Sierra Club is reporting that public protected lands are a significant part of the United States' identity as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary. It said President Abraham Lincoln established the first federally protected places in 1864, setting aside Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley for public use. This legacy has since expanded to 640 million acres of federal public land, encompassing nearly one-third of the country.
The organization highlighted several national parks and monuments in a featured Sierra Magazine story. Yosemite National Park is noted for its famous waterfalls, valleys, viewpoints, sequoia groves, and destinations like El Capitan. Cuyahoga Valley National Park showcases five decades of conservation, transforming from an industrially polluted area to a thriving wetland, including Beaver Marsh. Acadia National Park is recognized for its dramatic meeting of mountains and sea and its sustainable approach, offering car-free exploration of granite peaks and historic carriage roads.
Virgin Islands National Park reminds that America's public lands extend beyond the continental U.S., covering nearly 60 percent of St. John Island with tropical forests, beaches, coral reefs, and ancient Taíno petroglyphs. Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument preserves dramatic volcanic hoodoos and towering white cliffs, alongside the Indigenous heritage and co-stewardship of the Cochiti Pueblo. Finally, Yakima River Canyon in Washington is featured as a 27-mile basalt canyon with a Blue Ribbon trout stream, dark skies for stargazing, and a high concentration of nesting raptors.