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Florida

Fort Matanzas National Monument

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Fort Matanzas National Monument

Florida

Managed by National Park Service

Established 1924

300 acres

Website: nps.gov/foma

Overview

After a failed American settlement by persecuted French Protestants (Huguenots) in 1562, two years later a group of 200 soldiers, artisans, and a few women established a colony at the mouth of the St. Johns River (east of present-day Jacksonville, Florida).  Led by René de Goulaine de Laudonnière, they hurriedly assembled the triangular Fort Caroline, named for King Charles IX.  In 1565, Jean Ribault arrived with 600 more settlers and soldiers.  After learning the Catholic Spanish had established a base to the south at St. Augustine, Ribault set sail for a surprise attack, only to be shipwrecked by a hurricane.  The unprotected Fort Caroline was easily captured by the Spanish, who executed 140 of its 200 inhabitants.  The Spanish then killed nearly 250 French marooned at Matanzas Inlet, which gained its name from these “slaughters.”  Following a British siege in 1740, the Spanish began construction of Fort Matanzas on Rattlesnake Island to guard the southern entrance to the city of St. Augustine where they had built Castillo de San Marcos.  Only two years later, Fort Matanzas’ cannons successfully repelled British ships and today you can take a free ferry to tour inside the restored 50-foot-square structure.

Learn more about the other 137 National Monuments in our book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments. It is now available for sale on Amazon.com.

Highlights

Museum, film, boat ride, Fort Matanzas, Nature Trail

Must-Do Activity

We have tried three times to visit the fort here, but in 2016, 2019, and 2024 the dock was damaged by a hurricane so the National Park Service (NPS) ferry was not running to Rattlesnake Island.  Good news is there is an eight-minute film and you can see the small fort from the visitor center.  There are also hiking trails, boardwalks, and sandy beaches to explore at the southern tip of Anastasia Island, which are accessible by car.  Only 40 miles to the north, the NPS administers Fort Caroline National Memorial as a unit of Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, where you can enter a one-third scale reconstruction of the triangular structure (and no ferries are involved). 

Best Trail

The half-mile Coastal Hammock Trail has signs introducing some of the tree and shrub species found in the maritime forest.

Photographic Opportunity

Southern live oak trees stretch their twisted branches above the picnic area in the parking lot of the visitor center.

Peak Season

Spring

Hours

https://www.nps.gov/foma/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Fees

The visitor center, trails, and NPS ferry are free, but there is a parking fee for beach access on the Atlantic Ocean side across Highway A1A from the visitor center entrance road.

Road Conditions

The road to the parking lot is paved from Highway A1A.

Camping

The NPS does not run a campground, but Anastasia State Park does south of St. Augustine.

Related Sites

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument (Florida)

Fort Caroline National Memorial (Florida)

Canaveral National Seashore (Florida)

View of Fort Matanzas from the visitor center
Tiff at the ferry dock, which was closed… again
Visitor center
Video shown inside the visitor center

Explore More – What species of endangered sea turtles nest on the barrier islands protected within Fort Matanzas National Monument?

Learn more about the other 137 National Monuments in our book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments

List

Top 10 Non-Fiction Books on Wildlife

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It is the holiday gift buying season again, so in addition to promoting our newest travel guidebook 50 States of Great: Road Trip Guide to America, we decided to rank our favorite non-fiction books about wildlife.  We did not realize how many we had read until we started researching other lists on the subject, so the competition was stiff.  We focused on wildlife, not domesticated wild animals, so we left off three popular books: H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald, The Daily Coyote by Shreve Stockton, and Wesley the Owl by Stacey O’Brien.  Click here to see all our Top 10 lists, including our Top 10 Gifts for National Park Lovers.

10. Lily Pond: Four Years with a Family of Beavers by Hope Ryden (1989)

A personal story that is enhanced by references to scientific studies on beavers

9. Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place by Terry Tempest Williams (1991)

Mostly autobiographical, this beautifully written tome is a love letter to Utah’s Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

8. Red Fox: The Catlike Canine by J. David Henry (1996)

Red foxes live almost everywhere in the U.S. having adapted to a wide variety of environments

7. A Beast the Color of Winter: The Mountain Goat Observed by Douglas H. Chadwick (1983)

North American mountain goats are the subject of this concise volume; Chadwick has also written The Wolverine Way (2010)

6. Heart and Blood: Living with Deer in America by Richard Nelson (1997)

Set mostly in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, this is an interesting perspective on a common mammal

5. Built for Speed: A Year in the Life of Pronghorn by John A. Byers (2003)

This book taught us so much about our backyard neighbors, from their predatory zygotes to their oversized hearts and lungs

