Overview

In 1964 President Lyndon Johnson added Canyonlands to the National Parks System. Utah's largest and most primitive national park, Canyonlands is 337,598 acres of sprawling and diverse splendor. Towering red rock cliffs, fantastical rock formations, hot dry vistas and verdant river banks offers sightseeing and activities for all ages and fitness levels. Unique to Canyonlands is the ability to see geology in motion. The Green and Colorado Rivers continue their never-ending work carving canyons that display the earth's strata. Rarely can the lay-person witness erosion on such a huge scale. In ancient times, Canyonlands was occupied by native peoples. Much later, the Utes and Shoshone tribes populated the area, followed by Mormon pioneers in the late 1800's. As uranium was discovered, miners came to the area in the 1950s. Today, Canyonlands provides recreation for international visitors and controversy as the miners and environmentalists dispute the future of Canyonlands and the surrounding area.