National Natural Landmark Site Designations

Cheers to 50 Years!

Celebrate Golden Anniversaries!

Recent Designations

• 

  Massachusetts - December 2024

  Nantucket Barrier Beach

  Nantucket Barrier Beach and Wildlife Refuge was designated in December 2024. Learn more about this NNL.

• 

  Texas - July 2024

  Independence Creek Preserve

  Independence Creek Preserve in Texas was designated in 2024. Learn more about this site.

• 

  New York & Colorado - December 2023

  John Boyd Thacher & Glenwood Springs

  John Boyd Thacher State Park, NY and Glenwood Caverns & Iron Mountain Hot Springs, CO were designated in 2023. Learn more about these sites.

• 

  WV, VA, CO

  Bear Rocks, Ma-le'l Dunes & Sulphur Cave

  Learn more about Bear Rocks and Allegheny Front Preserve, WV, Lanphere and Ma-le'l Dunes, CA, and Sulphur Cave and Springs, CO.

NNL Site Designations by Year

2024

• Nantucket Barrier Beach and Wildlife Refuge, MA

View the Press Release for the designation.
Learn more in the article Nantucket Barrier Beach and Wildlife Refuge: A New National Natural Landmark

• Independence Creek Preserve, TX

View the Press Release for the designation.
Learn more in the article Southern Texas Desert Oasis

2023

• Glenwood Caverns and Iron Mountain Hot Springs, CO

• John Boyd Thacher State Park, NY

View the Press Release for these designations.
Learn more in the article New Landmarks Reveal Stories Millions of Years in the Making, Below and Above Ground

2021

• Bear Rocks and Allegheny Front Preserve, WV

• Lanphere and Ma-le'l Dunes, CA

• Sulphur Cave and Spring, CO

View the Press Release for these designations
Learn more in the article High Plateaus, Smelly Caverns, and Coastal Dunes, Meet the Nation’s Newest Natural Landmarks

2016

• West Bijou Site, CO

• Mount Howard-East Peak, OR

2014

• Albany Pine Bush, NY

2013

• Garden Park Fossil Area, CO (boundary expansion)

• Wade Tract Preserve, GA

• Zumwalt Prairie, OR

2012

• Big Spring Creek, CO

• Ice Mountain, WV

• Lake Shasta Caverns, CA

2011

• Barfoot Park, AZ

• Hanging Lake, CO

• Kahlotus Ridgetop, WA

• Morrison-Golden Fossil Areas, CO (a boundary expansion of the original Morrison Fossil Area)

