List of National Natural Landmarks in California

There are 37 National Natural Landmarks in California. ^[1]

Algodones Dunes

Amboy Crater

Anza-Borrego

Audubon Canyon

Año Nuevo State Park

Black Chasm Cave

Black Star Canyon

Burney Falls

Cima Dome

Cosumnes River Preserve

Emerald Bay State Park

Fish Slough

Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes

Irvine Ranch

Pygmy Forest

La Brea Tar Pits

Lake Shasta Caverns

Mitchell Caverns

Mount Diablo

Mount Shasta

Point Lobos

Rainbow Basin

Rancho La Brea

San Andreas Fault

San Felipe Creek

Tijuana River Estuary

Torrey Pines

Trona Pinnacles

Turtle Mountains (California)

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California National Natural Landmarks (clickable map)

Name	Image	Date	Location	County	Ownership	Description
Amboy Crater		May 1973	34°31′11.69″N115°43′26.92″W / 34.5199139°N 115.7241444°W / 34.5199139; -115.7241444	San Bernardino	Federal (Bureau of Land Management)	A 6,000-year-old volcanic cinder cone, made up of pahoehoe, just off historic U.S. Highway 66.
American River Bluffs and Phoenix Park Vernal Pools		1976	38°39′10.33″N121°12′59.95″W / 38.6528694°N 121.2166528°W / 38.6528694; -121.2166528	Sacramento	Federal (United States Bureau of Reclamation), state (California State Parks), and municipal (Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District)	Contains vernal pools, and blue oak woodlands. [2]
Año Nuevo State Reserve		1980	37°7′7.24″N122°18′24.02″W / 37.1186778°N 122.3066722°W / 37.1186778; -122.3066722	San Mateo	State (California Department of Parks and Recreation)	One of the largest mainland breeding grounds for the northern elephant seal. [3]
Anza-Borrego Desert		1974	33°14′57.38″N116°24′24.63″W / 33.2492722°N 116.4068417°W / 33.2492722; -116.4068417	Imperial, Riverside, San Diego	State (California Department of Parks and Recreation)	The largest desert state park in the nation. [4]
Audubon Canyon		1968	37°55′46.01″N122°40′55.85″W / 37.9294472°N 122.6821806°W / 37.9294472; -122.6821806	Marin	Private	The largest known nesting area for great blue herons and great and snowy egrets on the Pacific Coast. [5]
Black Chasm Cave	Black Chasm Cave	1976	38°26′3.4″N120°37′35.3″W / 38.434278°N 120.626472°W / 38.434278; -120.626472	Amador	Private	A small three-level cave containing a variety of speleothems and some of the best helictite formations in the western U.S. [6]
Burney Falls		1984	41°0′43.79″N121°39′7″W / 41.0121639°N 121.65194°W / 41.0121639; -121.65194	Shasta	State (California Department of Parks and Recreation)	Contains some of the best examples in the western United States of a river drainage regulated by stratigraphically controlled springs. [7]
Cinder Cone Natural Area		1973	35°17′21.95″N115°35′6.99″W / 35.2894306°N 115.5852750°W / 35.2894306; -115.5852750	San Bernardino	Federal (Mojave National Preserve)	A complex of over 20 large cinder cones of recent origin with extensive and continuous lava flows. [8]
Cosumnes River Riparian Woodlands		1976	38°15′56.57″N121°26′21.22″W / 38.2657139°N 121.4392278°W / 38.2657139; -121.4392278	Sacramento	Private, Federal, State, and County	A small remnant of a rapidly-disappearing riparian woodland community type that once formed a major part of the central valley. [9]
Deep Springs Marsh		1975	37°20′00″N118°01′03″W / 37.33333°N 118.01750°W / 37.33333; -118.01750	Inyo	Private	An example of increasingly rare desert marsh. [10]
Dixon Vernal Pools		1987	38°16′31.29″N121°49′25.49″W / 38.2753583°N 121.8237472°W / 38.2753583; -121.8237472	Solano	Private	The best example of valley needlegrass grassland in the central valley. [11]
Elder Creek		1964	39°43′32.04″N123°37′34.35″W / 39.7255667°N 123.6262083°W / 39.7255667; -123.6262083	Mendocino	State (University of California Natural Reserve System)	A largely undisturbed watershed containing large old stands of Douglas fir, broadleaf evergreens, and deciduous trees. [12]
Emerald Bay		1968	38°57′25.49″N120°5′36.3″W / 38.9570806°N 120.093417°W / 38.9570806; -120.093417	El Dorado	State (California Department of Parks and Recreation)	An outstanding example of glacial geology. [13]
Eureka Dunes		1983	37°5′45.6″N117°40′30″W / 37.096000°N 117.67500°W / 37.096000; -117.67500	Inyo	Federal (Death Valley National Park)	The tallest dune complex in the Great Basin. [14]
Fish Slough Area of Critical Environmental Concern		1975	37°28′8.69″N118°24′3.1″W / 37.4690806°N 118.400861°W / 37.4690806; -118.400861	Inyo, Mono	Mixed- federal (Bureau of Land Management), state, municipal	A large, essentially undisturbed, desert wetland that provides habitat for the alkali mariposa lily and the endangered Owens pupfish. [15]
Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes		1974	34°57′56.13″N120°39′1.24″W / 34.9655917°N 120.6503444°W / 34.9655917; -120.6503444	San Luis Obispo	Mixed- federal (Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge), state, private	A coastal dune tract with off-road vehicle recreation, a national wildlife refuge, beaches, and nesting for the western snowy plover. [16]
Imperial Sand Hills		1966	32°55′0″N115°3′0″W / 32.91667°N 115.05000°W / 32.91667; -115.05000	Imperial	Federal (Bureau of Land Management)	One of the largest dune patches in the United States. [17]
Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks		2006	33°43′53.4″N117°41′34.8″W / 33.731500°N 117.693000°W / 33.731500; -117.693000	Orange	Mixed- state, county, municipal	A remarkably complete stratigraphic succession ranging in age from late Cretaceous to the present. [18]
Lake Shasta Caverns		May 2012	40°48′16.2″N122°18′15.98″W / 40.804500°N 122.3044389°W / 40.804500; -122.3044389	Shasta	Private	A well-decorated Solutional cave that contains a diverse assemblage of calcite cave formations. [19]
Lanphere Dunes and Ma-le'l Dunes		2021		Humboldt	Federal (Bureau of Land Management, Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge)	Considered to be the largest and best quality sand dune ecosystems representing coastal dunes in the area. [20]
Miramar Mounds		1972	32°50′43″N117°8′19″W / 32.84528°N 117.13861°W / 32.84528; -117.13861	San Diego	Federal (Marine Corps Air Station Miramar)	Contains unique soil features called mima mounds, which are found in only three or four locations in the country, and vernal pools. [21]
Mitchell Caverns and Winding Stair Cave		1975	34°56′26.97″N115°30′51.97″W / 34.9408250°N 115.5144361°W / 34.9408250; -115.5144361	San Bernardino	State (California Department of Parks and Recreation)	Regarded as the most important solution caverns in the Mojave Desert. [22]
Mt. Diablo State Park		1982	37°52′37.75″N121°55′25.79″W / 37.8771528°N 121.9238306°W / 37.8771528; -121.9238306	Contra Costa	State (California Department of Parks and Recreation)	One of the few areas in the region where geologic strata of Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Tertiary age can be seen in an aggregate thickness of 42,000 feet (13,000 m). [23]
Mount Shasta		1976	41°24′35.6″N122°11′41.52″W / 41.409889°N 122.1948667°W / 41.409889; -122.1948667	Siskiyou	Federal (Shasta-Trinity National Forest)	One of the world's largest and most impressive stratovolcanoes, within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. [24]
Pixley Vernal Pools		1987	35°59′3.85″N119°12′45.04″W / 35.9844028°N 119.2125111°W / 35.9844028; -119.2125111	Tulare	Private	One of the few remaining natural vernal pools containing rare endemic crustacean species such as vernal pool fairy shrimp. [25]
Point Lobos		1967	36°31′1.56″N121°56′33.36″W / 36.5171000°N 121.9426000°W / 36.5171000; -121.9426000	Monterey	State (California Department of Parks and Recreation)	An outstanding example of terrestrial and marine environments in close association, and the only known habitat of Monterey cypress and variegated brodiaea. [26]
Pygmy Forest at Jug Handle State Natural Reserve		1969 1973	39°22′29.3″N123°47′22.15″W / 39.374806°N 123.7894861°W / 39.374806; -123.7894861	Mendocino	State (California Department of Parks and Recreation)	Includes a five step ecological staircase on which a unique forest of low, stunted trees and shrubs is located. [27]
Rainbow Basin		1966	35°1′46″N117°2′12″W / 35.02944°N 117.03667°W / 35.02944; -117.03667	San Bernardino	Federal (Bureau of Land Management)	Deep erosion canyons with rugged rims with fossil evidence of insects and Miocene mammals. [28]
La Brea Tar Pits (Rancho La Brea)		1964	34°3′46.62″N118°21′21.49″W / 34.0629500°N 118.3559694°W / 34.0629500; -118.3559694	Los Angeles	Municipal (City of Los Angeles)	Site of the world-famous natural asphalt tar pits. [29]
San Andreas Fault		1965		San Benito	Private	One of the best illustrations of earth displacement caused by small crustal movements. [30]
San Felipe Creek Area		1974	33°10′11″N115°49′19″W / 33.16972°N 115.82194°W / 33.16972; -115.82194	Imperial, San Diego	Federal (Bureau of Land Management), state (California Department of Fish and Wildlife)	A marsh containing probably the last remaining perennial natural desert stream in the Colorado Desert region. [31]
Sand Ridge Wildflower Preserve		1984	35°18′31.26″N118°47′24.29″W / 35.3086833°N 118.7900806°W / 35.3086833; -118.7900806	Kern	Private	A remnant natural area displaying a great diversity of floral species including the Bakersfield cactus. [32]
Sharktooth Hill		1976	35°26′30.57″N118°56′26.18″W / 35.4418250°N 118.9406056°W / 35.4418250; -118.9406056	Kern	Private	One of the most abundant, diverse and well- preserved fossil marine vertebrate sites in the world. [33]
Tijuana River Estuary		1973	32°33′7.2″N117°7′9.59″W / 32.552000°N 117.1193306°W / 32.552000; -117.1193306	San Diego	Federal (Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve), state, municipal	One of the finest remaining saltwater marshes on the California coastline. [34]
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve		1977	32°54′59.58″N117°14′58.7″W / 32.9165500°N 117.249639°W / 32.9165500; -117.249639	San Diego	State (California Department of Parks and Recreation)	Contains a natural Torrey pine forest, high bluffs and sea cliffs, and endangered bird species. [35]
Trona Pinnacles		1967	35°37′3.81″N117°22′5.08″W / 35.6177250°N 117.3680778°W / 35.6177250; -117.3680778	San Bernardino	Federal (Bureau of Land Management)	A relict landform from the Pleistocene containing unique formations of calcium carbonate. [36]
Turtle Mountain		1973	34°19′5.53″N114°51′7.28″W / 34.3182028°N 114.8520222°W / 34.3182028; -114.8520222	San Bernardino	Federal (Bureau of Land Management), state	Contains two mountain sections of entirely different composition. [37]

