
Dark Canyon Wilderness: Backpacking & Habitat Restoration
May 19 - May 23

**THIS PROJECT INVOLVES MULTI-DAY BACKPACKING**
The Landscape
With the designation of Bears Ears National Monument on December 28th, 2016, a new layer of protection was granted to some of the most spectacular places in southern Utah. Covering a vast region, Bears Ears is co-managed by the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. Bears Ears holds a wide variety cultural sites, and is still used by tribes throughout the region for medicinal plant gathering, firewood collection, and other cultural uses. This is a living, breathing, sacred landscape.
Streams drain the Abajo Mountains to the northeast, creating pockets of lush greenery in the desert canyons on the western side of the Monument. As a result, this region supports an abundance of wildlife but has also drawn in grazing interests and led to the establishment of several invasive plant species, including tamarisk. Because tamarisk consume large amounts of water and push out native plant species, their removal is crucial to restoring native habitat.
The Work
This project will focus on invasive plant removal, hiking trail remediation and natural resource protection. Expect to engage in:
- Sawing, cutting and lopping invasive plan species;
- Proximity to active herbicide application;
- Placing heavy stone and downed logs to naturalize the impacted travel area;
- Installation of educational signage to prevent future incursions;
- Building or repairing fences to clarify Wilderness boundaries.
All work tools will be provided, including gloves, eye protection, and ear-protection.
Project Rating
Strenuous – Expect hiking over uneven terrain. Project work may include lots of lifting and tool use. Strenuous trips often involve large fencing projects in which materials need to be carried into work sites, or backpacking trips in which participants are responsible for hiking in tools and personal overnight gear to work and campsites.
All projects take place outdoors: Please consider your comfortability 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: Talitha McGuire
Contact: talitha@suwa.org
Itinerary
A general itinerary will be provided to registered volunteers in a Welcome Letter.
- Monday, May 19th – Friday, May 23rd
Camping & Meals
Specific location of camping site(s) will be provided in the Welcome Letter sent to registered volunteers. As this project is a backpacking trip, camps will be remote dispersed sites with no running water. Packing wag bags for solid human waste is mandatory.
Volunteers are responsible for all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) during the project.
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 2025 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.