Dolores Triangle: Recreation Restoration
The Landscape
In southeastern Utah, along the Colorado border, red rock desert and winding rivers come together to form a striking landscape. River gorges cut deep into sandstone, while mesas and benches are dotted with old-growth pinyon–juniper forests that have sustained life here for thousands of years. This is an ancestral homeland of indigenous peoples since time immemorial and remains a refuge for desert bighorn sheep, canyon wrens, raptors, and a rich diversity of plant and animal life adapted to the high desert. While the famous Colorado River flows through this area, it is also home to the Dolores River. The Dolores is one of the few remaining largely free-flowing rivers in the Southwest, originating high in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains and carving its way through red rock canyons before joining the Colorado River near the Utah–Colorado border. Along its course, riparian corridors support cottonwood groves, willow stands, and critical habitat for migratory birds and wildlife, creating vibrant ribbons of green through an otherwise arid terrain.
Downstream, the Colorado River enters Westwater Canyon, a dramatic and geologically rich stretch of canyon known for its sheer walls, sculpted rock formations, and world-class whitewater. Westwater Canyon is not only a destination for river runners from around the world, but also an ecologically and culturally significant corridor where desert, river, and human history intersect. Together, the Dolores River, the Colorado River, and the lands between them form a wild, scenic, and largely undeveloped landscape.
Today, this area supports a wide range of recreation, including off-road vehicle use, mountain biking, hiking, and river travel. While these activities provide meaningful connections to the land, they can also place pressure on fragile desert soils, riparian areas, and wildlife habitat. In partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, we work to manage recreation impacts and care for this landscape, ensuring these rivers and canyons remain healthy, resilient, and accessible for generations to come.
The Work
This project works with the Bureau of Land Management to clean up dispersed campsites and protect unique desert vegetation and soils from off-route travel. As a volunteer, your efforts will focus on restoring disturbed areas and guiding recreation in ways that keep the land healthy and accessible for the long term. We will clean up fire rings, delineate campsites, and ensure that visitors to this area can experience solitude, clear access to camping areas, and the incredible wildness that makes canyon country unique.
Volunteers will be:
- Using tools such as rakes, shovels, and wheelbarrows
- Cleaning out fire rings
- Moving natural materials
- Installing educational signage
All tools and safety equipment will be provided, including gloves, eye protection, and ear protection. Volunteers will be trained on tool use and naturalization techniques.
Volunteers Needed: (8)
Project Lead: TBD
Contact: volunteer@suwa.org
Itinerary
A general itinerary will be provided to registered volunteers in a Welcome Letter, which volunteers receive upon acceptance into the project.
- Wednesday, October 7 – Friday, October 9
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 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.
Camping & Meals
Specific camping details and locations will be shared with participants. On this project, expect to camp at an established campground close to the work site. Picnic tables and pit toilets will be available.
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.
