CALIFORNIA COASTAL NATIONAL MONUMENT California
photos July 2001, Jan 2004	left to right: Goat I. off Mendocino County coast, Common Murre colony on Hurricane Pt. Rocks (Monterey Co.)
established 2000 administered by BLM	Created by proclamation of President Clinton, this new National Monument protects coastal rocks and islets along the entire California coastline. Many are dramatic but the most important host breeding colonies of seabirds.

CARRIZO PLAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT California
photos May 1991	clockwise from top left: hills around the plain with swathes of flowers after spring rains, road to Painted Rock prehistory site, pronghorns in fields of lupine
established 2000 administered by BLM	Created by presidential proclamation, this new National Monument protects the vast arid stretches of the Carrizo Plain, habitat for a variety of endangered species (e.g., Kit Fox) and whose wide-open spaces provide protection for wintering cranes and raptors and reintroduced pronghorn. Often dry, the plain and surrounding hills burst with color as flowers paint the landscape following drought-ending rains. Archaeological and prehistoric sites are also present.

CHANNEL ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK California
photos Sep 1974, Aug 1992	clockwise from top left: shore of Santa Barbara I., birders on landing dock awaiting the skiff to the transport boat1, view on Santa Barbara I., Island Scrub-Jay on Santa Cruz I.
established as Nat'l Monument 1938 became National Park 1980 administered by National Park Service	Channel Islands National Monument initially protected only Santa Barbara and Anacapa islands, but it was expanded and became a National Park with the addition of San Miguel and Santa Rosa islands, plus the eastern quarter of Santa Cruz Island [the Nature Conservancy owns the other 76%]. The park thus now contains five of California's eight Channel Islands. 145 species of plants and animals are endemic to these islands, including the Island Fox and Island Scrub-Jay. Although the islands are easily visible from the densely populated southern California coast, their isolation has left them relatively undeveloped, making them an exciting place for visitors to explore. The park's main visitor center overlooks Ventura harbor at Oxnard. I've visited thrice: a boat load of birders landed on Santa Barbara I. in Sep 1974 and located a good selection of fall vagrants; a boat trip in Mar 1977 circled Anacapa I. and produced a long-staying American Oystercatcher; and a tourist visit to Santa Cruz I. in Aug 1992 netted views of Island Scrub-Jay and a variety of endemic subspecies.

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK California
photos Nov 1975, Nov 1977, June 1997, Oct 1997	clockwise from top left: birders with Least Bittern found lost in the desert at Stovepipe Wells [June 1974]2, Artists Drive, vagrant Prothonotary Warbler [11 Oct 1997 Furnace Creek Ranch], sunrise [Nov 1977]
established as Nat'l Monument 1933 became National Park 1994 administered by National Park Service	A huge desert park with the lowest and hottest points in North America, now famous with birders as an exceptional vagrant trap in spring and fall migrations. Great for colorful panoramas, herps, pupfish, and desert skies that go on forever, not to mention a huge volcanic crater (Ubehebe Crater) and eccentric Scotty's Castle. I've visited Death Valley dozens of times and at all seasons. It is fine experience to sleep out under the stars on a warm desert night.

DEVILS POSTPILE NATIONAL MONUMENT California
photos Aug 1998	clockwise from top: Devils Postpile [main view], Devils Postpile [overview with rubble], Lodgepole Chipmunk, Rainbow Falls
established 1911 administered by National Park Service	A small National Monument high on the west crest of the Sierra Nevada with a very odd cliff of hexagonal basalt columns (Devils Postpile), a beautiful waterfall (Rainbow Falls) beyond which Black Swifts nest, and nice lodgepole pine forests

GIANT SEQUOIA NATIONAL MONUMENT California
photos May 2002	from top: Grizzly Falls with Rita, the "Chicago stump" remains of General Noble giant sequoia
established 2000 administered by USDA National Forest Service	Created by President Clinton's proclamation to preserve poorly protected old-growth giant sequoias, the monument links disparate portions of Kings Canyon National Park on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada. Huge sequoia stumps, like that of the 285' tall General Noble tree that was cut down and exhibited at the Chicago Columbian Exposition in 1893, are mute testimony to unprotected forestry practices. The new monument includes portions of the south fork of the Kings River watershed, with some lovely waterfalls (e.g., Grizzly Falls).

