dozens of cliff dwelling rooms constructed around the 12th century by theSinagua people, who navigated the challenging cliffs to access sparse water. It lies on theColorado Plateau and cuts through thePermianKaibab Limestone, which exposes the Toroweap Formation andCoconino Sandstone.[195] |
| Wupatki
| Arizona 35°31′N111°22′W / 35.52°N 111.37°W /35.52; -111.37 (Wupatki) | NPS | December 9, 1924 | 35,422.13 acres (143.3 km2) | 205,122 | Several settlement sites built by theSinagua, Cohonina, and Ancestral Puebloans are scattered throughout the monument, showing evidence of trade and agriculture from the 6th to 13th centuries. About 2,000 Ancient Pueblo People moved here to farm after an 11th century eruption ofSunset Crater spread ash forming fertile soil.[196] |
| Yucca House
| Colorado 37°15′N108°41′W / 37.25°N 108.69°W /37.25; -108.69 (Yucca House) | NPS | December 19, 1919 | 33.87 acres (0.1 km2) | Designated a research national monument, it is a large unexcavatedAncestral Puebloanarcheological site. The site is one of many Ancestral Puebloan village sites in the Montezuma Valley occupied between 900 and 1300 CE.[197] |
Table 5-2. National Monuments within the National Landscape Conservation System as of September 30, 2016
Table 10. National Monuments
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