Protected areas of California

Protected environmental areas of California, US

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According to the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD), in the state of California, United States, there are over 14,000 inventoried protected areas administered by public agencies and non-profits. In addition, there are private conservation areas and other easements.[1] They include almost one-third of California's scenic coastline, including coastal wetlands, estuaries, beaches, and dune systems. The California State Parks system alone has 270 units and covers 1.3 million acres (5,300 km2), with over 280 miles (450 km) of coastline, 625 miles (1,006 km) of lake and river frontage, nearly 18,000 campsites, and 3,000 miles (5,000 km) of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails.

Obtaining an accurate total of all protected land in California and elsewhere is a complex task. Many parcels have inholdings, private lands within the protected areas, which may or may not be accounted for when calculating total area. Also, occasionally one parcel of land is included in two or more inventories. Over 90% of Yosemite National Park for example, is listed both as wilderness by the National Wilderness Preservation System, and as national park land by the National Park Service. The Cosumnes River Preserve is an extreme example, owned and managed by a handful of public agencies and private landowners, including the Bureau of Land Management, the County of Sacramento and The Nature Conservancy. Despite the difficulties, the CPAD gives the total area of protected land at 49,294,000 acres (199,490 km2), or 47.05% of the state (not including easements); a considerable amount for the most populous state in the country.

## National Park System

[edit]

Main articles: List of areas in the National Park System of the United States, List of National Parks of the United States, and List of National Monuments of the United States

The U.S. National Park System controls a large and diverse group of California parks, monuments, recreation areas and other units which in total exceed 6,240,000 acres (25,300 km2).[2] The best known is Yosemite National Park, noted for several iconic natural features including Yosemite Falls, El Capitan and Half Dome, which is displayed on the reverse side of the California state quarter. Other prominent parks are the Kings Canyon-Sequoia National Park complex, Redwood National Park, Channel Islands National Park, Joshua Tree National Park and the largest, Death Valley National Park. The NPS also administers the Manzanar National Historic Site in Inyo County.

### National parks

[edit]

Main article: National parks in California

* Channel Islands National Park
* Death Valley National Park
* Joshua Tree National Park
* Kings Canyon National Park
* Lassen Volcanic National Park
* Pinnacles National Park
* Redwood National Park
* Sequoia National Park
* Yosemite National Park

| Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park

|

### National monuments

[edit]

(administered by the NPS)

* Cabrillo National Monument
* Castle Mountains National Monument
* César E. Chávez National Monument
* Devils Postpile National Monument
* Lava Beds National Monument
* Muir Woods National Monument
* Mojave Trails National Monument
* San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
* Sand to Snow National Monument
* World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument

| Old-growth forest at Muir Woods National Monument

### National recreation areas

[edit]

* Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
* Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
* Golden Gate National Recreation Area

|  Yucca plant near coast of Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

### National seashores

[edit]

* Point Reyes National Seashore

| Palomarin Beach at Point Reyes National Seashore

### National preserves

[edit]

* Mojave National Preserve

| Castle Peaks in Mojave National Preserve

## National Landscape Conservation System

[edit]

Main article: National Landscape Conservation System

The Bureau of Land Management’s National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) includes over 850 federally recognized areas and in California, manages 15,500,000 acres (63,000 km2) of public lands, nearly 15% of the state's land area.[3] The National Landscape Conservation System is composed of several types of units: national monuments (distinct from the same-named units within the National Park System), national conservation areas, forest reserves, outstanding natural areas, national scenic and historic trails, wilderness, wilderness study areas, and others.

### National monuments

[edit]

(administered by the BLM)

* Berryessa Snow Mountain (also administered by the Mendocino National Forest)
* California Coastal
* Carrizo Plain
* Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains

| Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains |

### National conservation areas

[edit]

* California Desert
* King Range

| King Range Wilderness

|
|
|

### Forest reserves

[edit]

* Headwaters Forest

| Headwaters Forest |

### Outstanding natural areas

[edit]

* Piedras Blancas Historic Light Station

| Piedras Blancas Historic Light Station

### National scenic and historic trails

[edit]

* California National Historic Trail
* Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
* Old Spanish National Historic Trail
* Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

| Golden Trout Wilderness along the Pacific Crest Trail |

### Wilderness and wilderness study areas

[edit]

Total BLM-managed wilderness land in California is 3,725,230 acres (15,075.5 km2).[4]

| Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness

## National Marine Sanctuaries

[edit]

Main article: United States National Marine Sanctuary

Sanderlings at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

The National Marine Sanctuary System is managed by the Office of Marine Sanctuaries, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
California has four of the thirteen U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries:

* Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
* Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
* Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
* Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary \- one of the largest in the world at 5,300 square miles (14,000 km2).[5]

## National Wildlife Refuges

[edit]

Main article: National Wildlife Refuge

National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is an extensive system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants. Many of the state's refuges are important stops and destinations for millions of migrating birds along the Pacific Flyway corridor. One, the Butte Sink Wildlife Management Area, has the highest density of waterfowl in the world.[6] There are 38 units in the refuge system in California, including both wildlife refuges and wildlife management areas, divided into 9 different regional areas. Combined the areas equal about 440,000 acres (1,800 km2).

### Hopper Mountain NWR Complex

[edit]

* Bitter Creek NWR
* Blue Ridge NWR
* Hopper Mountain NWR
* Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes NWR

| Bobcat at the Blue Ridge National Wildlife Refuge |

### San Diego NWR Complex

[edit]

* San Diego NWR
* San Diego Bay NWR
* Seal Beach NWR
* Sweetwater Marsh NWR
* Tijuana Slough NWR

| Arroyo toad at the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge

|
|
|

### Humboldt Bay NWR Complex

[edit]

* Humboldt Bay NWR
* Castle Rock NWR

|  |

### San Francisco Bay NWR Complex

[edit]

* Antioch Dunes NWR
* Don Edwards San Francisco Bay NWR
* Ellicott Slough NWR
* Farallon NWR
* Marin Islands NWR
* Salinas River NWR
* San Pablo Bay NWR

| Don Edwards San Francisco Bay NWR

### Kern NWR Complex

[edit]

* Kern NWR
* Pixley NWR

| Black-necked stilt at the Kern National Wildlife Refuge |

### San Luis NWR Complex

[edit]

* Grasslands WMA
* Merced NWR
* San Joaquin River NWR
* San Luis NWR

| San Luis National Wildlife Refuge

### Klamath Basin NWR Complex

[edit]

* Clear Lake NWR
* Lower Klamath NWR
* Tule Lake NWR

| Ross's geese at the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge |

### Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR Complex

[edit]

* Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR
* Coachella Valley NWR

| Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge

### Sacramento NWR Complex

[edit]

* Butte Sink WMA
* Colusa NWR
* Delevan NWR
* North Central Valley WMA
* Sacramento NWR
* Sacramento River NWR
* Sutter NWR
* Willow Creek-Lurline WMA

| Snow geese at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge |

### Other refuges

[edit]

* Modoc NWR

| American badger at the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge

## Wild and Scenic rivers

[edit]

Main article: List of National Wild and Scenic Rivers

Rivers designated as Wild and Scenic are administered by one of four federal land management agencies: The Bureau of Land Management, The National Park Service, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or The U.S. Forest Service.[7] There are 22 rivers in California with portions designated as Wild and Scenic, with 23 designations in all (the American River has two separate designations, one for the North Fork, and one for the Lower section).[8] Listed in miles.

River  | Designated Wild  | Designated Scenic  | Designated Recreational  | Total Protected

|
|
|
|

Amargosa River | 7.9  | 12.1  | 6.3  | 26.3
American River (Lower)  |  |  | 23  | 23
American River (North Fork)  | 38.3  |  |  | 38.3
Bautista Creek |  |  | 9.8  | 9.8
Big Sur | 19.5  |  |  | 19.5
Black Butte River | 17.5  | 3.5  |  | 21
Cottonwood Creek | 17.4  |  | 4.1  | 21.5
Eel River | 97  | 28  | 273  | 398
Feather River | 32.9  | 9.7  | 35  | 77.6
Fuller Mill Creek |  | 2.6  | 0.9  | 3.5
Kern River | 123.1  | 7  | 20.9  | 151
Kings River | 65.5  |  | 15.5  | 81
Klamath River | 11.7  | 23.5  | 250.8  | 286
Merced River | 71  | 16  | 35.5  | 122.5
Owens River | 6.3  | 6.6  | 6.2  | 19.1
Palm Canyon Creek | 8.1  |  |  | 8.1
Piru Creek | 4.3  |  | 3  | 7.3
San Jacinto River (North Fork)  | 7.2  | 2.3  | 0.7  | 10.2
Sisquoc River | 33  |  |  | 33
Smith River | 78  | 31  | 216.4  | 325.4
Trinity River | 44  | 39  | 120  | 203
Tuolumne River | 47  | 23  | 13  | 83

## National Wilderness Preservation System

[edit]

Main articles: National Wilderness Preservation System and List of U.S. Wilderness Areas § California

There are 149 wilderness areas in California totaling just over 15,000,000 acres (61,000 km2).[9] The largest is Death Valley Wilderness at 3,055,413 acres (12,364.82 km2), the largest federally designated wilderness in the continental United States, and the smallest is the Rocks and Islands Wilderness at 19 acres (77,000 m2). The wilderness areas are managed by the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. Rarely, if ever, are designated wilderness areas stand alone protected areas, and thus their areas are, in all likelihood, already accounted for in the various agencies' inventories.  | Emerald Lake in the Trinity Alps Wilderness

|

## National Forests

[edit]

Main article: List of U.S. National Forests

California has 17 U.S. National Forests, one special management unit (Lake Tahoe) and parts of 3 other National Forests. Total combined area of the forests is 20,061,888 acres (81,187.58 km2) and covers over 19% of the state. The largest forest entirely within the state is Shasta-Trinity National Forest, at 2,209,832 acres (8,942.87 km2), the smallest is Cleveland National Forest at 460,000 acres (1,900 km2). The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is not precisely a national forest in the conventional sense. Instead the Forest Service manages the land with particular attention paid to Lake Tahoe and its relationship with the forests surrounding it, with emphasis on erosion control management and watershed restoration, among other more conventional forest management activities. It is the smallest of the Forest Service units in California, with 191,000 acres (770 km2) in its jurisdiction split between California and Nevada.