• Round Top Butte, OR

• The Island, OR

2009

• Big Bone Lick, KY

• Cave Without A Name, TX

• Chazy Fossil Reef, NY/VT

• Nottingham Park Serpentine Barrens, PA

2006

• Irvine Ranch, CA

• Ashfall Fossil Beds, NE

1989

• Archbold Biological Station, FL

• Mount Monadnock, NH

• Nancy Brook Virgin Spruce Forest and Scenic Area, NH

• Willamette Floodplain, OR

• Red Mountain Expressway Cut, AL

• Markham Prairie, IL

• Cold Water Cave, IA

• Creelsboro Natural Bridge, KY

• Mt. Greylock Old Growth Spruce, MA

• Dissected Loess Plains, NE

• Montpelier Forest, VA

• Cave of Mounds, WI

• Dixie Vernal Pools, CA

1987

• Nay Aug Park Gorge and Waterfall, PA

1986

• Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve, IL

• Hanging Rock and Wabash Reef, IN

• Loess Hills, IA

• St. Phillips Island, SC

• Davis Canyon, WA

• Big Oak Tree, MO

• Boulder Park and McNeil Canyon Haystack Rocks, WA

• Drumheller Channels, WA

• Sims Corner Eskers and Kame Complex, WA

• The Great Gravel Bar of Moses Coulee, WA

• Withrow Moraine and Jameson Lake Drumlin Field, WA

1984

• Appleton Bog Atlantic White Cedar Stand, ME

• No. 5 Bog and Jack Pine Stand, ME

• Burney Falls, CA

• Sand Ridge Wildflower Preserve, CA

• Marengo Cave, IN

• Nebraska Sand Hills, NE

• Lawrence Memorial Grassland Preserve, OR

• Rose Creek Preserve, WA

• Sand Creek, WY

• Porcupine Mountain, MI

1983

• Eureka Dunes, CA

• Palisades of The Hudson, NJ

• Salyer's Ridge Natural Area, NC

• Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge, OK

• Catfish Creek, TX

1982

• Cathedral Pines, CT

• Rhododendron Natural Area, NH

• Mathers Natural Area, NM

• Little Blanco River Bluff, TX

• Mt. Diablo State Park, CA

1980

• Bell Smith Springs, IL

• Busse Forest Nature Preserve, IL

• Giant City Geological Area, IL

• Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, IL

• Little Grand Canyon Area, IL

• Lusk Creek Canyon, IL

• Fern Cliff, IN

• Harrison Spring, IN

• Keeley Creek Natural Area, MN

• Border Hills Structural Zone, NM

• Bueyeros Shortgrass Plains, NM

• Rio Abajo Forest, Puerto Rico

• Lost Maples State Natural Area, TX

• Coki Point Cliffs, U.S. Virgin Islands

• Lagoon Point, U.S. Virgin Islands

• Salt River Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands

• Vagthus Point, U.S. Virgin Islands

• West End Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands

• Roxborough State Park, CO

• Carrying Place Cove Bog, ME

• Cold River Virgin Forest, MA

• Muskeget Island, MA

• White Lake Pitch Pine, NH

• Hook Mountain and Nyack Beach State Park, NY

• Long Beach, Orient State Park, NY

• Bear Island, NC

• Goose Creek State Park Natural Area, NC

• Baño de Oro Natural Area, Puerto Rico

• Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico

• Hobo Cedar Grove Botanical Area, ID

• Año Nuevo Point and Island, CA

• Heggie's Rock, GA

• Panola Mountain, GA

• Big Springs, ID

• Gilpin's Falls, MD

• Medicine Lake Site, MT

• Square Butte, MT

• Bitter Lake Group, NM

• Orbicular Diorite, NC

• Puerto Mosquito, Puerto Rico

• Buffalo Slough, SD

• Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, SD

• Bayside Resaca Area, TX

• High Plains Natural Area, TX

• Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, TX

• Green Cay, U.S. Virgin Islands

• Sandy Point, U.S. Virgin Islands

• Big Hollow, WY

• Red Canyon, WY

• Baldwin Woods, KS

• Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, TX

• Crater Rings, ID

• Niagara Springs, ID

• North Menan Butte, ID

• Lower Cache River Swamp, IL

• Roscommon Virgin Pine Stand, MI

• Lac La Croix Research Natural Area, MN

• Pine Point Research Natural Area, MN

• Greer Spring, MO

• Maple Woods Natural Area, MO

• Onondaga Cave, MO

• Tumbling Creek Cave, MO

• Fischer Lake, ND

• Highbanks Natural Area, OH

• Serpent Mound Cryptoexplosive Structure, OH

• Monroe Border Fault, PA

• Gifford Woods, VT

• Mount Mansfield Natural Area, VT

• Grand Ronde Feeder Dikes, WA

• Grande Ronde Goosenecks, WA

• Umtanum Ridge Water Gap, WA

• Wallula Gap, WA

• Avoca River-Bottom Prairie, WI

• Baraboo Range, WI

• Bose Lake Hemlock Hardwoods, WI

• Moquah Barrens Research Natural Area, WI

• Point Beach Ridges, WI

1979

• Indian Springs Trace Fossil Site, CO

• Big Basin Preserve, KS

• Francis Beidler Forest, SC

• Stevens Creek Natural Area, SC

• Virginia Coast Reserve, VA

1977

• Torrey Pines State Reserve, CA

• Beckley Bog, CT

• The Hermitage, ME

• Long Green Creek and Sweathouse Branch, MD

• North and South Rivers, MA

• Middle Fork Canyon, MT

• Neffs Canyon Cave, UT

1976

• Iliamna Volcano, AK

• Redoubt Volcano, AK

• Comb Ridge, AZ

• American River Bluffs and Phoenix Park Vernal Pools, CA

• Black Chasm Cave, CA

• Cosumnes River Riparian Woodlands, CA

• Spanish Peaks, CO

• Rock City, KS

• Red River Gorge, KY

• Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, NE

• Manahawkin Bottomland Hardwood Forest, NJ

• Ghost Ranch, NM

• Fort Rock State Monument, OR

• Newberry Crater, OR

• John De La Howe Forest, SC

• Bijou Hills, SD

• Sharktooth Hill, CA

• Big Hammock Natural Area, GA

• Ebenezer Creek Swamp, GA

• Bienville Pines Scenic Area, MS

• Green Ash-Overcup Oak-Sweetgum Research Natural Areas, MS

• Harrell Prairie Hill, MS

• Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, MT

• Moss Island, NY

• Cathedral Spires and Limber Pine Natural Area, SD

• Palo Duro Canyon State Park, TX

• Torreya State Park, FL

• Waccasassa Bay State Preserve, FL

• Sheep Rock, ID

• Capitol Rock, MT

• Pigeon Swamp, NJ

• William L. Hutcheson Memorial Forest, NJ

1975

• Deep Springs Marsh, CA

• Fish Slough, CA

• Mitchell Caverns And Winding Stair Cave, CA

• Russell Lakes, CO

• Hagerman Fauna Sites, ID

• Anderson Goose Lake, IA

• Dewey's Pasture And Smith's Slough, IA

• Rock Creek Research Natural Area, KY

• Bigelow Mountain, ME

• New Gloucester Black Gum Stand, ME

• Cedar Creek Natural History Area-Allison Savanna, MN

• Upper Red Lake Peatland, MN

• Golden Prairie, MO

• Pickle Springs, MO

• Taberville Prairie, MO

• Tucker Prairie, MO

• Wegener Woods, MO

• Kilbourne Hole, NM

• Ship Rock, NM

• Valles Caldera, NM

• Rush Lake, ND

• Sibley Lake, ND

• Mona and Monito Islands, Puerto Rico

• Cottonwood Slough-Dry Run, SD

• Lake Thompson, SD

• Red Lake, SD

• Greenwood Canyon, TX

• Little Rockies, UT

• Kickapoo River Natural Area, WI

1974

• Beaverdam Creek Swamp, AL

• Dismals, AL

• Mobile-Tensaw River Bottomlands, AL

• Onyx Cave, AZ

• Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, CA

