Canyonlands, Utah, becomes national park

Traces of human activity on the site now taken up by the Canyonlands National Park go back to 7,000 – 9,000 B.C. when nomadic hunter-gatherers painted on cliff faces life-size human figures. In the 18th and 19th century, the land became part of a common route between New Mexico and California (and the dated rock inscriptions of one, Denis Julien, are still prominent). In the early part of the 20th century the area was used for ranchers looking for a refuge from the winter cold — and by outlaws, hiding out in rugged terrain. In the couple of decades before the park’s founding, it also became a popular spot for uranium miners and prospectors.

On this day, September 12, in 1964, after a campaign led by the president of the nearby Arches National Monument, Bates Wilson, the Canyonlands area became a designated National Park. President Lyndon Johnson signed the law, and Bates became known as the “Father of the Canyonlands.”

Bates gave Jeep tours of the area to Washington politicians to persuade them into action to preserve the natural beauty of canyons. Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall was his most important convert, and Udall’s lobbying convinced LBJ. Close to half a million people now visit the park each year, and the area’s unique geography allows for hiking, white-water rafting, and kayaking, all in a relatively narrow corridor.