2026 Calendar

WORD TO THE WILD

March 12-14 registration opens 2/01

October 22-24 registration opens 7/02

WATERSHEDS FIELD COURSE

July 9-11 registration opens 3/1

MOUNTAINS FIELD COURSE

August 7-9 registration opens 4/17

DESERTS FIELD COURSE

September 25-27 registration opens 5/22

DARK SKIES FIELD COURSE

September 11-13 registration opens 5/08

October 9-11 registration opens 6/05

TEEN PROGRAM

July 6-10 & July 20-24

Limber Pine Summer Camp starting 2/02

What’s new with UMN?

This year, we are branching out with new partners and new formats, while maintaining our stalwart partnerships

New Ideas| Do you know a teen who loves the mountains? Check out our new partner, Limber Pine Summer Camp. They are adapting UMN’s Mountain curriculum for a fully field-based course, built just for teens.

Readers and writers, this one’s for you: Word to the Wild is a new series debuting this March in Moab. Part book club, part workshop, we will spend 3 days exploring the work of Utah authors, connecting with nature, and workshopping our own creative writing and nature journaling. Read more below.

Old Friends| Swaner Preserve is back teaching Watersheds, and the Hogle Zoo will lead our Mountains field course.

New Faces| Stokes Nature Center and Goblin Valley State Park are each featuring Dark Skies classes.

Giving Back| UMN program graduates at Snow Canyon State Park and Zion Forever Project teamed up to bring the Deserts course to southwest Utah.

Registration Tips

Registration opens 16 weeks before the event’s scheduled start date, at 10 am Mountain Time.

Registration links are posted on Eventbrite, UMN’s website, and UMN’s socials.

Our courses usually become waitlisted. Reach out if you need a refund; someone else wants your spot!

Who are our 2026 field course partners?

Limber Pine Summer Camp

A mountain-based summer camp for teens ages 13–16, dedicated to outdoor exploration, leadership development, and service-driven learning.

Hogle Zoo

Our mission is to create champions for wildlife by making connections between people and animals to inspire action. Our vision is a world where people and wildlife thrive together.

Swaner Preserve

We are a nature preserve and education center. Immerse yourself in our vibrant ecosystem, engage in hands-on programs, and learn about the natural world.

Snow Canyon State Park

Explore our trails and dunes on foot, bike, and horseback. Camp by ancient lava flows and red Navajo sandstone. Discover the desert through seasonal nature programs.

Zion Forever Project

Our work is about safeguarding Zion National Park’s legacy through on-the-ground conservation, visitor safety, trail restoration, ensuring accessibility, and enhancing protection.

Stokes Nature Center

We are Cache Valley’s local nature center and outdoor exploration hub for people of all ages.

Goblin Valley State Park

Our strange and colorful valley is covered with sandstone goblin formations and is often compared to Mars. Explore, hike, camp, mountain bike, disc golf, and more awaits you.

Southern Utah desert scene: orange sand, buttes and mesas in the background, dead wood in the foreground.

“Wildness reminds us what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather than what we are separate from."

- Terry Tempest Williams

Word to the Wild

UMN’s newest program kicks off this March. Word to the Wild is a book club, writing and journaling workshop, and field experience all rolled into one. This is the first of several new opportunities for Utah Master Naturalists to engage, apart from the program’s four core curriculum modules. There is no prerequisite for participating in this event. Anyone excited about reading Utah authors, exploring Utah’s public lands, and writing or journaling for personal expression is welcome. We intend to offer this experience twice each year, with new locations, topics, and readings each time.

Spring 2026| March 12-14

Join us for 3 days of reading, writing, and field journaling as we explore the intersection of paleontology, cultural history, and land preservation in Moab. Our keystone book is Riley Black’s “The Shortest History of the Dinosaurs.” We will also explore excerpts from “The Hour of Land” by Terry Tempest Williams and the graphic novel “Citizen 13660” by Mine Okubo. Field sites include Utahraptor State Park and the Moab Museum, among others. Full details on this program will be posted to the UMN website soon. Registration opens February 1 at 10:00 am. As with the field courses, the Eventbrite registration link will be available on our website and our socials.

Fall 2026| October 22-24

Immerse yourself in Capitol Reef National Park for three days of literary exploration and personal expression. Stay tuned for more information, including featured readings, specific locations, and activities.

utahmasternaturalsit@usu.edu

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