• Nipomo Dunes-Point Sal Coastal Area, CA

• San Felipe Creek Area, CA

• Camp E. F. Boyd Natural Area, GA

• Lewis Island Tract, GA

• Cassia Silent City Of Rocks, ID

• Funks Grove, IL

• LaRue-Pine Hills Ecological Area, IL

• Hoosier Prairie, IN

• Pioneer Mothers Memorial Forest, IN

• Shrader-Weaver Woods, IN

• Henderson Sloughs, KY

• Hawley Bog, MA

• Dukes Research Natural Area, MI

• Fort Stanton Cave, NM

• Torgac Cave, NM

• Iona Island Marsh, NY

• Green Swamp, NC

• Long Hope Creek Spruce Bog, NC

• Mount Jefferson State Natural Area, NC

• Mount Mitchell State Park, NC

• Nags Head Woods and Jockey's Ridge, NC

• Piedmont Beech Natural Area, NC

• Pilot Mountain, NC

• Stone Mountain, NC

• Ell Pond, RI

• Congaree River Swamp, SC

• May Prairie, TN

• Piney Falls, TN

• December 1974

• Canelo Hills Cienega, AZ

• Big Lake Natural Area, AR

• White River Sugarberry Natural Area, AR

• Devil's Millhopper, FL

• Emeralda Marsh, FL

• Osceola Research Natural Area, FL

• Paynes Prairie, FL

• San Felasco Hammock, FL

• Okefenokee Swamp, GA

• Cabin Creek Raised Bog, IN

• Calvert and Porter Woods Nature Preserve, IN

• Davis-Purdue Agricultural Center Forest, IN

• Dunes Nature Preserve, IN

• Officer's Woods, IN

• Rocky Hollow-Falls Canyon Nature Preserve, IN

• Belt Woods, MD

• Cupola Pond, MO

• Arthur B. Williams Memorial Woods, OH

• Blacklick Woods, OH

• Crall Woods, OH

• Fort Hill State Memorial, OH

• Goll Woods, OH

• Hazelwood Botanical Preserve, OH

• Devil's Canyon, OK

• McCurtain County Wilderness Area, OK

• Reynolds Spring and Algerine Swamp Bogs, PA

• Tannersville Cranberry Bog, PA

• Arnold Engineering Development Center Natural Areas, TN

• Caledon Natural Area, VA

• Charles C. Steirly Natural Area, VA

• Rich Hole, VA

• Big Run Bog, WV

• Blister Run Swamp, WV

• Canaan Valley, WV

• Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, WV

• Fisher Spring Run Bog, WV

• Gaudineer Scenic Area, WV

• Shavers Mountain Spruce-Hemlock Stand, WV

1973

• Amboy Crater, CA

• Cinder Cone Natural Area, CA

• Tijuana River Estuary, CA

• Turtle Mountains Natural Area, CA

• Bingham Pond Bog, CT

• Chester Cedar Swamp, CT

• Pachaug-Great Meadow Swamp, CT

• Portland Arch Nature Preserve, IN

• Colby-Marston Preserve, ME

• Crystal Bog, ME

• Orono Bog, ME

• Passadumkeag Marsh and Boglands, ME

• Penney Pond-Joe Pond Complex, ME

• Ichthyosaur Site, NV

• Lunar Crater, NV

• Timber Mountain Caldera, NV

• Bear Swamp, NY

• Big Reed Pond, NY

• Dexter Marsh, NY

• Lakeview Marsh and Barrier Beach, NY

• McLean Bogs, NY

• Montezuma Marshes, NY

• Moss Lake Bog, NY

• Oak Orchard Creek Marsh, NY

• Round Lake, NY

• Thompson Pond, NY

• Zurich Bog, NY

• Hearts Content Scenic Area, PA

• Tionesta Scenic and Research Natural Areas, PA

• Dick Cove, TN

• McAnulty's Woods, TN

• Barton River Marsh, VT

• Franklin Bog, VT

• Little Otter Creek Marsh, VT

• Molly Bog, VT

• Germany Valley Karst Area, WV

• Newsome Sinks Karst Area, AL

• Pixley Vernal Pools, CA

• Garden Park Fossil Area, CO

• Morrison-Golden Fossil Areas, CO

• McLean Game Refuge Natural Areas, CT

• Hemmer Woods, IN

• Hoot Woods, IN

• Kramer Woods, IN

• Meltzer Woods, IN

• Tamarack Bog Nature Preserve, IN

• Wesselman Park Woods, IN

• Strangmoor Bog, MI

• Bridger Fossil Area, MT

