WHAT ARE NATIONAL CONSERVATION LANDS?
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is part of the Bureau of Land Management’s National Conservation Lands, which consist of 36 million acres that contain some of the most spectacular scenic, natural, historical, cultural and archaeological sites in the country. The 174,000-acre Canyons of the Ancients includes 3 Wilderness Study Areas encompassing Cross Canyon, Cahone Canyon, and Squaw/Papoose Canyons in the monument’s northwest section. Across the West, National Conservation Lands include 27 National Monuments, 22 National Conservation Areas and other similar designations, Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and National Scenic and Historic Trails.