The amazing San Juan Islands of Washington State offer a plethora of incredible sights, exciting recreation opportunities, and memories for a lifetime.

Situated in the northern reaches of Washington State's Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands are a uniquely beautiful archipelago of over 450 islands, rocks, and pinnacles. The new San Juan Islands National Monument encompasses approximately 1,000 acres of land spread across many of these rocks and islands and managed by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management. Drawing visitors from around the world, this is a landscape of unmatched contrasts, where forests seem to spring from gray rock and distant, snow-capped peaks provide the backdrop for sandy beaches. The San Juan Islands National Monument is a trove of scientific and historic treasures, a refuge for an array of wildlife, and a classroom for generations of Americans.

On March 25, 2013, President Obama signed a proclamation to designate the San Juan Islands National Monument. The proclamation states that, "The protection of these lands in the San Juan Islands will maintain their historical and cultural significance and enhance their unique and varied natural and scientific resources, for the benefit of all Americans."

To learn more about your public lands on the San Juans and to plan a warm weather visit to this uniquely beautiful locale, visit: www.blm.gov/visit

Contact: San Juan Islands National Monument37 Washburn PlaceLopez Island, WA 98261360-468-3754