National Monuments

There are currently 85 US National Monuments managed by the National Park Service.  A national monument is intended to preserve at least one nationally significant resource. It is usually smaller than a national park and lacks its diversity of attractions.

 

US National Monuments

There are always questions about why some sites are National Parks while others are National Historic Sites versus National Historical Parks.

Each of the park names is a classification used by the National Park Service to describe the park. The names should not detract you from visiting a park that is not called a National Park.

There are 419 park sites within the National Park Service and they all offer something unique and amazing. 

What is a National Monument?

A National Monument is a nationally significant land or water that has been set aside for permanent protection. While National Monuments may contain historic buildings and statues the goal of a National Monument is to protect the areas of land or water.

What US State has the most National Monuments Declared?

Arizona has the most declared US National Monuments. There are currently 13 National Monuments in Arizona. 

Followed closely by 10 National Monuments in New Mexico.

What was the first National Monument in the US?

The 1st National Monument in the US was Devil's Tower which was established by President Theodore Roosevelt on September 24, 1906

How Many National Monuments Are There in the US?

As of December 2020, there are 85 US National Monuments managed by the National Park Service.

You may see destinations listed as National Monuments that are overseen by other federal agencies including The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  (USFW).

Bureau of Land Management has 28 National Monuments

United States Forest Service has 13 National Monuments

US Fish and Wildlife has 13 National Monuments

Department of Energy has 1 National Monument

Armed Forces Retirement Home has 1 National Monument

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has 5 National Monuments

The United States Air Force has 1 National Monument

Some of these monuments are co-managed between agencies which can make it even more confusing. A few of the parks you probably hear a lot about that are not National Park sites include:

Bears Ears National Monument - Managed by Bureau of Land Management and US Fish and Wildlife. 

Vermillion Cliffs National Monument - Managed by Bureau of Land Management.

Giant Sequoia National Monument - Managed by US Forest Service. 

How are National Monuments established?

The Antiquities Act of 1906 gives presidents of the United States the ability to establish National Monuments. Due to this most National Monuments are created by the Executive Branch of the government instead of the Legislative Branch. 

National Monuments can only be created on land that is already owned by the government. A President can not create a monument on privately or state-owned property.

What is the Largest National Monument in the US?

Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument has over a million acres but is not considered an official US National Park property. 200 acres of the monument which is managed by both the NPS and BLM are within Lake Mead NRA.

This makes Cape Krusenstern NM in Alaska the largest National Monument in the United States with 649,096.15 acres.

Complete List of US National Monuments in Alphabetical Order

African Burial Ground National Monument, New York

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska

Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Texas

Aniakchak National Monument, Alaska

Aztec Ruins National Monument, New Mexico

Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument, District of Columbia

Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, Alabama

Booker T. Washington National Monument, Virginia

Buck Island Reef National Monument, Virgin Islands

Cabrillo National Monument, California

Camp Nelson National Monument -Kentucky - Established October 27, 2018

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona

Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska

Capulin Volcano National Monument, New Mexico

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Arizona

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Florida

Castle Clinton National Monument, New York

Castle Mountains National Monument, California

Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah

César E. Chávez National Monument, California

Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, Ohio

Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona

Colorado National Monument, Colorado

Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho

Devils Postpile National Monument, California

Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming

Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado, and Utah

Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa

El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico

El Morro National Monument, New Mexico

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado

Fort Frederica National Monument, Georgia

Fort Matanzas National Monument, Florida

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, Maryland

Fort Monroe National Monument, Virginia

Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia

Fort Stanwix National Monument, New York

Fort Union National Monument, New Mexico

Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming

Freedom Riders National Monument, Alabama

George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Virginia

George Washington Carver National Monument, Missouri

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, New Mexico

Governors Island National Monument, New York

Grand Portage National Monument, Minnesota

Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Idaho

Hohokam Pima National Monument, Arizona (Not open to the public)