• Cloverly Formation Site, MT

• Big Bone Cave, TN

• Cedar Glades Natural Area, TN

• Conley Hole, TN

• Cumberland Cavern (Higginbotham and Henshaw Caves), TN

• Grassy Cove Karst Area, TN

• Lost Sea (Craighead Caverns), TN

• Cornwall Swamp, VT

• Butler Cave-Breathing Cave, VA

• Grand Caverns, VA

• Luray Caverns, VA

• Greenville Saltpeter Cave, WV

• Lost World Caverns, WV

• Organ Cave System, WV

• Sinnett-Thorn Mountain Cave System, WV

• Abraham's Woods, WI

• Cedarburg Bog, WI

• Chippewa River Bottoms, WI

• Chiwaukee Prairie, WI

• Finnerud Forest Scientific Area, WI

• Flambeau River Hemlock-Hardwood Forest, WI

• Kakagon Sloughs, WI

• Spruce Lake Bog, WI

• Summerton Bog, WI

• Wyalusing Hardwood Forest, WI

1972

• Cathedral Caverns, AL

• Mammoth Spring, AR

• Miramar Mounds, CA

• Cason J. Callaway Memorial Forest, GA

• Makalawena Marsh, HI

• Donaldson Cave System and Woods, IN

• Rise at Orangeville, IN

• Tolliver Swallowhole, IN

• Wesley Chapel Gulf, IN

• Wyandotte Cave, IN

• Acushnet Cedar Swamp, MA

• Fannie Stebbins Refuge, MA

• Lynnfield Marsh, MA

• Poutwater Pond, MA

• Mark Twain and Cameron Caves, MO

• Marvel Cave, MO

• East Inlet Natural Area, NH

• Floating Island, NH

• Heath Pond Bog, NH

• Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge, NH

• Spruce Hole Bog, NH

• Hart's Woods, NY

• Great Dismal Swamp, VA

• Aunu'u Island, American Samoa

• Cape Taputapu, American Samoa

• Fogama'a Crater, American Samoa

• Le'ala Shoreline, American Samoa

• Matafao Peak, American Samoa

• Rainmaker Mountain, American Samoa

• Vai'ava Strait, American Samoa

• Facpi Point, Guam

• Fouha Point, Guam

• Mount Lamlam, Guam

• Puntan Dos Amantes, Guam

• ʻĪao Valley, HI

• Ko‘olau Range Pali, HI

• Mauna Kea, HI

• North Shore Cliffs, HI

• Heron Pond-Little Black Slough Natural Area, IL

• Horseshoe Lake Nature Preserve, IL

• Mississippi Palisades, IL

• Volo Bog Nature Preserve, IL

• Wauconda Bog Nature Preserve, IL

• Hot Creek Springs and Marsh, NV

• Ruby Marsh, NV

• Ferncliff Wildflower and Wildlife Preserve, PA

• Hemlocks Natural Area, PA

• McConnell's Mill State Park, PA

1971

• Kanahā Pond, HI

• Lilley Cornett Woods, KY

• Grand Gulf, MO

• Franconia Notch, NH

• Riker Hill Fossil Site, NJ

• Crown Point, OR

• Savage Gulf, TN

• Nisqually Delta, WA

• Point Of Arches, WA

1970

• Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Sanctuary, AZ

• Allerton Natural Area, IL

• Madison Boulder, NH

• Moggy Hollow Natural Area, NJ

• Sunfish Pond, NJ

• Fall Brook Gorge, NY

1969

• Pygmy Forest, CA

• Baker University Wetlands, KS

• Sugar Loaf Mountain, MD

• Grants Lava Flow, NM

1968

• Arrigetch Peaks, AK

• Clarence Rhode National Wildlife Range, AK

• Malaspina Glacier, AK

• McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, AK

• Simeonof National Wildlife Refuge, AK

• Unga Island, AK

• Walker Lake, AK

• Walrus Islands, AK

• Worthington Glacier, AK

• Audubon Canyon Ranch, CA

• Emerald Bay, CA

• Dinosaur Trackway, CT

• Lignumvitae Key, FL

• Diamond Head, HI

• Great Rift System, ID

• Big Walnut Creek, IN

• Pine Hills Natural Area, IN

• Monument Rocks Natural Area, KS

• Gulf Hagas, ME

• Grand Mere Lakes, MI

• Valley Of Fire, NV

• Cranberry Bog, OH

• Lake Lacawac, PA