4. Birdology: Adventures with Hip Hop Parrots, Cantankerous Cassowaries, Crabby Crows, Peripatetic Pigeons, Hens, Hawks, and Hummingbirds by Sy Montgomery (2010)

The first book we have read by prolific nature writer Sy Montgomery, but certainly not the last

3. The Rise of Wolf 8: Witnessing the Triumph of Yellowstone’s Underdog by Rick McIntyre (2019)

The first of a series that documents the dramatic lives of the reintroduced wolfpacks of Yellowstone National Park over the decades

2. Watch the Bear: A Half Century with the Brown Bears of Alaska by Derek Stonorov (2023)

One of the best books about bears ever written, it dispels myths based on a lifetime of close observation in Alaska

…and finally our #1 non-fiction book about wildlife:

1. Mind of the Raven: Investigations and Adventures with Wolf-Birds by Bernd Heinrich (1999)

Even if you know a lot about these fascinating and intelligent birds, you will learn something new. The obvious #1 choice for Raven About the Parks!

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Honorable Mentions

North American Tree Squirrels by Michael A. Steele and John L. Koprowski (2003)

Two researchers recount their studies on these frequently seen, but often misunderstood creatures

Wild in Arizona: Photographing Arizona’s Wildlife by Bruce D. Taubert (2016)

Incredible color photographs and expert tips on where to find wildlife in Arizona

Prairie Dogs: A Wildlife Handbook by Kim Long (2002)

A succinct look at this keystone species; we have also read the author’s equally good Squirrels: A Wildlife Handbook

The Social Lives of Animals by Ashley Ward (2022)

A biologist shares her personal experiences with wild animals across the globe

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey (2010)

Well-written and inspirational look at the often-overlooked wildlife that shares our daily existence

The Animal Dialogues: Uncommon Encounters in the Wild by Craig Childs (2007)

Personal encounters with wild animals from the celebrated author of House of Rain: Tracking a Vanished Civilization Across the American Southwest (2007)

 A Naturalist in Alaska by Adolph Murie (1961)

Set in Denali National Park, previously on our list of Top 10 Books Set in a National Park

Wildlife Watching in America’s National Parks: A Seasonal Guide by Gary W. Vequist and Daniel S. Licht (2013)

This useful guide was previously in our Top 10 Guidebooks to National Parks

Tracks of the Unseen: Meditations on Alaska Wildlife, Landscape, and Photography by Nick Jans (2000)

Previously in our Top 10 Non-Fiction Books Set in Alaska; Jans’ work is also included in the anthology Wild Moments: Adventures with Animals of the North (2009)

Know someone who loves National Parks? Gift them our travel guidebook A Park to Yourself: Finding Solitude in America’s 63 National Parks. 

New York

Castle Clinton National Monument

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Castle Clinton National Monument

New York

Managed by National Park Service

Established 1946

1 acre

Website: nps.gov/cacl

Overview

The U.S. military constructed South-west Battery off Manhattan Island’s southern tip by the beginning of the War of 1812, although it never fired a shot in battle.  It was renamed Castle Clinton in 1817 to honor former mayor (and future governor) DeWitt Clinton, then once again to Castle Garden only seven years later.  After a roof was added in the 1840s, it hosted concerts, including the American debut of Swedish opera diva Jenny Lind in 1850 (tickets cost $225 or equivalent to $8,240 in 2023).  The island was joined to the mainland with landfill in the early 1850s, creating Battery Park.  From 1855 to 1890, Castle Garden processed approximately eight-million immigrants before the establishment of Ellis Island offshore.  Six years after the closing of the immigration station, Castle Garden was converted into the New York City Aquarium, which closed in 1941.

Learn more about the other 137 National Monuments in our book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments. It is now available for sale on Amazon.com.

Highlights

Castle Clinton, Battery Park

Must-Do Activity

Much of Castle Garden was destroyed during a tunnel construction project in the 1940s, but Castle Clinton remained and was restored three decades later.  Today it serves as a National Park Service visitor center, gift shop, and ticket office for ferry trips to Statue of Liberty National Monument.  There are also exhibits along the perimeter of the D-shaped fort, including a display with cannon.  Ranger-guided tours of the site are offered daily.

Best Trail

There are sidewalks and a seaside promenade in ——-24-acre Battery Park.  Be sure to check out the bronze sculpture “The Immigrants” outside the fort.

Photographic Opportunity

There once were “28 guns” facing New York Harbor from within Castle Clinton, and one display cannon remains. 

Peak Season

Summer

Hours

https://www.nps.gov/cacl/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Fees

None

Road Conditions

Roads are heavily trafficked and there is no designated parking for the National Park Service site, so we recommend you take the subway.

