The Land

The 1.7 million-acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is an extraordinary landscape. The monument is world renowned for its remarkable paleontological discoveries, stunning scenery, and outstanding recreational opportunities. Local communities have benefited with significant increases in tourism, new businesses, population growth, and higher per capita income.

Since its designation in 1996, Grand Staircase-Escalante has come to be known as the “Science Monument”—yielding several new species of dinosaur and other paleontological finds and providing habitat for 650 bee species, many that are endemic to the area. The area has incredible camping, hiking and other recreational opportunities. Places like Calf Creek, Peekaboo and Spooky Canyon, Coyote Gulch, and the Hole-in-the-Rock Road are well-known.

The Work

From our partners at Grand Staircase Escalante Partners:

This is a 5-day project with (3) full days of work, beginning the afternoon of May 16th and concluding the morning of May 20th. We will work on stewardship projects along the southern end of Hole In the Rock Road in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. We will focus on remediating dispersed camping impacts along Hole In the Rock Road, including cleaning and removing campfire rings, delineating dispersed camping areas, and raking out vehicle trespass tracks. This project is rated as moderate and volunteers will be required to lift 30-40 lbs repeatedly and hike around 5 miles/day over rough terrain with about 300 ft of elevation gain. Volunteers should expect to be bending, digging, lifting, carrying, cutting, hauling, tensioning, etc., throughout the project. 

Most of our project areas will be near our vehicles and we will have access to water and food. We may go on short hikes (no more than 5 miles) to address project sites along hiking trails occasionally. This trip will include hiking through the Dry Fork Slot Canyons, Peek-a-boo and Spooky. These canyons are extremely narrow (not recommended for those over 200 lbs), have exposure to heights (up and down climbs around 15 feet), and require hiking through rocky, difficult terrain.

Volunteers Needed: (5)
Project Lead: Jeremy Lynch

Itinerary
A comprehensive itinerary will be provided to registered volunteers.

• Tuesday, May 16th to Friday, May 19th (optional Friday dinner and Saturday breakfast)

Note: Work project will begin the morning of Wednesday, May 16th and conclude the late afternoon/evening of Friday, May 19th.

Project Rating 

Level 2 – Our most common trip incorporates mid- to heavy-lifting, work in remote landscapes at varying elevations, an increased diversity of tool use, and an emphasis on physical fitness and hiking competency.

Camping & Meals

Specific location of camping site(s) will be provided in the Welcome Letter sent to registered volunteers.

GSEP will provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout this project starting with dinner on May 16th and ending with breakfast on May 20th. We will also have snacks, drink powder (Gatorade and lemonade), coffee, and tea, but please feel free to bring a few of your own snacks as well. GSEP project leads hold a UT Food Handlers License and we will be asking volunteers to help out with some cooking and dishes throughout the project.

Volunteer Responsibilities

Participants are responsible for their 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 pack list will be sent along with the project Welcome Letter at least (2) weeks prior to the start date.

Registration

A Volunteer Agreement is required for this project. 

When we have received your form, you will receive a confirmation e-mail within 5 working days of submission. The confirmation e-mail will indicate whether you have been placed on the “project roster” or a “waiting list.” Individuals on the Waitlist will be contacted if spaces open due to cancellation within (2) weeks of the project start date.

At least (2) 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 additional information in a Pre-Departure email. You will also receive a direct call from our Project Coordinator to answer any questions you may have.

If you have any questions at any point throughout the process, please do not hesitate to contact us here or by calling  (435) 259-9151.

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