Hovenweep National Monument, Colorado, and Utah

Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine

Lava Beds National Monument, California

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Montana

Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, Mississippi

Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument, Kentucky

Montezuma Castle National Monument, Arizona

Muir Woods National Monument, California

Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah

Navajo National Monument, Arizona

Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, Oregon

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona

Pearl Harbor National Memorial, Hawaii

Petroglyph National Monument, New Mexico

Pipe Spring National Monument, Arizona

Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota

Poverty Point National Monument, Louisiana

Pullman National Monument, Illinois

Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Utah

Russell Cave National Monument, Alabama

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, New Mexico

Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska

Statue of Liberty National Monument, New Jersey, and New York

Stonewall National Monument, New York

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Arizona

Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Utah

Tonto National Monument, Arizona

Tule Lake National Monument, California

Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, Nevada

Tuzigoot National Monument, Arizona

Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, Virgin Islands

Waco Mammoth National Monument, Texas

Walnut Canyon National Monument, Arizona

Wupatki National Monument, Arizona

Yucca House National Monument, Colorado

List of US National Monuments by State

Alabama National Monuments

• Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
• Freedom Riders National Monument
• Russell Cave National Monument

Alaska National Monuments

• Aniakchak National Monument
• Cape Krusenstern National Monument

Arizona National Monuments

• Canyon de Chelly National Monument
• Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
• Chiricahua National Monument
• Hohokam Pima National Monument
• Montezuma Castle National Monument
• Navajo National Monument
• Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
• Pipe Spring National Monument
• Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
• Tonto National Monument
• Tuzigoot National Monument
• Walnut Canyon National Monument
• Wupatki National Monument

California National Monuments

• Cabrillo National Monument
• Castle Mountains National Monument
• César E. Chávez National Monument
• Devils Postpile National Monument
• Lava Beds National Monument
• Muir Woods National Monument
• Tule Lake National Monument

Colorado National Monuments

• Colorado National Monument
• Dinosaur National Monument
• Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
• Hovenweep National Monument
• Yucca House National Monument

Florida National Monuments

• Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
• Fort Matanzas National Monument
• Fort Matanzas National Monument

Georgia National Monuments

• Fort Frederica National Monument
• Fort Pulaski National Monument

Idaho National Monuments

• Craters of the Moon National Monument
• Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument

Illinois National Monuments

• Pullman National Monument

Iowa National Monuments

• Effigy Mounds National Monument

Kentucky National Monuments

• Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument
• Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument

Lousiana National Monuments

• Poverty Point National Monument

Maine National Monuments

• Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument

Maryland National Monuments

• Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

Minnesota National Monuments

• Grand Portage National Monument
• Pipestone National Monument

Mississippi National Monuments

• Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument

Missouri National Monuments

• George Washington Carver National Monument

Montana National Monuments

• Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Nebraska National Monuments

• Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
• Homestead National Monument
• Scotts Bluff National Monument

Nevada National Monuments

• Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument

New Jersey National Monuments

• Statue of Liberty National Monument

New Mexico National Monuments

• Aztec Ruins National Monument
• Bandelier National Monument
• Capulin Volcano National Monument
• El Malpais National Monument
• El Morro National Monument
• Fort Union National Monument
• Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
• Petroglyph National Monument
• Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

New York National Monuments

• African Burial Ground National Monument
• Castle Clinton National Monument
• Fort Stanwix National Monument
• Governors Island National Monument
• Statue of Liberty National Monument
• Stonewall National Monument

Ohio National Monuments

• Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument

Oregon National Monuments

• John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
• Oregon Caves National Monument

South Dakota National Monuments

• Jewel Cave National Monument

Texas National Monuments

• Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument
• Waco Mammoth National Monument

US Virgin Islands National Monuments

• Buck Island Reef National Monument
• Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument

Utah National Monuments

• Cedar Breaks National Monument
• Dinosaur National Monument
• Hovenweep National Monument
• Natural Bridges National Monument
• Rainbow Bridge National Monument
• Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Virginia National Monuments

• Booker T. Washington National Monument
• Fort Monroe National Monument
• George Washington Birthplace National Monument

Washington National Monuments

There are currently no National Monuments in Washington State.

Washington, D.C. National Monuments

• Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument

Wyoming National Monuments

• Devils Tower National Monument
• Fossil Butte National Monument

On December 20, 2019, White Sands National Monument, New Mexico became White Sands National Park. The 62nd National Park site!