Camping

None

Related Sites

Statue of Liberty National Monument (New York-New Jersey)

Governors Island National Monument (New York)

Stonewall National Monument (New York)

Explore More – Today, what percentage of Americans can trace their roots to one of the nearly eight-million immigrants processed at Castle Garden from 1855 to 1890?

Learn more about the other 137 National Monuments in our book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments

Utah

Bears Ears National Monument

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Bears Ears National Monument

Utah

Managed by U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management

Established 2016

1,351,849 acres

Website: https://www.blm.gov/visit/bears-ears-national-monument

Overview

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service manage the more than one-million acres of Bears Ears National Monument in partnership with five local Native American tribes.  After it was established, in 2017 it was controversially reduced in size to 201,876 acres before being restored four years later.  Much of the southern portion of La Sal National Forest, including the Dark Canyon Wilderness, is included inside its boundaries.  The entire area protects millions of years of the paleontological record and has more than 100,000 archaeological sites, especially on Cedar Mesa where day-use and overnight permits are required.  The BLM has excellent maps and trip-planning resources available on their website.

Learn more about the other 137 National Monuments in our book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments. It is now available for sale on Amazon.com.

Highlights

Butler Wash, Moon House Ruin, Newspaper Rock, Moki Dugway, San Juan River, Elk Ridge Scenic Backway, Dark Canyon Wilderness, Mule Canyon, Seven Kivas, The Citadel Trail

Must-Do Activity

It would be easy to spend more than a week exploring the roads and trails within Bears Ears National Monument.  Everyone should try to drive the good 17-mile-long dirt road through Valley of the Gods to see rock formations like Rooster Butte and Woman in the Tub.  West of Blanding, paved State Route 95 passes Mule Canyon Interpretive site, Butler Wash Interpretive Trail, and Butler Wash Dinosaur Tracksite.  In La Sal National Forest, the 58-mile-long Elk Ridge Scenic Backway is a well-maintained (though unpaved) route that leads north from Natural Bridges National Monument to Highway 211, which connects to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park.  There are multiple trails along the way that provide access to the Dark Canyon Wilderness, an area known for old-growth forests, natural arches, and Ancestral Puebloan ruins and pictographs. 

Best Trail

There are many trails to choose from, but one of the most popular is off unpaved Texas Flat Road that enters Mule Canyon (parking fee) and accesses House on Fire, a well-preserved granary located one mile in after multiple stream crossings.  There is a paved parking lot suitable for RVs at Butler Wash Interpretive Trail, a half-mile one-way walk on to an overlook of a cliff dwelling. 

Photographic Opportunity

Along Highway 211 to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, be sure to stop at the paved parking lot for Newspaper Rock.  Another nice panel of rock art is found in Sand Island Campground along the San Juan River near Bluff, Utah.

Peak Season

Spring and fall

Fees

A day-use fee of $5 per person applies at several parking areas on Cedar Mesa in southern Bears Ears National Monument, including Mule Canyon access to House on Fire Ruins.  There are pay stations at several sites, as well as pre-paid online permits (including for 20 people per day to access Moon House Ruin). 

Road Conditions

State Route 95 and Highway 211 are both paved, but other roads like the Moki Dugway, Valley of the Gods Road, and 58-mile-long Elk Ridge Scenic Backway should not be attempted by RVs.  A high-clearance vehicle is required to drive many side roads, including six-mile-long Cigarette Springs Road to The Citadel and Seven Kivas Trails.  Be aware that flash floods are a danger as many roads traverse canyons.

Camping

There are numerous developed campgrounds spread throughout Bears Ears National Monument.  We enjoyed our stay at Hamburger Rock Campground outside the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park.  Dispersed camping is also a good option, especially in scenic Valley of the Gods and along lightly-traveled Elk Ridge Scenic Backway.  All backcountry camping on Cedar Mesa requires a permit and no campfires are allowed.

Related Sites

Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

Natural Bridges National Monument (Utah)

Hovenweep National Monument (Utah-Colorado)

Valley of the Gods
Woman in the Tub formation
Valley of the Gods
Valley of the Gods
Valley of the Gods
Valley of the Gods
Mexican Hat
Camping at Hamburger Rock
Tiff on the Moki Dugway
Dinosaur tracks
Flash flood over dinosaur tracks
Mule Canyon
Mule Canyon
Mule Canyon
The “Bears Ears” formation
Ravens about the park

Explore More – Where are the actual Bears Ears formations that give the National Monument its name?

