Canyonlands National Park 50th Anniversary Celebration

Online, December 16, 2013 (Newswire.com) - The Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks and the National Park Service have been working with community officials from Grand and San Juan County, retired park rangers, and Canyonlands Natural History Association to plan the celebration, for the 50 year anniversary of Canyonlands National Park.

In the coming year there will be a series of events including lectures, exhibits and programs culminating with the re-dedication ceremony of the park on Friday September 12, 2014 in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. A free lectures series occurs regularly at the Moab Information Center in downtown Moab on most Thursdays at 6:00 PM. Another block away on East Center Street is the Museum of Moab open 5 days a week. Every year the Artist in the Park program has scheduled public interaction divided between Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. More information on upcoming events and programs will be available on the anniversary website at www.canyonlands50.org.

The Friends of Arches and Canyonalands Parks was founded by family members of Bates Wilson, who was instrumental in the establishment of Canyonlands and served as its first superintendent from 1964 until his retirement in 1972. Bates dedicated countless hours exploring and mapping Canyonlands diverse geology. His famous camping trips and cowboy cookouts helped persuade the country's decision makers that Canyonlands was worthy of national park status. On September 12, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation creating Canyonlands National Park.

For more information on the Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks, please go to www.bateswilson.org For information on Canyonlands National Park, please go to www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm.