The 12 Best National Monuments in the West, from Ancient Forests to Otherworldly Landscapes

You’ll understand the appeal of this monument at your first glimpse of its sunset-orange cliffs and canyons. Utah Highway 12 cuts through the monument, with car-stopping views in all directions. Good trails include the short hike to Devil’s Garden and the longer trek to Lower Calf Creek Falls, both starting near Escalante.  Overnight options include Escalante Yurts (from $248) in Escalante and the Boulder Mountain Lodge in Boulder (from $140).

The most destructive volcanic explosion in American history­—the May18, 1980, blast that blew the top off of Mount St. Helens—destroyed 150 square miles of forest and covered much of the Northwest in ash. Today, the mountain is bursting with forests, wildflowers, and animals. An hour-and-a-half drive from Portland, it’s easy to explore on foot and by car. Even first-time climbers can ascend the summit. The 10- to 12-mile round-trip hike is strenuous, but not technical, gaining up to 6,500 feet in elevation. Guided treks with Mount St. Helens Institute take 8 to 11 hours and are offered June through September. Rock geeks can join treks led by geologists (from $245).

Across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, towering old-growth coast redwoods provide the ultimate backdrop to practice the Japanese art of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. It’s a popular place; your best bet for solitude is getting there early on a weekday.

Clarendon? X-Pro 8? The colors of John Day’s sculptured rock formations—brooding reds, elegant ochres—are so captivating you may abandon Instagram filters entirely. Prehistory buffs will be in heaven: The Central Oregon monument is rich in fossils dating back 50 million years. The John Day River, the second longest free-flowing river in the contiguous U.S., spanning more than 500 miles, also offers prime fly-fishing. Bass season is at its peak from mid-June to the end of August. Spend a day of casting with Little Creek Outfitters.

At 1,000 pounds, and, standing up, as much as 9 feet tall, the Alaska brown bear is an unforgettable sight—and Admiralty Island has the densest brown bear population in North America. They’re easily (and safely) seen from observation towers at Pack Creek, a short float-plane ride from Juneau. Or you can stay in one of the fishing lodges in Angoon, on the island’s southwest coast, or in one of the 12 Forest Service cabins on the island. Locals advise visiting in May, when bears first emerge from hibernation, and mid-July through August, when they gather to gorge on pink salmon. 

The noble, 900-foot-tall chunk of igneous rock rising from the northeastern Wyoming prairie was the first national monument, signed into being by President Teddy Roosevelt in 1906. Trails wind around the tower base; scaling it is reserved for experienced climbers. For fans of western history, famed gold-rush town turned casino center Deadwood, South Dakota, lies about 75 miles east.

A few hours northeast of the Las Vegas Strip, Gold Butte’s nearly 300,000 acres of red rock canyons and mountains put on a show to rival Cirque du Soleil. Roads are mostly dirt (only the main Gold Butte Road to Whitney Pockets campsite is semi-paved) and campsites are primitive. You’ll need to bring your own water and forget cell-phone coverage. But it’s worth it. Best to visit in spring or fall.

Bandelier has been entrancing people for nearly 1000 years—from when the Ancestral Pueblo people first began building homes in the cliffs of Frijoles Canyon. They’re easily seen on the monument’s Main Loop Trail; more ruins can be glimpsed in Tsankawi Canyon to the north. But archeology isn’t the only reason to come here—the monument is stunningly beautiful, with dramatic mesas and broad views across northern New Mexico. All this only a 45-minute drive from Santa Fe.

Yes, this monument features giant sequoias, just as adjacent Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park does. But these are some of the biggest, most impressive specimens, including the Boole Tree, one of the largest trees in the world. The Trail of 100 Giants, a 1.3-mile stroll among the enormous trees—is accessible to all ages and fitness levels. There are some nice campgrounds, including Princess and Redwood Meadow, among the trees, and non-camping lodging nearby. Plus, it’s an easy detour if you’re going to the national park, and a 4- to 5-hour trip from S.F. or L.A.

Who needs NASA when you can come to the Craters of the Moon monument about 90 miles north of Twin Falls, Idaho? This eerie lunar landscape is the product of volcanic lava flows that stopped only about 2,000 years ago. (Geologists say they could start up again, although no one seems too worried.) You can see it all on a 7-mile loop drive or if you want to feel boot on lava, hike the North Crater Flow trail.

If there’s one national monument that makes people ask themselves Why isn’t this a national park?, it’s Dinosaur. This 210,000-acre national monument is 180 miles east of Salt Lake City and about 150 million years in the past. Back then, these rugged mountains were a lush, fern-lined plain, home to some of the largest creatures to tromp around North America: allosaurus, stegosaurus, diplodocus—a fearsome concentration of Jurassic beasts that makes Dinosaur one of the most important paleontological sites anywhere in the world. With its dramatic prehistory and children’s programs, this monument is a no-brainer for travelers with kids. But the park also holds non-prehistoric thrills: a view-filled drive on Harpers Corner Road; hiking on the spectacular Ruple Point Trail, and world-class river rafting on the Yampa and Green rivers. The 1,500 fossils and reconstructed dinosaurs featured in the Quarry Exhibit Hall are a must-see. Dinosaur has some of the darkest night skies in North America, perfect for summer stargazing. Astronomy programs are held regularly at Split Monument Campground.

It’s a scenic 3-hour drive from Salt Lake City to Vernal. Once you’re there, this is a civilized experience, with ample car camping in the monument. There are hotels and restaurants in nearby Vernal, which has its own excellent dinosaur facility, the Utah Field House of Natural History. The Dinosaur Inn and Suites gets our vote for its incredibly cool neon-dino sign (from $95).

With sandstone walls glowing red against a blue Arizona sky, Canyon de Chelly is superlative in its beauty. Built into its cliffsides are masonry dwellings that date back nearly a millennium. They’re part of the tapestry of this canyon that has sheltered residents for some 5,000 years, from ancestral Puebloans to the Navajo who live here today. Managed jointly by the National Park Service and the Navajo Nation, Canyon de Chelly can be sampled on your own by following trails that edge the canyon. You can get great views into the canyon from North and South Rim drives and by hiking a bit into it on the White House Trail. To fully experience Canyon de Chelly, take one of the four-wheel drive tours offered by the Navajo Nation. Book a Navajo-led, 5-hour, four-wheel drive tour into the heart of the canyon. Bouncing on rough dirt roads, you’ll see petroglyphs, cliff dwellings, and natural wonders such as the 800-foot-tall Spider Rock.

The canyon lies about 3 hours northeast of Flagstaff, and 5 hours northeast of Phoenix, so it’s a drive. Once you’re there, base yourself in nearby Chinle. The Best Western Canyon de Chelly (from $102) and Holiday Inn Canyon de Chelly (from $99) are both solid options.