Alaska
Admiralty Island National Monument
- Managed by:
- US Forest Service
- Recorded designation:
- 1978-12-01
- Wild10 guide:
- In preparation

Wild10 · Protected places
Ancient landscapes, living histories and remarkable waters — places protected for what cannot be replaced.
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument photograph: NPS photo · Public domain
138
monuments in our inventory
33
states represented
20
monuments in California
4
published Wild10 guides
National monuments preserve places of historic or scientific interest, from archaeological sites and fossil beds to volcanic landscapes, forests and ocean habitats. Some are vast outdoor destinations; others protect a building, a memorial or a history that deserves to be remembered. The designation is about significance, not size or a ranking of scenery.
Fossils, geology and distinctive ecosystems reveal how the Earth changes. Protecting the setting preserves context that cannot be replaced by moving an object into a collection.
Ancestral places, sacred landscapes and historic sites carry human stories. Indigenous relationships with these lands long predate federal designation; respect tribal guidance and restrictions on sensitive sites.
Monuments include African Burial Ground and Birmingham Civil Rights, alongside outdoor landscapes. They preserve histories of community, struggle, achievement and remembrance.
Marine monuments protect ocean places as well as land. Remoteness and conservation rules can limit visitation; designation does not imply a public trail, campground or open boat landing.
NPS: the Antiquities Act · African Burial Ground · Birmingham Civil Rights
Congress can establish a national monument through legislation. The Antiquities Act of 1906 also authorizes the president to proclaim monuments on land owned or controlled by the federal government to protect historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest. The Act directs that reserved land be confined to the smallest area compatible with proper care and management of the protected objects.
A national monument is not automatically a National Park Service unit. Managers include NPS, the Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, the US Fish & Wildlife Service and, for some marine places, NOAA. Some monuments have joint management. Their establishing laws or proclamations and local management plans determine access and permitted uses.
Protects significant historic or scientific resources. It may be established by Congress or presidential proclamation; management and visitor facilities vary.
Congress establishes national parks through legislation. A monument can later be redesignated, but it does not become a park simply because it is large or popular.
An additional congressional protection focused on wilderness character. Wilderness can overlap a monument, park, forest or refuge; monument designation alone does not impose the Wilderness Act’s rules.
Sources: Antiquities Act · Federal monument managers · BLM monuments.
This reconciled inventory contains 138 distinct monuments across federal agencies. California has 20, Arizona 19 and New Mexico 13 in this catalog. A cross-border monument counts in each state it occupies, but only once nationally. Washington, DC, territories and offshore locations are listed separately from the 50 states.
Catalog snapshot: 2026-10-19. Counts describe our source-backed inventory, not a certified live federal total or a claim that every Wild10 guide is complete. Older location and designation records have not all been independently revalidated. NPS current system · BLM monument roster.
Browse landscapes, historic sites and marine places across all managing agencies. Wild10 guide links appear only for verified published destinations. Official site links are shown where recorded; other entries retain their inventory source.
138 of 138 monuments
Alaska
New York
Nebraska
Arizona
Alaska
Texas
Alaska
Nevada
New Mexico
Arizona
New Mexico
Nevada
Utah
District of Columbia
California
Alabama
Virginia
Colorado
US Virgin Islands
California
California
Colorado
Kentucky
Arizona
Colorado
Alaska
New Mexico
Pennsylvania
California
Arizona
Oregon · California
Florida
New York
California
Texas
Utah
California
Ohio
Colorado
Arizona
California
Colorado
Idaho
California
Wyoming
Colorado · Utah
Iowa
New Mexico
New Mexico
Illinois · Mississippi
Colorado
Georgia
Florida
Maryland
Virginia
California
Georgia
New York
New Mexico
Wyoming
Maine
Alabama
Virginia
Missouri
California
New Mexico
Nevada
New York
Arizona
Minnesota
Utah
Idaho
Washington
Maryland
Arizona
Colorado · Utah
Arizona
South Dakota
Oregon
Utah
New Mexico
Maine
California
Montana
Northern Mariana Islands · Guam
Mississippi
Texas
Kentucky
Alaska
California
Arizona
Washington
California
Utah
Arizona
Oregon
Atlantic Ocean
Oregon
New Mexico
Arizona
US Minor Outlying Islands
Hawaii · US Minor Outlying Islands
New Mexico
Arizona
Minnesota
Montana
Louisiana
New Mexico
District of Columbia
Utah
New Mexico
American Samoa
Alabama
California
New Mexico
California
Washington
California
California
California
Nebraska
Arizona
Illinois
New Jersey · New York
New York
Arizona
Utah
Arizona
California
Nevada
Arizona
Montana
Arizona
US Virgin Islands
Texas
Arizona
Arizona
Colorado
There is no universal monument permit or entrance fee. Passes, timed entry, overnight permits and guided tours are separate requirements. Follow the exact official site and current alerts before booking.
A city historic site may have opening hours and guided access; a desert landscape may have rough roads and little water. Marine monuments may have restricted or impractical visitor access. Never infer facilities from the designation.
Do not remove artifacts, touch rock art or enter closed structures. Follow tribal and agency guidance, protect sensitive locations and keep natural objects where they belong.
Check current weather, closures, road conditions and fire restrictions. Seasonal averages are not forecasts. Carry suitable water, layers and navigation, and confirm actual access points rather than relying on an inventory map pin.