Wagon at Register Rock in City of Rocks National Reserve
California
Follow in the footsteps of over 250,000 emigrants who traveled to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s: the greatest mass migration in American history. The California National Historic Trail is over 5,000 miles
Explore the City
City Of Rocks
Described by California Trail emigrants as “a city of tall spires,” “steeple rocks,” and “the silent city,” this awe-inspiring landscape continues to captivate. Today, it beckons rock climbers, hikers, campers, hunters, and adventurers with its drama
Craters of the Moon features the largest young lava field in the lower 48 states, encompassing the entire Great Rift volcanic zone.
Craters Of The Moon
Craters of the Moon is a vast ocean of lava flows with scattered islands of cinder cones and sagebrush. We invite you to explore this "weird and scenic landscape" where yesterday's volcanic events are likely to continue tomorrow.
The Thousand Springs Visitor Center is the only place at the monument to see fossils.
Hagerman Fossil Beds
During the Pliocene, this place looked quite different. Lush wetlands, forests, and grasslands provided excellent habitat for a variety of animals. From fascinating, now-extinct creatures like the saber-toothed cat, mastodon, and ground sloth, to mor
Green Monarch Ridge by Lake Pend Oreille ID
Ice Age Floods
At the end of the last Ice Age, 18,000 to 15,000 years ago, an ice dam in northern Idaho created Glacial Lake Missoula stretching 3,000 square miles around Missoula, Montana. The dam burst and released flood waters across Washington, down the Columbi
Giant springs is a site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Site located in Great Falls, Montana
Lewis & Clark
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail winds nearly 4,900 miles through the homelands of more than 60 Tribal nations. It follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvani
Origami cranes twirl on a colorful carousel.
Minidoka
During World War II, over 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry were forcibly removed from their homes and incarcerated without due process of law. Although little remains of the barbed-wire fences and tar-papered barracks, the Minidoka concentration c
Every morning in the summer Rangers put a tipi on the front lawn of the visitor center. Visitors are always welcome to help.
Nez Perce
Since time immemorial, the valleys, prairies, mountains, and plateaus of the inland northwest have been home to the nimíipuu (Nez Perce) people. Extremely resilient, they survived the settling of the United States and adapted to a changed world. Nez
The Guernsey Ruts in Wyoming feature deeply eroded rock from wagon traffic.
Oregon
Imagine yourself an emigrant headed for Oregon: would promises of lush farmlands and a new beginning lure you to leave home and walk for weeks? More than 2,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen along the Oregon National Historic Trail
The bright colors found in Grand Prismatic Spring come from thermophiles—microorganisms that thrive in hot temperatures
Yellowstone
On March 1, 1872, Yellowstone became the first national park for all to enjoy the unique hydrothermal wonders. Today, millions of people come here each year to camp, hike, and enjoy the majesty of the park.