The Inyo National Forest contains Mount Whitney, the highest point in California. State Forest  | Land area (in acres)

|

Angeles National Forest | 655,387
Cleveland National Forest | 460,000
Eldorado National Forest | 596,724
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest | 6,289,821
Inyo National Forest | 1,903,381
Klamath National Forest | 1,737,774
Lassen National Forest | 1,070,344
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit | 150,000
Los Padres National Forest | 1,950,000
Mendocino National Forest | 913,306
Modoc National Forest | 1,654,392
Plumas National Forest | 1,146,000
San Bernardino National Forest | 823,816
Sequoia National Forest | 1,193,315
Shasta–Trinity National Forest | 2,209,832
Sierra National Forest | 1,300,000
Six Rivers National Forest | 957,590
Stanislaus National Forest | 898,099

## State Forests

[edit]

Main article: List of California state forests

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) operates eight Demonstration State Forests totaling 71,000 acres. The forests represent the most common forest types in the state. The State Forests grow approximately 75 million board feet of timber annually and harvest an average of 30 million board feet each year, enough to build 3,000 single-family homes. Revenue from these harvests fund the management of the State Forests. In addition, the forests provide research and demonstration opportunities for natural resource management, while providing public recreation opportunities, fish and wildlife habitat, and watershed protection. Activities include: experimental timber harvesting techniques, watershed restoration, mushroom collecting, hunting, firewood gathering, cone collecting for seed, a variety of university research projects, horseback riding, camping, mountain biking, and hiking.[10]

Entrance to Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest. State Forest  | Land area (in acres)  | County  | City

|
|
|

Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest | 3,493  | Lake | Cobb
Ellen Pickett State Forest | 160  | Trinity |
Jackson Demonstration State Forest | 50,195  | Mendocino | Fort Bragg
Las Posadas State Forest | 796  | Napa | Angwin
LaTour Demonstration State Forest | 9,003  | Shasta | Redding
Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest | 4,807  | Tulare | Springville
Mount Zion Demonstration State Forest | 164  | Amador |
Soquel Demonstration State Forest | 2,681  | Santa Cruz | Soquel

## State parks

[edit]

Main article: List of California state parks

The California Department of Parks and Recreation maintains over 270 protected areas, which include almost one-third of California's scenic coastline, including coastal wetlands, estuaries, beaches, and dune systems. The state parks system covers 1.3 million acres (5,300 km2), with over 280 miles (450 km) of coastline, 625 miles (1,006 km) of lake and river frontage, nearly 18,000 campsites; and 3,000 miles (5,000 km) of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails.[11] The largest is Anza-Borrego State Park at 600,000 acres (2,400 km2), making it one of the largest state parks in the country. The smallest, Watts Towers, owned by the State Park system but managed by the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department,[12] is a mere 0.1-acre (400 m2).  | Sunset at Bolsa Chica State Beach

|

## State wilderness areas

[edit]

Main article: List of U.S. state and tribal wilderness areas

* Boney Mountain State Wilderness Area
* Mount San Jacinto State Wilderness
* Murrelet State Wilderness, part of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park[13]
* Orestimba State Wilderness, officially called
the Henry W. Coe State Wilderness
* Santa Rosa Mountains State Wilderness
* Sinkyone Wilderness State Park
* West Waddell Creek State Wilderness Area, a 5,900 acres (24 km2)
section of Big Basin State Park

Additionally, 386,000 acres (1,560 km2) of Anza-Borrego State Park have been designated as wilderness.[14]

| Hunting Hollow in Henry W. Coe State Park

|

## Department of Fish and Wildlife Protected Areas

[edit]

Main article: List of California Department of Fish and Wildlife protected areas

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), through its seven regional divisions,[15] manages more than 700 protected areas statewide, totaling 1,177,180 acres (4,763.9 km2).[16] They are broadly categorized as:

* 110 wildlife areas,[17] designed to give the public easier access to wildlife while preserving habitats.
* 135 ecological reserves,[18] which protect rare terrestrial and ocean species and habitats.
* 319 undesignated lands.
* 108 public access lands.
* 21 fish hatcheries.
* 37 miscellaneous lands.

| Rain-soaked wetlands at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area

|

## Municipal parks

[edit]

Main article: Urban park

Most cities and counties in California, as in elsewhere, own and operate open spaces of various types, the most recognizable being the city and county park. By far the largest inventory of protected land held by a municipal agency belongs to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, with just over 400,000 acres (1,600 km2) in its jurisdiction.[19] The largest city park in the state is Mission Trails Regional Park in San Diego at 5,800 acres (23 km2), although there are several county and regional parks that are larger. Total land owned by municipal agencies is roughly 1,500,000 acres (6,100 km2) acres.  | Griffith Park in the city of Los Angeles

|

See also: List of parks in Los Angeles County, California; List of parks in Los Angeles; List of parks in San Francisco; List of parks in San Diego; and List of parks in Oakland, California

