#174: 10 National Monuments That Feel Like National Parks

Dear Bob and Sue: A National Parks Podcast

Matt and Karen Smith

Society & Culture, Nature, Personal Journals, Places & Travel, Science

5.0 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 19 March 2026

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Across our U.S. public lands are more than 130 national monuments, each protecting a unique natural or cultural treasure. In this episode, we’re diving into ten that feel a lot like visiting a national park, but without the crowds. We share a mix of places we’ve visited over the years, and each one surprised us with just how much they have in terms of scenery, hiking, and overall experience. From towering rock formations and remote desert canyons to cultural sites with deep historical meaning, these monuments offer many of the same “wow” moments you expect from a national park. In this episode, we talk about: Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming and why it’s always worth a stop, Grand Staircase–Escalante in Utah and its endless options for adventure, Canyon de Chelly in Arizona and one of our favorite ranger-led tours, Chiricahua National Monument and its maze of rock spires, Natural Bridges National Monument and its out-of-this-world natural beauty, Colorado National Monument as an underrated scenic gem, Bandelier in New Mexico and its fascinating cultural history, Lava Beds in California (yes, caves… again), Rainbow Bridge and its surprisingly powerful setting, and Jewel Cave in South Dakota and its incredible underground world. If you’ve ever felt like the national parks are getting a little too crowded, or you’re just looking for new places to explore, this episode will give you a list of destinations that deserve a spot on your radar. Want more? If you enjoyed this episode, check out our recently published Substack article: 10 National Monuments That Feel Like National Parks (But Without the Crowds) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The weight is over. Last One Laughing is back and it's even more brutal than last time. Share your biggest regrets. I don't regret this haircut. What did you ask for? The Shaggy Slim Shady? Joining us this series we have... Romish Wengrenner Nathan, Diane Morgan, David Mitchell, Mel Gedroich, Amy Gledhill, Alan Carr, Bemi Sola, Ike Mello, Sam Campbell, Maisie Adam, and Bob Mortimer. Anyone want a song?
0:23.3	No.
0:24.3	Last One Laughing, new series, watch now, only on Prime Video.
0:30.1	They drop you off at the top and you hike all the way back down to either the visitor
0:35.6	center where your car is maybe or the campground.
0:38.7	But there's no option for, oh, I'm tired.
0:41.4	I don't want to go anymore because your car is at the bottom.
0:46.0	And there's no one coming to pick you up.
0:48.0	This is a drop off only once a day.
0:50.8	So just know, you're committed.
0:52.3	You're committed.
1:04.9	Yeah. months a day. So just know, you're committed. You're committed. Welcome to the Dear Bob and Sue podcast. Stories from our journey to all the U.S.
1:10.5	National Parks and other public lands. I'm Matt Smith. And I'm Karen Smith. We're the authors of the Dear Bob and Sue series of books.
1:12.7	In this episode, we're talking about 10 magnificent national monuments. A national monument differs
1:18.5	from a national park in that these public lands have been designated as monuments by the
1:23.8	President of the United States under the authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906.
1:30.0	We'll be showcasing one of the largest national monuments
1:32.7	and one of the smallest,
1:34.2	and we'll take you from caves and lava tubes
1:36.7	to ladders and cliff dwellings.
1:39.2	Thanks for joining us as we explore 10 monumental national monuments.
1:43.9	That's magnificent.
	...

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