See also

• List of National Historic Landmarks in California

References

1. "National Natural Landmarks Program, California". National Park Service. Retrieved January 4, 2013.
2. "American River Bluffs and Phoenix Park Vernal Pools". www.nps.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
3. "Año Nuevo State Reserve". CA State Parks. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
4. "Anza-Borrego Desert State Park". www.nps.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
5. "Audubon Canyon Ranch". www.nps.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
6. "Black Chasm Cave". www.nps.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
7. "Burney Falls". www.nps.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
8. "Cinder Cone Natural Area". www.nps.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
9. "Cosumnes River Preserve Visitor Center | BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT". www.blm.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
10. "Deep Springs Marsh". www.nps.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
11. "Dixon Vernal Pools". www.nps.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
12. "Elder Creek". www.nps.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
13. "Emerald Bay". www.nps.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
14. "Eureka Dunes - Death Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
15. "Fish Slough Area of Critical Environmental Concern". www.blm.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
16. "Nipomo Dunes-Point Sal Coastal Area". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
17. "Imperial Sand Hills". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
18. "Irvine Ranch". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
19. "Lake Shasta Caverns". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
20. "High Plateaus, Smelly Caverns, and Coastal Dunes, Meet the Nation's Newest Natural Landmarks (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
21. "Miramar Mounds". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
22. "Mitchell Caverns and Winding Stair Cave". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
23. "Mount Diablo". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
24. "Mount Shasta". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
25. "Pixley Vernal Pools". CNLM. May 22, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
26. "Point Lobos State Reserve". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
27. "Jug Handle Ecological Staircase Trail - Mendocino Land Trust - 2017". Mendocino Land Trust 2017. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
28. "Rainbow Basin". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
29. "Rancho La Brea". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
30. "San Andreas Fault". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
31. "San Felipe Creek Area". www.nps.gov. Archived from the original on October 2, 2017. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
32. "Sand Ridge". CNLM. December 7, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
33. Choi, Charles Q. (June 9, 2009). "Vast Bed of Ancient Bones and Shark Teeth Explained". Live Science. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
34. "Tijuana River Estuary". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
35. "Torrey Pines State Reserve". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
36. "Trona Pinnacles". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
37. "Turtle Mountaoins Wilderness". www.nps.gov. Retrieved October 2, 2017.