Learn more about the other 137 National Monuments in our book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments

Colorado, Utah

La Sal National Forest

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La Sal National Forest

Utah, Colorado

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Intermountain Region

535,288 acres

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/mantilasal

Overview

La Sal National Forest is found in two separate sections of southeastern Utah surrounding the La Sal and Abajo Mountains, topping out on 12,721-foot Mt. Peale.  Much of the southern portion of the National Forest, including the Dark Canyon Wilderness, was included in the 1.35-million-acre Bears Ears National Monument, established in 2016 and then controversially reduced in size before being restored.  Since 1949, it has been administratively combined with the northern and separate Manti National Forest, so it can be difficult to find information for La Sal National Forest alone.  

Highlights

Bears Ears National Monument, La Sal Mountain Loop Scenic Backway, Warner Lake, Bull Canyon Dinosaur Tracks, Buckeye Reservoir, Elk Ridge Scenic Backway, Harts Draw Highway, Abajo Loop State Scenic Backway, Mt. Peale, Arch Canyon, Mt. Tukuhnikivatz

Must-Do Activity

Many visitors access the forest south from Moab on the mostly-paved La Sal Mountain Loop Scenic Backway, a steep drive suitable for passenger vehicles that is accessible in the warmer months.  The often snow-capped La Sal Mountains are featured as the backdrop in nearly every photo of Delicate Arch in Arches National Park.  The Sierra La Sal (“Salt Mountains” in Spanish) were a prominent landmark on the Old Spanish Trail between Santa Fe and Los Angeles.  Be sure to make the dirt Gateway Road (FS 207) detour 5.4 miles to visit Bull Canyon Dinosaur Tracks, where there is also a commanding view of Fisher Mesa and Bull Canyon.  Oowah Lake and Warner Lake are also located on unpaved side roads (3.2 and 5.2 miles respectively) from La Sal Mountain Loop Road.

Best Trail

The 58-mile-long Elk Ridge Scenic Backway is a well-maintained, though unpaved route that leads north from Natural Bridges National Monument to Highway 211, which connects to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park.  There are multiple trails along the way that provide access to the Dark Canyon Wilderness, an area known for old-growth forests, natural arches, and Ancestral Puebloan ruins and pictographs.  A high-clearance vehicle is not required to reach Big Notch Trailhead where a trail steeply drops into Dark Canyon.  Erosion has cut red clay walls that make navigation somewhat difficult in places.  About four miles in, not far past the large Cicada Arch on the north side, you reach a spring at the meeting with Drift Trail Canyon.  Another two miles takes you to Scorup Cabin, a good place to turn around or explore Horse Pasture Canyon.

Watchable Wildlife

Wildlife species are similar to Utah’s Dixie National Forest and Fishlake National Forest, including black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, porcupines, raccoons, skunks, badgers, bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer, and pronghorns.  Large birds include bald eagles, golden eagles, northern goshawks, turkey vultures, wild turkeys, common ravens, and various species of owls and woodpeckers.  Look for short-horned lizards in the Dark Canyon Wilderness.  There are many trout and other gamefish found in the streams and small lakes spread across the high-elevations of the La Sal and Abajo Mountains.

Photographic Opportunity

In the summer months, take La Sal Mountain Loop Scenic Backway to Bull Canyon Dinosaur Tracks to see 200-million-year-old therapod tracks, plus an awesome overlook to the north.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

None

Road Conditions

La Sal Mountain Loop Road is mostly paved, but side roads to Bull Canyon Dinosaur Tracks, Oowah Lake, and Warner Lake are not.  The 58-mile-long Elk Ridge Scenic Backway is a rocky, unpaved route that leads north from Natural Bridges National Monument to Highway 211; and side roads to some trailheads require a high-clearance vehicle.

Camping

Warner Lake Campground takes reservations, as does Buckeye Reservoir in Colorado and a few others.  Dispersed camping is also an option, especially along lightly-traveled Elk Ridge Scenic Backway.

Wilderness Areas

Dark Canyon Wilderness

Wilderness

Related Sites

Arches National Park (Utah)

Bears Ears National Monument (Utah)

Natural Bridges National Monument (Utah)

Nearest National Park

Canyonlands

Warner Lake
Looking into Canyonlands National Park
Cicada Arch
Tiff beneath Cicada Arch
Cicada in Cicada Arch
Ravens about the forest

Conifer Tree Species

Utah juniper, Rocky Mountain juniper, two-needle pinyon pine, ponderosa pine, white fir, subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce, Douglas-fir

Flowering Tree Species

Gambel oak, quaking aspen, Fremont cottonwood, Utah serviceberry, bigtooth maple, manzanita, sagebrush

Explore More – Due to an administrative error in 1908, what was the misspelled name of La Sal National Forest (which was quickly corrected)?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

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