Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island, one of San Francisco Bay's most popular destinations, is home to the
infamous federal prison, and the first and oldest lighthouse on the West Coast. The island
features many natural features as well - gardens, tide pools, bird colonies, and bay views
beyond compare
Cabrillo National Monument
The Cabrillo National Monument comemorates the first time a European, Juan Rodriguez
Cabrillo, set foot on the west coast of the United States.
Channel Islands National Park
Comprised of five in a chain of eight southern California islands near Los Angeles,
Channel Islands National Park is home to a wide variety of nationally and internationally
significant natural and cultural resources. The park consists of 249,354 acres, half of which
are under the ocean. Over 2,000 species of plants and animals can be found within the park.
Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park has more than 3.3 million acres of spectacular desert scenery,
interesting and rare desert wildlife, complex geology, undisturbed wilderness, and sites of
historical and cultural interest.
Devils Postpile National Monument
The Devils Postpile formation, a rare sight in the geologic world, ranks as one of the
worlds finest examples of columnar basalt. Its columns tower 60-feet high and display an
unusual symmetry. Another wonder is just downstream from the Postpile at Rainbow Falls. When
the sun is overhead, a bright rainbow highlights the spectacular Falls.
Eugene ONeill National Historic Site
Eugene Gladstone O'Neill, the only Nobel Prize winning playwright from the United States
and the architect of modern American theater, lived at Tao House in the hills above Danville
from 1937 to 1944.
Fort Point National Historic Site
Fort Point was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1853 and 1861 to
prevent entrance of a hostile fleet into San Francisco Bay. The fort was occupied throughout
the Civil War, but the advent of faster, more powerful rifled cannon made brick forts such as
Fort Point obsolete.
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
One of the largest urban national parks in the world., the total park area is 75,398
acres of land and water. Approximately 28 miles of coastline lie within its boundaries. Golden
Gate NRA comprises Alcatraz, Marin Headlands, Fort Funston, Fort Mason, as well as Muir Woods
National Monument, Fort Point National Historic Site, and the Presidio of San Francisco.
Greenbelt Park
Greenbelt Park is a refuge for native plants and animals just twelve miles from
Washington, D.C.
John Muir National Historic Site
The Site preserves the 14 room mansion where the naturalist John Muir lived from 1890 to his death in 1914. Muir accomplished many things: he battled to prevent Yosemite National Park's Hetch Hetchy Valley from being dammed, served as the first president and one of the founders of the Sierra Club and played a prominent role in the creation of several national parks. Muir's work laid the foundations for the creation of the National Park Service in 1916.
Joshua Tree National Park
Two deserts, two large ecosystems whose characteristics are determined primarily by
elevation, come together at Joshua Tree National Park. The Colorado Desert encompasses the
eastern part of the park and features natural gardens of creosote bush, ocotillo, and cholla
cactus. The higher, moister, and slightly cooler Mojave Desert is the special habitat of the
Joshua tree.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Three of America's four desert ecosystems--the Mojave, the Great Basin, and the Sonoran Deserts--meet in Lake Mead NRA. As a result, this seemingly barren area contains a surprising variety of plants and animals. Lake Mead caters to boaters, swimmers, sunbathers, and fishermen while its desert rewards hikers, wildlife photographers, and roadside sightseers.
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic became a national park in 1916 because of its significance as an active volcanic landscape. All four types of volcanoes in the world are found in the park. Over 150 miles of trails and a culturally significant scenic highway provide access to volcanic wonders.
Manzanar National Historic Site
Mojave National Preserve
The Mojave National Preserve encompasses 1.6 million acres of mountains, jumble rocks, desert washes, and dry lakes.Plant and animal life varies by elevation.
Muir Woods National Monument
Many northern California coastal valleys were covered with coast redwood trees similar to those now found in Muir Woods National Monument. The forest along Redwood Creek in today's Muir Woods was spared from logging because it was hard to get to. Redwood Creek contains one of the San Francisco Bay Area's last uncut stands of old-growth redwood.
Pinnacles National Monument
Rising out of the chaparral-covered Gabilan Mountains, are the spectacular remains of an
ancient volcano. Massive monoliths, spires, sheer-walled canyons and talus passages define
millions of years of erosion, faulting and tectonic plate movement.
Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes National Seashore contains unique elements of biological and historical interest in a spectacularly scenic panorama of thunderous ocean breakers, open grasslands, bushy hillsides and forested ridges.
Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
Port Chicago Naval Magazine honors the courage and commitment of the Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, Merchant Mariners, and working civilians killed and injured in the largest homeland disaster during World War II. 320 men, over 200 of which were African-Americans, were instantly killed when a loaded munition ship blew up during loading operations.
Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio served as a military post under the flags of Spain, Mexico, and the United States. As a U.S. Army post, the Presidio protected commerce and trade, and played a logistical role in every major U.S. military conflict over the last 150 years. On October 1, 1994, the Presidio became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
This park includes the fleet of national historic landmark vessels at Hyde Street Pier, a maritime museum, and a maritime library.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Located in a Mediterranean ecosystem, the Santa Monica Mountains contain a wide variety
of plants and wildlife. The mountains also have an interesting and diverse cultural history
which begins with the Chumash and Gabrielino/Tongva peoples and continues today in "L.A.'s
backyard."
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
These two adjoining parks protect immense mountains, deep canyons, huge trees, and stunningly diverse habitats. Sequoia and Kings Canyon share miles of boundary and are managed as one park.
Washington Monument
George Washington was unanimously elected the first President of the United States. Washington defined the Presidency and helped develop the relationships among the three branches of government. His leadership and service to the republic have been distinguished through the naming of the federal capital, universities, streets, counties, and a state; but none have captured the imagination of the people world-wide like the Washington Monument.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
The Whiskeytown Unit, with its mountainous back country and large, man-made reservoir, offers many summer activities such as hiking and boating, as well as historical remains of the California Gold Rush.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park harbors a grand collection of waterfalls, meadows, and forests
that include groves of giant sequoias, the world's largest living things.
North Algodones Dunes Wilderness
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
San Bernardino National Forest
Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
Colusa National Wildlife Refuge
Delevan National Wildlife Refuge
Desert National Wildlife Range
Ellicott Slough National Wildlife Refuge
Fallon National Wildlife Refuge
Farallon National Wildlife Refuge
Havasu National Wildlife Refuge
Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Imperial National Wildlife Refuge
Merced National Wildlife Refuge
Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge
Pixley National Wildlife Refuge
Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge
Salton Sea State Recreation Area
San Luis National Wildlife Refuge
San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge
Sutter National Wildlife Refuge
Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve
Black Diamond