National Park Service LogoU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceNational Park Service
National Park Service:  U.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service Arrowhead
Canyonlands National ParkRock art at Peekaboo Arch
view map
text size:largestlargernormal
printer friendly
Canyonlands National Park
History & Culture
 
photo: ancestral Puebloan handprints
NPS Photo by Neal Herbert
Ancestral Puebloan handprints, one of the more common rock art motifs found in Canyonlands
 

People
People have visited what is now Canyonlands National Park for over 10,000 years. Over time, many different groups have moved in and out of the area in concert with the availability of natural resources and the technology for exploiting those resources.

Stories
The rich and colorful history of Canyonlands is perhaps best told by the individuals who witnessed it. As told by cowboys, scientists, park rangers, and former government officials, these stories paint vivid pictures of canyon country and all the characters that have called it home. 

Orientation Video
Orientation Video
Witness the grandeur of Canyonlands and its many features in this short video.
more...
Great Gallery Food and Tool Bag
A Glimpse of the Past
Archeologists recovered a prehistoric food and tool bag from Horseshoe Canyon.
more...
Stewart Udall
Stewart Udall
Download audio or video of Stewart Udall discussing the creation of Canyonlands.
more...
Pinyon Pine  

Did You Know?
Pinyon pines do not produce pine nuts every year. These delicious nuts can only be harvested every three to seven years. This irregular schedule prevents animals from adapting to an abundance of pine nuts and guarantees that at least some nuts will become new pine trees instead of a quick meal.
more...

Last Updated: September 20, 2006 at 08:24 EST