## Privately owned preserves

[edit]

In addition to the many public lands are about 550,000 acres (2,200 km2) of privately owned preserves. The Wildlands Conservancy is the largest owner of protected lands with 180,686 acres (731.21 km2). The Nature Conservancy has been involved in over 100 projects in the state since 1958.[20] Many are eventually transferred to public agencies, but the Conservancy still owns and maintains several substantial preserves, including the Gray Davis/Dye Creek Preserve, Vina Plains Preserve, McCloud River Preserve, Cosumnes River Preserve, Santa Cruz Island, Irvine Ranch Wildlands and the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve. The largest private preserve is the 93,000 acres (380 km2) Wind Wolves Preserve owned by the aforementioned Wildlands Conservancy.[21] In total, there are many dozens of land trust and conservation organizations active in California, with thousands of acres preserved on public and private lands through their efforts.[22] A few that operate entirely or substantially in the state are the Peninsula Open Space Trust, the Northern Sierra Partnership, the Sempervirens Fund, the Sacramento Valley Conservancy and the Wilderness Land Trust.

| Santa Cruz Island

|

## Largest land owners of protected lands

[edit]

The 20 largest landholders, according to the CPAD 2018a Statistics Report:

Agency | Total lands owned
(in acres)*

|

U.S. Forest Service
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
U.S. National Park Service
California Department of Parks and Recreation
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
California State Lands Commission
City of Los Angeles - Dept. of Water and Power
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
The Wildlands Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
Imperial Irrigation District
East Bay Regional Park District
California Department of Water Resources
The Conservation Fund - California
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
City of San Diego
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
City and County of San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
County of Orange

20,758,417
14,991,556
7,600,268
1,391,104
676,763
575,354
400,019
323,487
243,675
145,936
136,553
103,369
102,186
88,953
74,372
72,645
68,986
68,725
62,520
59,197

*These numbers may not correspond exactly with those reported directly from the agencies.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "California Protected Areas Data Portal". www.calands.org. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
2. ^ "NPS Public Use Statistics Office: Acreage Reports". National Park Service. Archived from the original on September 22, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
3. ^ http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en.html BLM-California website.
4. ^ BLM California data page. Archived 2009-01-11 at the Wayback Machine
5. ^ Administration, US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric. "NOAA's National Ocean Service: National Marine Sanctuaries". oceanservice.noaa.gov. Retrieved April 8, 2018.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
6. ^ "Butte Sink Wildlife Management Area". U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Archived from the original on May 22, 2010. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
7. ^ "Interagency Wild & Scenic Rivers Council". Wild & Scenic Rivers Council. Archived from the original on June 10, 2010. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
8. ^ "California". National Wild and Scenic River System. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
9. ^ "Wilderness areas in California". Archived from the original on June 12, 2010. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
10. ^ "Cal Fire Demonstration State Forests".
11. ^ "A State Park System is Born". California State Parks. Retrieved October 7, 2007.
12. ^ "Watts Towers of Simon Rodia SHP". California State Parks. Retrieved May 17, 2010.
13. ^ "State Parks Along California's North Coast Redwoods and History" (PDF). California Department of Parks and Recreation.
14. ^ "State Designated Wilderness Programs in the United States" (PDF). International Journal of Wilderness. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 10, 2010. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
15. ^ "DFW Regions". California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFG) website. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
16. ^ "Lands Inventory Fact Sheet". California DFG website. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
17. ^ "Wildlife Areas". California DFW website. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
18. ^ "Ecological Reserves". California DFW website. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
19. ^ "CPAD Release notes". GreenInfo Network. Archived from the original on May 14, 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2010.
20. ^ "The Nature Conservancy in California". The Nature Conservancy. Archived from the original on March 1, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
21. ^ "Wind Wolves Preserve". Wildlands Conservancy. Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
22. ^ "California Member Land Trusts". The California Council of Land Trusts. Retrieved September 7, 2016.

* v
* t
* e

Protected areas of California

National Park System

| Parks|

* Channel Islands
* Death Valley
* Joshua Tree
* Kings Canyon
* Lassen Volcanic
* Pinnacles
* Redwood
* Sequoia
* Yosemite

|

Preserves|

Mojave

Monuments|

* Cabrillo
* Castle Mountains
* César E. Chávez
* Devils Postpile
* Lava Beds
* Muir Woods
* Tule Lake

Seashores|

* Point Reyes

Historical Parks|

* Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front
* San Francisco Maritime

