National Monuments-New

I've been here! It's soooo cool!

Tent Rocks!

k...that does looks cool, then again four courners is an amazing area, its no wonder.
Thanks for checking it out and sharing

Okay heres the list:

Arizona

Agua Fria
Sonoran Desert
Ironwood Forest
Vermilion Cliffs
Grand Canyon Parashant
California

California Coastal
Giant Sequoia (managed by the U.S. Forest Service)
Pinnacles (expansion; managed by National Park Service)
Santa Rosa/San Jacinto
Carrizo Plain
Colorado

Canyons of the Ancients (new portion managed by BLM)
Idaho

Craters of the Moon
Minidoka Internment (managed by National Park Service)
Montana

Upper Missouri River Breaks
Pompeys Pillar
New Mexico

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks
Oregon

Cascade-Siskiyou
Utah

Grand Staircase-Escalante
Virgin Islands

Buck Island Reef (managed by National Park Service)
U.S. Virgin Island Coral Reef (managed by National Park Service)
Washington, DC

Anderson Cottage (managed by National Park Service)

I went to Buck Island Reef about 16 years ago. It was breathtaking then, but I wonder what popularity has done to the coral over the years. Even just the reefs directly off the beach in St. Croix were phenomenal. I don't know that there's another reef system in the world that is that easily accessible and so incredible. Diving on other islands is great, but I don't know if there are any others where you can just rent some flippers from the pool kiosk and swim 15 feet out to gaze upon such an incredible reef.

No, didn't know about these.
Yes, have visited many National Monuments. Love 'em.
Yes, I will visit them if I'm ever nearby.

That is the trouble with National Monuments. Unlike National Parks, they're not usually a "destination spot." That may be the only trouble with them... and that there could be lots more listed. Apparently in WA there is only Mt. St. Helens. Been there several times, it is remarkable though I'm saddened at the inability of the government to maintain their buildings & staff. Lots of it is now run by volunteers. The privately-run visitor center just outside the area is better funded, I think, and definitely worth seeing.

Here's a List of Other National Monuments of the USA

Hmmm, I see that Devil's Tower is a National Monument. A friend visiting from Minnesota said he stopped there and it was spectacular. I asked if it was bigger than he expected (as the Grand Canyon is) and he laughed, "Yes, it is!" I want to see!

The UK (I noticed, while searching for that link) has national monuments. It would be interesting to find out if other countries had these and if they had similar goals and administration. One thing we don't seem to have in the USA is a National Trust.

Sugar...sounds great, and Im sure there are more...prolly just people keepin it all quiet though...dont blame them!

Piff..you know looking just at the new list, Ive certainly hit part of the Arizona listings, and they are fabulous but, it is sad that more people dont make them a destination spot....
perhaps it needs a better marketing group?

It would be interesting to find out similar places around the world, how they handle it, because you're right Piff....maybe we could learn something.

That whole National Park/National Monument thing...gets me too...when I travelled through Arizona they were parks, now they have been changed to monuments....interesting. What are the funding differences? Are there large differences in the funding between the two?
Something I have to look into I suppose.