Commemorating the Sonoran Desert National Monument’s 25th Anniversary

2026 marks a significant year filled with important anniversaries for our nation and its public lands. The United States celebrates 250 years of independence, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) observes its 80th anniversary, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, which guides the BLM’s responsibilities, reaches its 50-year milestone this year.

In Arizona, the BLM celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Sonoran Desert National Monument, which is about 60 miles southwest of Phoenix. The monument was established by presidential proclamation in 2001. The proclamation recognized the monument as “a magnificent example of untrammeled Sonoran Desert landscape. The area encompasses a functioning desert ecosystem with an extraordinary array of biological, scientific, and historic resources.” Three wilderness areas and mountain ranges traverse the monument.

The BLM also commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition in 1775-1776, which led settlers from present-day Mexico to Northern California and contributed to the settlement of the San Francisco region. The expedition traversed what is now the Sonoran Desert National Monument.

These anniversaries provide an opportunity to contemplate who we are as a nation. America’s public lands, managed for multiple uses, remain an important part of our shared heritage.

To learn more about the Sonoran Desert National Monument’s history and significance, check out the StoryMap below:

(For best viewing, open the StoryMap in a new tab.)

Learn more about the BLM’s celebrations and commemorations in 2026.

Learn more about the BLM’s National Conservation Lands.

Learn more about the history of the BLM.