One of the most #spectacular areas managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has to be the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument in Utah, which spans nearly 1.9 million acres of America’s public lands. From its awe-inspiring Grand Staircase of cliffs and terraces, across the rugged Kaiparowits Plateau, to the wonders of the Escalante River Canyons, the Monument’s size, resources, and remote character provide extraordinary opportunities for geologists, paleontologists, archeologists, historians, and biologists in scientific research, education, and exploration.

Photo: Bob Wick, BLM

On an island amid towering spruce and hemlock, Sitka National Historical Park preserves the site of a watershed battle between invading Russian traders and indigenous Kiks.ádi Tlingit; park visitors are awed by Tlingit and Haida totem poles standing along the park’s scenic coastal trail; and the restored Russian Bishop’s House speaks of Russia’s little known colonial legacy in North America.

Three cheers to Sitka NP annual photo contest first place winner Ernest Manewal and his photo titled “Sitka National Historic Park and Tide Pools at Sunset.” A great photo if you ask us!

The Battle That Saved Missouri For The Union.

On March 7-8, 1862, 26,000 soldiers fought here to decide the fate of Missouri and the West.  The Pea Ridge National Military Park honors those who fought for their beliefs. Pea Ridge was one of the most pivotal Civil War battles and is the most intact Civil War battlefield in the United States.

Photo: National Park Service 

At Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, the first great gateway to the west, follow the buffalo, the Native American, the longhunter, the pioneer… all traveled this route through the mountains into the wilderness of Kentucky. Modern day explorers and travelers stand in awe at this great gateway and the many miles of trails and scenic features found in the park.

Photo: National Park Service