The gorgeous magnificence spot that is touted as the brand new Grand Canyon

A stunning beauty spot that is home to acres of rugged cliffs and desert rivers has been dubbed ‘Oregon‘s Grand Canyon’. 

The state’s governor Tina Kotek is currently petitioning for the gorgeous Owyhee Canyonlands to become the next natural wonder.

Kotek, 58, made a final plea to President Joe Biden to designate more than a million acres of the land in eastern Oregon a national monument under the Antiquities Act. 

‘The landscape of this area is a national treasure with stunning geological features and culturally significant sites that reflect the deep history and heritage of this part of Oregon,’ she wrote in a November 22 letter. 

‘The devastating consequences for the future of this iconic landscape are simply too great not to act now. Please proceed with a national monument designation.’ 

The Antiquities Act allows a president to designate a national monument if the area has cultural or historical significance. 

Congress can also protect land under the National Wilderness Preservation System and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. 

The 2.5-million acre area has a deep history within the Northern Paiute, Bannock and Shoshone tribes, and attracts scores of tourists to Malheur County, according to The Oregonian. 

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek is petitioning for the gorgeous Owyhee Canyonlands to become the next natural wonder 

The governor made a final plea to President Joe Biden in his last weeks in office to designate more than a million acres of the land in eastern Oregon as a national monument

‘The landscape of this area is a national treasure with stunning geological features and culturally significant sites that reflect the deep history and heritage of this part of Oregon,’ the governor wrote in a November 22 letter

The Owyhee Canyonlands are home to sage grouse, bighorn sheep, elk, and deer. 

Their habitats could be threatened without federal protection due to invasive grasses and juniper.  Fish also risk poor conditions as the riverside needs to be preserved, The Oregonian reported. 

For years, Oregon politicians from both parties have attempted to get the Owyhee Canyonlands federally protected, but both chambers of Congress have failed to vote on preservation measures. 

US Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have proposed protecting the area at least three times over the last five years. 

Wyden is ‘still pulling out all the stops’ to get the proposal passed, according to his spokesman, Hank Stern. 

The senators’ most recent proposal asked for 30,000 acres in the canyonlands to be put into a trust that will be overseen by the Burns Paiute Tribe.  

‘The legislative route has bipartisan momentum in the House and Senate. And a bill remains the best path to protect wilderness, provide ranchers more grazing flexibility and return ancestral lands to the Burns Paiute Tribe rather than a monument that the incoming administration would likely move to undo at a moment’s notice,’ Stern told The Oregonian. 

Their proposal has not yet received a vote from Congress, but could see movement within the next three or four weeks. 

For years, various Oregon politicians from both parties have attempted to get the Owyhee Canyonlands federally protected, but both houses of Congress have failed to vote on preservation measures

The lands have a deep history within the Northern Paiute, Bannock and Shoshone tribes, and bring in a lot of tourism to Malheur County

People have compared the Oregon canyonlands to the Grand Canyon (pictured)

‘As the clock ticks on 2024, all eyes are now focused on President Biden and Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley as Oregonians are depending on them to take the decisive steps necessary to protect the Owyhee Canyonlands before the end of the year,’ Ryan Houston, the executive director of the Oregon Natural Desert Association, told the outlet. 

The area includes the Oregon Desert Trail featuring snow-capped mountain ranges, as well as lower elevation trails. 

It also includes the Sagehen Hill Nature Trail featuring beautiful wildflowers. 

Owyhee Canyonlands also has backcountry campsites and swimming holes for visitors to enjoy, as well as hot springs, according to the association.