• Pine Creek Gorge, PA

• Susquehanna Water Gaps, PA

• The Glens Natural Area, PA

• Attwater Prairie Chicken Preserve, TX

• Dinosaur Valley, TX

• Camel's Hump, VT

1967

• Aniakchak Crater, AK

• Bogoslof Island, AK

• Lake George, AK

• Mount Veniaminof, AK

• Shishaldin Volcano, AK

• Barringer Meteor Crater, AZ

• Grapevine Mesa Joshua Trees, AZ

• Point Lobos State Reserve, CA

• Trona Pinnacles, CA

• Raton Mesa, CO

• Reed Wilderness Seashore Sanctuary, FL

• Wassaw Island, GA

• White Pine Hollow Preserve, IA

• Mount Katahdin, ME

• Warren Woods Natural Area, MI

• Great Falls of Paterson-Garret Mountain, NJ

• Troy Meadows, NJ

• Deer Lick Nature Sanctuary, NY

• Ellenville Fault-Ice Caves, NY

• Fossil Coral Reef, NY

• Ironsides Island, NY

• Mendon Ponds Park, NY

• Petrified Gardens, NY

• Smith Island, NC

• Brown's Lake Bog, OH

• Buzzardroost Rock-Lynx Prairie-The Wilderness, OH

• Cedar Bog, OH

• Clear Fork Gorge, OH

• Clifton Gorge, OH

• Dysart Woods, OH

• Glacial Grooves State Memorial, OH

• Holden Natural Areas, OH

• Hueston Woods, OH

• Tinkers Creek Gorge, OH

• Horse Ridge Natural Area, OR

• Box Huckleberry Site, PA

• Cook Forest, PA

• Hickory Run Boulder Field, PA

• Presque Isle, PA

• Snyder-Middleswarth Natural Area, PA

• Fort Randall Eagle Roost, SD

• Sica Hollow, SD

• Snake Butte, SD

• Lake Willoughby Natural Area, VT

• Ridges Sanctuary-Toft's Point-Mud Lake Area, WI

1966

• Willcox Playa, AZ

• Imperial Sand Hills, CA

• Rainbow Basin, CA

• Lost Creek Scenic Area, CO

• Big Cypress Bend, FL

• Wakulla Springs, FL

• Marshall Forest, GA

• Ohio Coral Reef (Falls of the Ohio), IN

• Monhegan Island, ME

• Ancient River Warren Channel, MN

• Chestnut Oak Disjunct, MS

• Bug Creek Fossil Area, MT

• Glacial Lake Missoula, MT

• Hell Creek Fossil Area, MT

• Great Swamp, NJ

• John Day Fossil Beds, OR

• Reelfoot Lake, TN

• Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, TX

• Joshua Tree Natural Area, UT

• Mima Mounds, WA

• Como Bluff, WY

• Crooked Creek Natural Area, WY

1965

• Kaibab Squirrel Area, AZ

• Ramsey Canyon, AZ

• San Andreas Fault, CA

• Slumgullion Earthflow, CO

• Summit Lake, CO

• Forest of The Wabash, IL

• Cowles Bog, IN

• Pinhook Bog, IN

• Cayler Prairie, IA

• Hayden Prairie, IA

• Battle Creek Cypress Swamp, MD

• Gay Head Cliffs, MA

• Itasca Natural Area, MN

• Lake Agassiz Peatlands Natural Area, MN

• Mississippi Petrified Forest, MS

• Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary, NJ

• Two-Top Mesa And Big Top Mesa, ND

• Glen Helen Natural Area, OH

• Bear Meadows Natural Area, PA

• Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, PA

• John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, PA

• Bear Butte, SD

• Caverns Of Sonora, TX

• Odessa Meteor Crater, TX

• Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, UT

• Seashore Natural Area, VA

• Ginkgo Petrified Forest, WA

• Grand Coulee, WA

• Steptoe and Kamiak Buttes, WA

• Cathedral Park, WV

• Two Ocean Pass, WY

1964

• Elder Creek, CA

• Rancho La Brea, CA

• Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, FL

• Cranesville Swamp Nature Sanctuary, MD

• Fontenelle Forest, NE

• Bergen-Byron Swamp, NY

• Mianus River Gorge, NY

• Mentor Marsh, OH

• Wissahickon Valley, PA