On this 5-day adventure, students learn about the natural and cultural history of southern Utah, as well as
the sociopolitical landscape of its public lands. Students will visit the following sites:
- Grand Staircase National Monument
- Bears Ears National Monument
- Natural Bridges National Monument
- Arches National Park
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Millions of acres of surrounding land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and US Forest
Service
Among these sites are public lands that have gained and lost protection during administration changes in the
last decade and whose fates hang in the balance of bipartisan congressional support for expanding federal
wilderness in the region. Students will become familiar with these lands and the resources they harbor, such as
their habitats and wildlife, dinosaur fossils and other paleontological curiosities, as well as cultural relics from
thousands of years of indigenous inhabitance. This trip is intended to be paired with an upcoming trip during
the spring semester to Washington D.C., where students will have the opportunity to advocate for permanent
protections for these lands with members of Congress under the guidance of the bipartisan Utah Wilderness
Coalition personnel.
"Going on the 5-day trip to Utah was truly transformative for me. Being immersed in nature, away from the usual routine, helped me gain a new perspective on what it means to challenge myself. I learned so much about leadership, teamwork, and pushing beyond my comfort zone. The experience really made me appreciate the power of being present and working through challenges with resilience and an open mind."
- Adam K. '25