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK California
photos July 1970, Apr 1978, May 1985	clockwise from top left: Jumbo Rock formation, Chuckwalla, Joshua Tree woodland, blooming hedgehog cactus
established as Nat'l Monument 1936 became National Park 1994 administered by National Park Service	Most of my visits to Joshua Tree were when it was a National Monument before enlargement and enrollment as a National Park. It is a wild and dramatic jumble of rocks, cacti, and Joshua Trees, sprinkled with hidden spring and native palm oases. It is great for desert birding and even more so for herps. In April 1978, I led a camping trip here for a birding class and we briefly split into two parties: the other group, alas for me, had views of a Mountain Lion! All I got was the Chuckwalla photo . . . .

KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK California
photos June 1977, May 2002	clockwise from top left: south fork of Kings River, three Giant Sequoias, General Grant tree, view of distant high Sierra from Panorama Point
established as Nat'l Monument 1890 became National Park 1940 administered by National Park Service	A large park administered jointly with Sequoia National Park, it was originally established as a National Monument to protect the General Grant grove of Giant Sequoias. The park was expanded to include the spectacular granite valley along the south fork of the Kings River and much wilderness north of Sequoia National Park. Access to the Kings River valley is only available during the summer months but the canyon recalls a smaller version of Yosemite Valley.

LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK California
photos June 1971, May 2002	clockwise from top left: Lassen Peak & Reflection Lake [June; snow on peak], Manzanita Lake, Snow Plant, Lassen Peak view [Aug; no snow]
established 1916 administered by National Park Service	Lassen National Park is centered on Lassen Peak (10,457' high) but includes a wonderful variety of wooded and arid habitats. Lassen Peak erupted intermittently from 1914 to 1921; signs of volcanic activity are still present in sulfurous muddy pots and boiling springs at Bumpas Hell. I've climbed the trail to the top of Lassen Peak several times; I recall vividly one hike with my dad at about 14 years old when I was just getting interested in "life" birds. To celebrate both the climb and new birds, I scratched a mark into the back cover of my hardcover Peterson field guide but using the highest point at the top of the peak.

LAVA BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT California
photos June 1971, Aug 2000	clockwise from top left: cinder cone on old lava flow, lave outcroppings in Captain Jack's stronghold, historic photo of U.S. troops at Lava Beds in Modoc War, Don with lantern at entrance to Sentinel Ice Cave [1971]
established 1925 administered by National Park Service	Lava Beds is both a geological spectacle and a fascinating historical site. The Monument was set aside to protect extensive lava flows and formations, some of it as recent as 5000 years ago, on the Modoc Plateau. There are dozens of lava tubes and ice caves; some of them available for visits with lanterns. There is also abundant wildlife in and around the park, and Petroglyph Cliff has numerous pre-Columbian pictorials, as well as a Prairie Falcon eyrie. The lava flows were the center of the 1872-73 Modoc War in which Captain Jack's outnumbered band of Modocs held off the U.S. Army for months in the last significant Indian conflict in California.

More National Parks, Monuments, Battlefields and Historic Sites are arranged geographically by these links:

Footnotes on this page:

¹  Birders on the Santa Barbara I. dock on 20 Sep 1974 are (L to R) Steve Bailey, Kimball Garrett, Guy McCaskie.
²  Birder holding Least Bittern on 1 June 1974 is Van Remsen; those watching are (L to R) Guy McCaskie, Jon Dunn, John Luther (with camera), Steve Summers; hidden from view behind them is Lee Jones.

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