A Look at California's Newest National Monument
Last week, President Obama signed an executive order creating three new national monuments in the country. It adds up to over one million acres that cannot be purchased by private hands. And roughly one-third of that acreage is located in Northern California.
Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument constitutes 330,780 acres inside of the Mendocino National Forest, north of the San Francisco Bay Area. The land surrounds Lake Berryessa -- which is a man-made reservoir that has an abandoned town flooded at the bottom of it -- and elevation varies from sea level to 7,000 feet. As this quick primer details:
This biodiversity hot spot (mountain lions, Tule elk, and black bears, oh my!) has been home to Native Americans for more than 11,000 years.
For a whole lot more information about the new monument, head on over to the official website. In the meantime, here are a few more photos of the park for your viewing pleasure:
