The Landscape

Beef Basin is a remote landscape within Bears Ears National Monument, tucked just beyond the boundaries of Canyonlands National Park. With wide valleys, stunning buttes, and sandstone outcroppings, this region treats visitors to wide open expanses, herds of mule deer, as well as the presence of cultural sites that the Monument is known for. Beef Basin, like the surrounding region, has been home for indigenous groups since time immemorial, with dozens of cultural sites still evident on the landscape. This is a living, breathing, sacred landscape to be treated with care and respect.

Bears Ears as a whole is co-managed by the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Forest Service—a historic collaboration that recognizes the deep, ongoing relationship between Tribes and this landscape. Tribes across the region continue to use Bears Ears for cultural practices such as medicinal plant gathering, firewood collection, ceremony, and connection to ancestral homelands. Since Western colonization swept across North America, indigenous peoples, sacred places, and cultural sites have been subject to atrocious harm. In the case of Bears Ears, looting, vandalism, and accidental damage have impacted cultural sites. Today, that impact continues; visitors excited to explore the region’s history can damage cultural sites through off-road vehicle use, walking through sensitive areas, or simply a lack of intention. While visitors can learn so much from these incredible sites, it is important to visit respectfully and mitigate human-caused impacts.

The Work

This project will focus on natural and cultural resource protection. Volunteers will remediate impacts throughout Beef Basin than have been caused by outdoor recreation. Through cleaning up fire rings, delineating campsites, and installing signage, the work done on this project will protect cultural resources by guiding visitors to recreate responsibly. 

Volunteers will:

• Utilize surface remediation techniques
• Stoop, bend, and walk over uneven surfaces
• Utilize brush-rakes

All work tools will be provided, including gloves and eye protection. Volunteers will be trained in surface remediation techniques and be taught to recognize facets of cultural sites such as lithics, pottery sherds, middens, and hearths. Volunteers will be working adjacent to cultural sites–as a result, volunteers must follow careful guidance outlined by the trip leader and be willing to work slowly, patiently, and with attention to detail in order not to cause disturbance to the landscape.

Project Rating

Moderate – Expect walking or hiking on uneven terrain; work vehicles will likely be nearby or a short walk away. Project work may include mid- to heavy-lifting, various tool use such as raking and shoveling, and the potential to carry fencing, signage, or natural materials. 

All projects take place outdoors: Please consider your comfort level working in remote landscapes at varying elevations and under variable weather conditions. Our team strives to ensure that all projects provide meaningful work for volunteers of all abilities. Please reach out to the Project Lead if you have questions or concerns.

Volunteers Needed: (8)
Project Lead: TBD
Contact: volunteer@suwa.org

Itinerary
A general itinerary will be provided to registered volunteers in a Welcome Letter.

•  Saturday, May 16th – Tuesday, May 19th

Camping & Meals

Specific location of camping site(s) will be provided in the Welcome Letter sent to registered volunteers. Campsites are often remote dispersed sites with no running water or pit toilets.

SUWA provides dinners during the project dates as well as snacks and drinks during workdays. Volunteers are responsible for all additional meals (breakfast, lunch) during their stay.

Volunteer Responsibilities

Participants are responsible for their own food, water and camping gear as well as transportation to and from the project site(s). Volunteers should plan to be away from camp all day each of the work days. A recommended packlist will be sent along with the project Welcome Letter (4) weeks prior to the start date. If camping gear is a barrier to your attendance, please reach out to the Project Lead to discuss options.

Registration & Acceptance Timeline

A 2026 General Volunteer Application is required for this project.

• Once we have received your application, you will receive a confirmation email within (5) working days of submission.
• We log all applications until (8) weeks prior to the project. At this point, you will first receive an email confirming whether you have been placed on the“project roster” or a “waitlist.” If you are selected for the project roster, you will then complete a Volunteer Agreement.
• At (4) weeks before the project start date, registered and confirmed participants will receive a Welcome Letter with a comprehensive itinerary, including: driving instructions, a Project Map for mobile devices (when applicable), a notification about carpools and/or caravans, and any additional information pertinent to the project.
• Within (2) weeks of the project you will receive a direct call from the Project Lead to answer any additional questions you may have.
• Individuals on the waitlist will be contacted if space opens due to cancellation within (2) weeks of the project start date.

If you have any questions at any point throughout the process, please do not hesitate to contact us here.

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