The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's first national monument and the only one within the interior United States, is the Hanford Reach. Protected by Presidential proclamation in 2000, the Monument is a place of sweeping vistas and stark beauty, of towering bluffs and delicate flowers. Wildlife abounds in the harsh landscape -- rare is a trip along the river that does not produce mule deer, coyotes, bald eagles, great blue herons, or white pelicans. A large elk herd hides in the canyons, and incredibly, porcupines are a common sight. Rare plants defy the drought, wind and heat.

The Monument is also a reminder of our history. Plutonium reactors stand along the river, remnants of WWII and the Cold War. Plutonium from B reactor fueled Fat Man," the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945. No longer in production, these reactors are now being dismantled, reactors are being cocooned, can be seen from the river, and the lands and waters cleaned.

So, whether you are interested in history, sightseeing, wildlife, hunting, fishing, or just enjoying a bit of time away from the bustle of everyday life, the Hanford Reach National Monument has something to offer you. But don't come expecting a lot of visitor facilities - they don't exist. You'll be experiencing the Monument on its own terms.