Historic Sites|

* Eugene O'Neill
* Fort Point
* John Muir
* Manzanar

Memorials|

* Port Chicago Naval Magazine

Recreation Areas|

* Golden Gate
* Santa Monica Mountains
* Whiskeytown–Shasta–Trinity

California State Parks

| Parks|

* Ahjumawi Lava Springs
* Andrew Molera
* Angel Island
* Año Nuevo
* Anza-Borrego Desert
* Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland
* Bidwell–Sacramento River
* Big Basin Redwoods
* Border Field
* Bothe-Napa Valley
* Burton Creek
* Butano
* Calaveras Big Trees
* Castle Crags
* Castle Rock
* Caswell Memorial
* China Camp
* Chino Hills
* Clear Lake
* Coast Dairies
* Crystal Cove
* Cuyamaca Rancho
* D. L. Bliss
* Del Norte Coast Redwoods
* Donner Memorial
* Dos Rios
* Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point
* Emerald Bay
* The Forest of Nisene Marks
* Fort Ord Dunes
* Fremont Peak
* Garrapata
* Gaviota
* Great Valley Grasslands
* Grizzly Creek Redwoods
* Grover Hot Springs
* Hearst San Simeon
* Hendy Woods
* Henry Cowell Redwoods
* Henry W. Coe
* Humboldt Lagoons
* Humboldt Redwoods
* Jedediah Smith Redwoods
* Julia Pfeiffer Burns
* Leo Carrillo
* Limekiln
* MacKerricher
* Malibu Creek
* Manchester
* McArthur–Burney Falls Memorial
* McLaughlin Eastshore
* Mendocino Headlands
* Mendocino Woodlands
* Montaña de Oro
* Morro Bay
* Mount Diablo
* Mount San Jacinto
* Mount Tamalpais
* Navarro River Redwoods
* Pacheco
* Palomar Mountain
* Pfeiffer Big Sur
* Pillar Point Bluff
* Placerita Canyon
* Plumas-Eureka
* Point Mugu
* Portola Redwoods
* Prairie Creek Redwoods
* Red Rock Canyon
* Richardson Grove
* Rio de Los Angeles
* Robert Louis Stevenson
* Russian Gulch
* Saddleback Butte
* Salt Point
* Samuel P. Taylor
* San Bruno Mountain
* Sinkyone Wilderness
* South Yuba River
* Sue-meg
* Sugarloaf Ridge
* Sutter Buttes
* Tolowa Dunes
* Tomales Bay
* Topanga
* Trione-Annadel
* Van Damme
* Washoe Meadows
* Wilder Ranch

|

Natural Reserves|

* Antelope Valley California Poppy
* Armstrong Redwoods
* Azalea
* Caspar Headlands
* John B. Dewitt Redwoods
* John Little
* Jug Handle
* Kruse Rhododendron
* Los Osos Oaks
* Mailliard Redwoods
* Mono Lake Tufa
* Montgomery Woods
* Point Lobos
* Smithe Redwoods
* Torrey Pines
* Tule Elk

Marine Reserves|

* Albany
* Anacapa Island SMR
* Asilomar
* Begg Rock
* Big Creek
* Bodega Head
* Cabrillo
* Carmel Pinnacles
* Carrington Point
* Del Mar Landing
* Elkhorn Slough
* Emeryville Crescent
* Estero de Limantour and Drakes Estero
* Fitzgerald
* Gerstle Cove
* Gull Island
* Harris Point
* Judith Rock
* Laguna Beach
* Long Point
* Lovers Point
* Montara and Pillar Point
* Moro Cojo Slough
* Morro Bay
* Natural Bridges
* Piedras Blancas
* Point Arena
* Point Buchon
* Point Cabrillo
* Point Dume
* Point Lobos
* Point Reyes
* Point Sur
* Richardson Rock
* Russian River
* Santa Barbara Island
* Scorpion
* Sea Lion Gulch
* Skunk Point
* South Cape Mendocino
* Stewarts Point
* Vandenberg

Historic Parks|

* Anderson Marsh
* Antelope Valley Indian Museum
* Bale Grist Mill
* Benicia Capitol
* Bidwell Mansion
* Bodie
* California Citrus
* California State Indian Museum
* Chumash Painted Cave
* Colonel Allensworth
* Columbia
* El Presidio de Santa Barbara
* Empire Mine
* Folsom Powerhouse
* Fort Humboldt
* Fort Ross
* Fort Tejon
* Governor's Mansion
* Hearst Castle
* Indian Grinding Rock
* Jack London
* La Purísima Mission
* Leland Stanford Mansion
* Los Angeles
* Los Encinos
* Malakoff Diggins
* Marconi Conference Center
* Marsh Creek
* Marshall Gold Discovery
* Monterey
* Old Sacramento
* Old Town San Diego
* Olompali
* Pigeon Point Light Station
* Pío Pico
* Point Sur
* Railtown 1897
* Rancho Petaluma Adobe
* San Juan Bautista
* San Pasqual Battlefield
* Santa Cruz Mission
* Santa Susana Pass
* Shasta
* Sonoma
* Sutter's Fort
* Tomo-Kahni
* Wassama Round House
* Watts Towers
* Weaverville Joss House
* Will Rogers
* William B. Ide Adobe
* Woodland Opera House

