Orrin Hatch: “thank you for the opportunity today to pay tribute to a timeless feature of Utah's beautiful geography: Canyonlands…”

“thank you for the opportunity today to pay tribute to a timeless feature of Utah's beautiful geography: Canyonlands National Park. This week, citizens of Utah and friends around the United States join together in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Canyonlands National Park. As one of the ``Mighty Five'' national parks in Utah, the Canyonlands celebrate a landmark anniversary, and are a source of great pride for Utahns and the outdoors community nationwide. Canyonlands National Park is located in the southeast of our State where the otherworldly cliffs, recesses, and red rock attract climbing, mountain biking, and rafting enthusiasts from across the globe. Anyone who walks down Main Street in Moab can hear languages from German to Japanese to English, as well as accents from all over America. People plan and save for years to visit Utah to behold the invulnerable landscapes of the Canyonlands. As one stands on the edge of a 1,000- foot cliff, while seeing hundreds of miles in all directions, nature somehow puts life in perspective. This perspective gained should not be underestimated. There is a story in common between those who visit the park and the land they experience. It is a story told in rock layers that echo ancient seas, coastal mud flats, braided streambeds, and wind-blown dunes hundreds of feet thick. It is the story of time and change, to which all of God's creation is subject.…”