The Walnut Canyon Study was compiled by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and National Park Service (NPS) for purposes of determining how best to manage the USFS lands adjacent to the Walnut Canyon National Monument.   The Study was authorized in Section 7201 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Public Law 111-11, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on March 30, 2009. The text of Section 7201 requests that the Study aim to assess “the suitability and feasibility of designating all or part of the study area as an addition to Walnut Canyon National Monument, continued management of the study area by the Forest Service or any other designation or management option that would provide for (i) protection of resources within the study area; and (ii) continued access to, and use of, the study area by the public.”
 
The Study was supported by the Coconino County Board of Supervisors and Flagstaff City Council in a joint resolution numbered 2002-65 and 2002-92, respectively. In the joint resolution, the City Council and the Board of Supervisor supported a federal authorization for a special resources and land management study of federal lands surrounding Walnut Canyon National Monument for purposes of determining how best to protect these lands from future development.