San Gabriel Mountains National Monument grows by more than 100,000 acres
President Joe Biden announced on May 2, 2024, that his administration was expanding Southern California’s San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, adding approximately 105,919 acres to the existing 346,177-acre monument to enhance recreation opportunities and conserve the landscape and biodiversity of the region. Biden also expanded Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in Northern California by more than 13,000 acres.
Located near Los Angeles, the San Gabriel Mountains are a destination for millions of Southern Californians, offering a retreat for outdoor activities such as hiking, rock climbing, biking, and camping.
The expansion area is rich in biodiversity, including more than 500 native plants and fungi, across diverse ecosystems including from conifer forests to coastal sage to rare perennial streams and riparian areas, according to the National Forest Service.
The area is home to many endangered, threatened, and native species such as the Arroyo toad, steelhead trout, coastal California gnatcatcher, and California condor.
The area also provides important connectivity to enable wildlife to move from the foothills in the south to the soaring mountains in the north, as well as Bear Divide which funnels thousands of migratory birds through a narrow pass along the Pacific Flyway.
“Today’s designations expand protections for some of California’s most popular outdoor landscapes,” said Adam Cramer, CEO of Outdoor Alliance, a non-profit group that advocates on behalf of outdoor recreation enthusiasts. “These areas are recreation gems beloved by people across the state.”
The area being incorporated into the monument is rich in cultural history and natural beauty. It has provided sustenance and a home to Indigenous peoples for millennia, including the Gabrielino, Kizh, Tongva, Chumash, Kitanemuk, Serrano, and Tataviam tribes.
The San Gabriel Mountain National Monument was originally was designated by President Obama in 2014, protecting 346,177 acres for conservation and recreation purposes. With the expansion, the national monument now encompasses 452,000 acres.
