April kept us busy across the Colorado Plateau, from student field days and spring events to busy weekends on public lands, and exciting programs still to come!

In this month’s newsletter, you’ll find a new “From the Desk of Sam,” highlights from the Monticello BLM Natural Resources Competition, an Easter Jeep Safari update, and a save-the-date for this year’s Southeast Utah AstroFest. We’re also sharing upcoming events and ways to stay connected with the parks, monuments, forests, and public lands we’re proud to support.

Thanks for being part of our community and helping support education, research, and visitor programs across the region.

Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend Hill Day in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the National Park Foundation. Hill Day is an annual event that brings friends groups and cooperating associations from across the country to Washington to meet with their respective congressional delegations.

Representing Utah alongside partners from Zion Forever Project, Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks, and the National Park Foundation, we met with members and staff from Utah’s congressional delegation, including Senator John Curtis and Representative Blake Moore, as well as staffers from the offices of Mike Kennedy, Celeste Malloy, and Burgess Owens.

CNHA Executive Director Sam Wainer pictured with Congressman Blake Moore during Hill Day in Washington, D.C., alongside fellow public lands partners from Friends of Arches & Canyonlands Parks, Zion Forever Project, and the National Park Foundation.

Together, we advocated for full funding of the National Park Foundation’s $15 million congressional appropriation, support for the Legacy Restoration Fund which addresses long-standing deferred maintenance and infrastructure needs across the park system, and critical infrastructure improvements at Arches National Park — particularly water and wastewater systems. We also discussed ongoing challenges with National Park Service contracting processes that are delaying important projects underway at the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands.

It was an honor to represent CNHA on Capitol Hill and to help reinforce the essential role cooperating associations play in supporting our public lands. These conversations underscored that our federal partners could not fully accomplish their missions without the continued partnership and support provided by organizations like CNHA.

Natural Resources Competition 2026 was a tremendous success! After an unexpected cancellation last October due to the government shutdown, students and organizers were thrilled to finally gather this April at Sand Island Campground for a day of hands-on learning and friendly competition. High school students from Monticello, Blanding, Montezuma Creek, and Navajo Mountain participated in activities focused on range and recreation management, archaeology, and paleontology while learning directly from professionals with the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service.

The event gave students a closer look at how public lands are managed while introducing them to career opportunities available right here in their communities. Teams earning 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will receive scholarship awards at their end-of-year assemblies.

A special thank you goes to science teacher Jamie Carling, whose dedication continues to make this event possible, along with all of the presenters, staff, teachers, and students who contributed to such a meaningful experience. Supported in part by Canyonlands Natural History Association, the event highlighted the importance of public lands education and inspired the next generation of land stewards across the region.

Attention stargazers, astronomy enthusiasts, and celestial explorers! Get ready to embark on a journey through the cosmos at the Southeast Utah AstroFest, the ultimate astronomy festival happening under the vast skies of the national and state park sites in Southeast Utah.

Join park rangers for daytime and evening astronomy programs, telescope viewing, and family friendly activities at locations throughout the parks. Bring layers for comfort and a red light to protect your dark-adapted vision while walking safely on uneven surfaces.

Kick off this year’s AstroFest by joining Dark Sky Ranger Kale Wernsing for a special Moab Information Center lecture on June 4 at 6 pm exploring why darkness matters to everyone and everything, from people to plants. With a focus on both scientific research and real-world impacts, Ranger Kale will discuss the National Park Service’s role in dark sky preservation and how the Southeast Utah Group continues to lead efforts to protect some of the darkest skies in the country.

Learn more about AstroFest here.

2026 marked the 60th anniversary of the Easter Jeep Safari! This year, Moab welcomed 25,000 visitors to explore the hundreds of miles of iconic routes in Canyon Country.

While rock crawling challenging obstacles is the main draw, stewardship is also at the heart of the event. This year, over 100 participants worked on trail maintenance projects benefiting the BLM and all public land users.



Thank you to everyone who participated in volunteer projects and to all of those who diligently practice and emulate Leave No Trace principles while exploring this incredible landscape. Your efforts help keep these trails useable for years to come. See you next year!

Photo: BLM

Moab Information Center Lecture Series

The Moab Information Center (MIC) Lecture Series returns in March with free, in-person talks exploring the science, history, and culture of canyon country. Speakers include local experts and partner organizations. Lectures are held Thursdays at 6:00 pm at the Moab Information Center.

• May 7 | Grove K. Gilbert by John Weisheit
• May 21 | Wildlife Tracking: Unraveling the Mysteries Around Us by Jonathan Jessop

View the full lineup here.

Live Art Demonstrations at Natural Bridges and Hovenweep

Natural Bridges and Hovenweep National Monuments are honored to host award-winning artist Jimmy Yawakia, a Zuni fetish carver from Zuni Pueblo, later this month. Visitors are invited to meet Jimmy in person as he shares the cultural knowledge of A:shiwi migration from Ribbon Falls in the Grand Canyon. Through live demonstrations, he will showcase his carving process and speak about the origins of Zuni fetish carving, a tradition passed down through generations and still practiced today.

Natural Bridges National Monument

May 28–31 | 9am – 4pm daily

Hovenweep National Monument

June 3–6 | 9am – 4pm daily

2026 Community Artist in the Parks

Chrissy Noel Kinslow is a Moab-based community artist whose work weaves together art, nature connection, and shared experience. Rooted in the landscapes of the Colorado Plateau, her practice centers on listening deeply and creating accessible, heart-led spaces for reflection and creative expression. Through guided art experiences, storytelling, and land-based practices, she invites participants to reconnect with themselves, each other, and the natural world.

See how she turns her inspiration into art, or join her (with your own art supplies) for a side-by-side creative endeavor. Bring water, sun protection, and your imagination.

Canyonlands National Park | Needles District

Thursday, May 14

Stone Storehouse

2pm – 6pm

Friday, May 15

Chesler Park Trail

9am – 1pm 

2pm – 6pm

Saturday, May 16

Pothole Point

9am – 1pm 

2pm – 6pm

Can't make it but still want to support? Check out her artwork here!

Plants of Canyons of the Ancients: A Visual Exploration

Join Marian Rohman for a beautiful and informative slideshow exploring the native plants of the region. This program is perfect for both beginners and seasoned naturalists interested in the ecology of the monument. No registration required. FREE!

May 15, 2026 | 4 - 5 pm 
Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center

27501 CO-184, Dolores, CO 81323

See more Canyons of the Ancients events here!

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Canyonlands Natural History Association (CNHA) is a non-profit organization, which exists solely to assist the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management in their education and visitor efforts. Proceeds from sales support these agencies’ educational, interpretive, and scientific programs on the Colorado Plateau.

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