America's Hidden Gems: National Monuments

America's Large National Monuments, a Coffee-Table Book Experience From the Publisher The first photography book dedicated to America's large national monuments (at risk from the review of 2017) opens our eyes to vast landscapes rivaling the national parks in beauty, diversity, and historical heritage. Discover less-traveled destinations through introductions from local conservationists and comprehensive photographic coverage of highlights. Immerse yourself in awe-inspiring forests, rivers, mountains, deserts, and canyons. Marvel at otherworldly rock formations or some of the most extensive collections of petroglyphs and ancient ruins in the country. Draw inspiration from more than 300 spectacular, never-before-seen images in a beautifully printed coffee-table book. Get introduced to each of the monuments in 27 essays by local citizen activists who have long advocated for them. Understand why they deserve to be protected for future generations. Carefully chosen locations represent the best of each of the twenty-two monuments and cover each of its corners. Enjoy the scenic highlights of each monument and find out how you can visit them with guidebook-grade information. Buy the companion ebook with more detailed maps and resources. Alternatives to nearby national parks Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument Grand Canyon National Park sees crowds of five-million visitors per year. Still, its unknown neighbor is a place of solitude, comprising some of the largest and most remote undeveloped areas in the continental United States. Whitmore Canyon Overlook is an excellent alternative that offers a river view and easy access to the Colorado River inside Grand Canyon National Park. Giant Sequoia National Monument Giant Sequoia National Monument was proclaimed to protect 33 sequoia groves. Converse Basin Grove was reputed to be the finest and largest sequoia grove in the world. Sadly, only a dozen of the giants survived the late 19th century historic logging period. One of them is Boole Tree, the largest tree in the world. Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument In 2021, Arches National Park was frequently full and closed to new entries by 9 am. By contrast, Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument offers the chance to explore places such as Forty Mile water tank and its natural arches without the crowds. Sonoran Desert National Monument The Sonoran Desert Region has the largest documented biodiversity of any desert ecoregion in North America, and Sonoran Desert National Monument protects a section including three distinct mountain ranges separated by vast saguaro-covered plains. The largest unbroken tract of the Sonoran Desert lies south of I-8 and includes the Barry Goldwater Range, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Unique sights The Third Wave, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument Vermilion Cliffs National Monument protects much more than The Wave’s slickrock swirls. Its vast plateau delineated by the namesake Vermilion Cliffs and deeply incised by Paria River canyons is filled with diverse landscapes and fantastic rock formations. Marine national monuments Essays by scientists and native activists explain why we should care about the marine national monuments, offering a glimpse of these almost-inaccessible, yet vitally important areas. Photographs of Pacific islands created with unprecedented access by Ian Shive accompanied by his insightful narration, and deep underwater images from scientific expeditions transport you to each of the marine national monuments.

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