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National & State Parks Monumental Thrills Five superlative rivals to our national parks By Amy Marr
GREATEST CANYON VIEWS Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument Arizona With much of the same grandeur as Grand Canyon National Park, this 1,054,264-acre monument adjacent to the North Rim encompasses the remote lower portion of the Shivwits Plateau.
Choice Adventure: Hike the two-mile trail up 8,028-foot Mount Trumbull for sublime Grand Canyon views. Base Camp: Stay at wilderness campsites for up to 14 days without a permit. 435-688-3246, www.az.blm.gov/parashant/parashant.htm MOST VARIED TERRAIN Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Oregon This 52,947-acre monument, where the Siskiyou Mountains intersect with the Cascades—old-growth groves of Douglas fir and sugar pine meet sagebrush-dotted desert—is a mélange of landscapes. Choice Adventure: Trout-fish in Jenny Creek, surrounded by willows and ponderosas. Base Camp: The Hyatt Lake campground (sites starting at $12 per night) even has its own fish-cleaning station. 541-618-2200, www.or.blm.gov/csnm BIGGEST NATURAL SANDBOX White Sands National Monument New Mexico This is the world's largest gypsum dune field—a 275-square-mile yucca-studded sea of snow-white dunes, some as high as 60 feet. Choice Adventure: Hike the dunes on the 4.6-mile Alkali Flat Trail. Base Camp: The Good Life Inn Bed and Breakfast (505-682-5433, www.goodlifeinn.com), near Alamogordo, has rooms for $120–$170. 505-679-2599, www.nps.gov/whsa MOST UNUSUAL WILDLIFE COLLECTION Carrizo Plain National Monument California On the arid Carrizo Plain, this 250,000-acre monument shelters 15 plant and animal species listed as threatened or endangered. Choice Adventure: Watch for California condors and San Joaquin kit foxes as you hike the eight-mile Caliente Mountain Ridge Trail. Base Camp: Stay at one of two free primitive campgrounds. 805-475-2131, www.ca.blm.gov/bakersfield/carrizoplain.html MOST OTHERWORLDLY Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve Idaho At the center of this 750,000-acre playland for geology nuts lies the Great Rift, a 60-mile-long crack in the earth's crust with a perfectly preserved volcanic landscape. Choice Adventure: Explore lava flows and lava tubes on the four-mile Wilderness Trail. Base Camp: Stay at the 52-unit campground near the visitor center for $10 per site. 208-527-3257, www.nps.gov/crmo
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