Beaches|

* Asilomar
* Bean Hollow
* Bolsa Chica
* Cardiff
* Carlsbad
* Carmel River
* Carpinteria
* Caspar Headlands
* Cayucos
* Corona del Mar
* Crown Memorial
* Dockweiler
* Doheny
* El Capitán
* Emma Wood
* Gray Whale Cove
* Greenwood
* Half Moon Bay
* Huntington
* Leucadia
* Lighthouse Field
* Little River
* Malibu Lagoon
* Mandalay
* Manresa
* Marina
* McGrath
* Montara
* Monterey
* Moonlight
* Morro Strand
* Moss Landing
* Natural Bridges
* New Brighton
* Pacifica
* Pelican
* Pescadero
* Pismo
* Point Dume
* Point Sal
* Pomponio
* Refugio
* Robert H. Meyer Memorial
* Salinas River
* San Buenaventura
* San Clemente
* San Elijo
* San Gregorio
* San Onofre
* Santa Monica
* Schooner Gulch
* Seacliff
* Silver Strand
* Sonoma Coast
* South Carlsbad
* Sunset
* Thornton
* Torrey Pines
* Trinidad
* Twin Lakes
* Westport-Union Landing
* Will Rogers
* William Randolph Hearst Memorial
* Zmudowski

Recreation Areas|

* Admiral William Standley
* Auburn
* Austin Creek
* Benbow
* Benicia
* Bethany Reservoir
* Brannan Island
* Candlestick Point
* Castaic Lake
* Colusa-Sacramento River
* Folsom Lake
* Franks Tract
* George J. Hatfield
* Harry A. Merlo
* Kenneth Hahn
* Kings Beach
* Lake Del Valle
* Lake Oroville
* Lake Perris
* Lake Valley
* Martial Cottle
* McConnell
* Millerton Lake
* Picacho
* Providence Mountains
* Salton Sea
* San Luis Reservoir
* Silverwood Lake
* Standish-Hickey
* Tahoe
* Turlock Lake
* Woodson Bridge

Vehicular
Recreation Areas|

* Carnegie
* Clay Pit
* Heber Dunes
* Hollister Hills
* Hungry Valley
* Oceano Dunes
* Ocotillo Wells
* Prairie City

Other|

* Burleigh H. Murray Ranch
* California State Capitol Museum
* California State Mining and Mineral Museum
* California State Railroad Museum
* Castro Adobe
* Delta Meadows
* Estero Bay
* Hatton Canyon
* Indio Hills Palms
* Point Cabrillo Light
* Ishxenta State Park
* Point Montara Light
* Reynolds Wayside Campground
* San Timoteo Canyon
* Stone Lake
* Verdugo Mountains
* Ward Creek
* Wildwood Canyon

National Forests and Grasslands

| National Forests
and Grasslands|

* Angeles
* Butte Valley NG
* Cleveland
* Eldorado
* Humboldt–Toiyabe
* Inyo
* Klamath
* Lake Tahoe Basin
* Lassen
* Los Padres
* Mendocino
* Modoc
* Plumas
* Rogue River–Siskiyou
* San Bernardino
* Sequoia
* Shasta–Trinity
* Sierra
* Six Rivers
* Stanislaus
* Tahoe

|

National Wilderness
Preservation System|

* Agua Tibia
* Ansel Adams
* Bucks Lake
* Caribou
* Carson–Iceberg
* Castle Crags
* Cucamonga
* Desolation
* Dick Smith
* Dinkey Lakes
* Emigrant
* Golden Trout
* Hoover
* Inyo Mountains
* Ishi
* Jennie Lakes
* John Muir
* Kaiser
* Magic Mountain
* Marble Mountain
* Mokelumne
* Mount Lassic
* Mount Shasta
* North Fork
* Pine Creek
* San Gabriel
* San Jacinto
* San Rafael
* Sanhedrin
* Sespe
* Siskiyou
* Snow Mountain
* South Fork Eel River
* South Sierra
* South Warner
* Thousand Lakes
* Trinity Alps
* Ventana
* Yolla Bolly–Middle Eel
* Yuki

National Monuments
and Recreation Areas|

* Giant Sequoia National Monument
* San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
* Sand to Snow National Monument
* Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
* Sáttítla Highlands National Monument
* Smith River National Recreation Area
* Whiskeytown–Shasta–Trinity National Recreation Area

State Forests

* Boggs Mountain Demonstration
* Ellen Pickett
* Jackson Demonstration
* Las Posadas
* LaTour Demonstration
* Mount Zion Demonstration
* Mountain Home Demonstration
* Soquel Demonstration

National Wildlife Refuges

* Antioch Dunes
* Bitter Creek
* Blue Ridge
* Butte Sink
* Castle Rock
* Clear Lake
* Coachella Valley
* Colusa
* Delevan
* Don Edwards San Francisco Bay
* Ellicott Slough
* Farallon
* Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes
* Hopper Mountain
* Humboldt Bay
* Imperial
* Kern
* Lower Klamath
* Marin Islands
* Merced
* Modoc
* Pixley
* Sacramento
* Sacramento River
* Salinas River
* San Diego Bay
* San Diego
* San Joaquin River
* San Luis
* San Pablo Bay
* Seal Beach
* Sonny Bono Salton Sea
* Stone Lakes
* Sutter
* Tijuana Slough
* Tule Lake

State Wildlife Areas

| Wildlife
Areas|

* Antelope Valley
* Ash Creek
* Bass Hill
* Battle Creek
* Big Lagoon
* Big Sandy
* Biscar
* Butte Valley
* Buttermilk Country
* Cache Creek
* Camp Cady
* Cantara/Ney Springs
* Cedar Roughs
* Cinder Flats
* Collins Eddy
* Colusa Bypass
* Coon Hollow
* Cottonwood Creek
* Crescent City Marsh
* Crocker Meadows
* Daugherty Hill
* Decker Island
* Doyle
* Dutch Flat
* Eastlker River
* Eel River
* Elk Creek Wetlands
* Elk River
* Fay Slough
* Feather River
* Fitzhugh Creek
* Fremont Weir
* Grass Lake
* Gray Lodge
* Green Creek
* Grizzly Island
* Hallelujah Junction
* Heenan Lake
* Hill Slough
* Hollenbeck Canyon
* Honey Lake
* Hope Valley
* Horseshoe Ranch
* Imperial
* Indian Valley
* Kelso Peak and Old Dad Mountains
* Kinsman Flat
* Knoxville
* Laguna
* Lake Berryessa
* Lake Earl
* Lake Sonoma
* Little Panoche Reservoir
* Los Banos
* Lower Sherman Island
* Mad River Slough
* Marble Mountains
* Mendota
* Merrill's Landing
* Miner Slough
* Monache Meadows
* Morro Bay
* Moss Landing
* Mouth of Cottonwood Creek
* Napa-Sonoma Marshes
* North Grasslands
* O'Neill Forebay
* Oroville
* Petaluma Marsh
* Pickel Meadow
* Pine Creek
* Point Edith
* Putah Creek
* Rector Reservoir
* Red Lake
* Rhode Island
* Sacramento River
* San Felipe Valley
* San Jacinto
* San Luis Obispo
* San Luis Reservoir
* San Pablo Bay
* Santa Rosa
* Shasta Valley
* Silver Creek
* Slinkard/Little Antelope
* Smithneck Creek
* South Fork
* Spenceville
* Surprise Valley
* Sutter Bypass
* Tehama
* Truckee River
* Upper Butte Basin
* Volta
* Warner Valley
* Waukell Creek
* West Hilmar
* Westlker River
* White Slough
* Willow Creek
* Yolo Bypass

|

Ecological
Reserves|

* Albany Mudflats
* Alkali Sink
* Allensworth
* Atascadero Creek Marsh
* Bair Island
* Baldwin Lake
* Batiquitos Lagoon
* Blue Sky
* Boden Canyon
* Boggs Lake
* Bolsa Chica
* Bonny Doon
* Buena Vista Lagoon
* Butler Slough
* Butte Creek Canyon
* Butte Creek House
* Buttonwillow
* By Day Creek
* Calhoun Cut
* Canebrake
* Carlsbad Highlands
* Carmel Bay
* Carrizo Canyon
* Carrizo Plains
* China Point
* Clover Creek
* Coachella Valley
* Coal Canyon
* Corte Madera Marsh
* Crestridge
* Dairy Mart Ponds
* Dales Lake
* Del Mar Landing
* Eden Landing
* Elkhorn Slough
* Estelle Mountain
* Fall River Mills
* Fish Slough
* Fremont Valley
* Goleta Slough
* Indian Joe Spring
* Kaweah
* Kerman
* King Clone
* Laguna Laurel
* Loch Lomond Vernal Pool
* Lokern
* Magnesia Spring
* Marin Islands
* Mattole River
* McGinty Mountain
* Morro Dunes
* Morro Rock
* Napa River
* North Table Mountain
* Oasis Spring
* Panoche Hills
* Peytonia Slough
* Phoenix Vernal Pools
* Pine Hill
* Piute Creek
* Pleasant Valley
* Rancho Jamul
* Redwood Shores
* River Springs Lakes
* Saline Valley
* San Dieguito Lagoon
* San Elijo Lagoon
* San Felipe Creek
* San Joaquin River
* Santa Rosa Plateau
* Springville
* Stone Corral
* Sycamore Canyon
* Sycuan Peak
* Thomes Creek
* Tomales Bay
* Upper Newport Bay
* Watsonville Slough
* West Mojave Desert
* Woodbridge
* Yaudanchi

Marine
Protected
Areas|

* Abalone Cove and Point Vicente
* Anacapa Island SMCA
* Año Nuevo
* Arrow Point to Lion Head Point
* Batiquitos Lagoon
* Big Creek
* Bodega Head
* Bolsa Chica
* Cambria
* Campus Point
* Carmel Bay
* Cat Harbor
* Crystal Cove
* Dana Point
* Duxbury Reef
* Edward F. Ricketts
* Elkhorn Slough
* Estero Americano
* Estero de Limantour and Drakes Estero
* Estero de San Antonio
* Fagan Marsh
* Famosa Slough
* Farnsworth Onshore and Offshore
* Goleta Slough
* Greyhound Rock
* Lovers Cove and Casino Point
* MacKerricher
* Marin Islands
* Morro Bay
* Naples
* Pacific Grove Marine Gardens
* Painted Cave
* Piedras Blancas
* Point Arena
* Point Buchon
* Point Dume
* Point Reyes
* Point Sur
* Portuguese Ledge
* Pyramid Point
* Robert E. Badham
* Robert W. Crown
* Russian Gulch
* Russian River
* Salt Point
* San Diego-Scripps
* San Dieguito Lagoon
* San Elijo Lagoon
* Saunders Reef
* Sea Lion Cove
* Sonoma Coast
* Soquel Canyon
* South La Jolla
* South Point
* Southeast Farallon Island
* Stewarts Point
* Swami's
* Tijuana River Mouth
* Upper Newport Bay
* Van Damme
* Vandenberg
* White Rock (Cambria)

Bureau of Land Management National Conservation Lands

| National Monuments|

* Berryessa Snow Mountain
* California Coastal
* Carrizo Plain
* Cascade–Siskiyou
* Chuckwalla
* Fort Ord
* Mojave Trails
* Sand to Snow
* Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains

|

National
Conservation Areas|

* California Desert
* King Range

Wilderness Areas|

* Argus Range
* Big Maria Mountains
* Bigelow Cholla Garden
* Bighorn Mountain
* Black Mountain
* Bright Star
* Bristol Mountains
* Cadiz Dunes
* Carrizo Gorge
* Chanchelulla
* Chemehuevi Mountains
* Chimney Peak
* Chuckwalla Mountains
* Chumash
* Cleghorn Lakes
* Clipper Mountain
* Coso Range
* Coyote Mountains
* Darwin Falls
* Dead Mountains
* Dick Smith
* El Paso Mountains
* Fish Creek Mountains
* Funeral Mountains
* Garcia
* Golden Valley
* Grass Valley
* Headwaters Forest Reserve
* Hollow Hills
* Ibex
* Indian Pass
* Inyo Mountains
* Jacumba
* Kelso Dunes
* Kiavah
* Kingston Range
* Little Chuckwalla Mountains
* Little Picacho
* Machesna Mountain
* Malpais Mesa
* Manly Peak
* Matilija
* Mecca Hills
* Mesquite
* Newberry Mountains
* Nopah Range
* North Algodones Dunes
* North Mesquite Mountains
* Old Woman Mountains
* Orocopia Mountains
* Otay Mountain
* Owens Peak
* Pahrump Valley
* Palen/McCoy
* Palo Verde Mountains
* Picacho Peak
* Piper Mountain
* Piute Mountains
* Red Buttes
* Resting Spring Range
* Rice Valley
* Riverside Mountains
* Rodman Mountains
* Sacatar Trail
* Saddle Peak Hills
* San Gorgonio
* Santa Lucia
* Santa Rosa
* Sawtooth Mountains
* Sespe
* Sheephole Valley
* South Nopah Range
* Stateline
* Stepladder Mountains
* Surprise Canyon
* Sylvania Mountains
* Trilobite
* Turtle Mountains
* Whipple Mountains

National Marine Sanctuaries

* Channel Islands
* Chumash Heritage
* Cordell Bank
* Greater Farallones
* Monterey Bay

National Estuarine Research Reserves

* Elkhorn Slough
* San Francisco Bay
* Tijuana River

National Fish Hatcheries

* Coleman

University of California Natural Reserve System

* Angelo Coast Range
* Año Nuevo Island
* Blue Oak Ranch
* Bodega Marine
* Box Springs
* Burns Piñon Ridge
* Carpinteria Salt Marsh
* Chickering American River
* Coal Oil Point
* Dawson Los Monos Canyon
* Eagle Lake Field Station
* Elliott Chaparral
* Emerson Oaks
* Fort Ord
* Hans Jenny Pygmy Forest
* Hastings
* James San Jacinto Mountains
* Jepson Prairie
* Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh
* Landels-Hill Big Creek
* Lassen Field Station
* McLaughlin
* Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland
* Motte Rimrock
* Philip L. Boyd Deep Canyon Desert
* Point Reyes Field Station
* Quail Ridge
* Rancho Marino
* Sagehen Creek Field Station
* San Joaquin Marsh
* Santa Cruz Island
* Scripps Coastal
* Sedgwick
* Stebbins Cold Canyon
* Stunt Ranch Santa Monica Mountains
* Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert
* Valentine Eastern Sierra
* White Mountain
* Younger Lagoon

Private Conservation Land Trusts

* Agua Hedionda Lagoon
* Arastradero Preserve
* Arroyo Conejo Open Space
* Audubon Canyon Ranch
* Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
* Blue Ridge Berryessa Natural Area
* Bluff Lake
* Big Sur Land Trust
* California Rangeland Trust
* Catalina Island Conservancy
* Claremont Canyon Conservancy
* Cosumnes River Preserve
* Fairfield Osborn Preserve
* Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County
* Pacific Forest Trust
* Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
* Peninsula Open Space Trust
* Pepperwood Preserve
* Sanctuary Forest
* Santa Cruz Island
* Santa Lucia Preserve
* Sempervirens Fund
* Sierra Nevada Alliance
* Sogorea Te Land Trust
* The Nature Conservancy
* Trust for Public Land
* The Wildlands Conservancy

Heritage registers
National Natural Landmarks

* v
* t
* e

Protected areas of the United States by political division

States|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Montana
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Washington
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

Federal district|

Washington, D.C.

Territories|

* American Samoa
* Guam
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Puerto Rico
* U.S. Virgin Islands

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