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Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument — larger than all five of Utah’s national parks combined — is one of the most extraordinary landscapes in America. It was protected because it matters: to science, to history, and to the people who call this region home. Its cliffs and canyons hold fossils that reshape our understanding of life on Earth, sacred and historic sites that carry deep cultural meaning, and fragile desert ecosystems found nowhere else.
But protection on paper is not enough.
Grand Staircase–Escalante Partners is a rural nonprofit rooted in the communities that surround the Monument. We work alongside local residents, scientists, land managers, and Tribal partners to care for this place every day. We support research and education, preserve cultural memory, improve trails and habitat, and create opportunities for local people to stay connected to the land and benefit from it responsibly.
The Monument’s future depends on steady, local stewardship. Our job is to make sure this landscape — and the communities tied to it — remain strong for generations to come.
Do you know how to spot the signs of a recent rockfall in the Monument`s sandstone canyons? Look at the desert varnish. When rock splits off the canyon`s face, it takes the darkly colored desert varnish with it, and reveals the lighter, unweathered sandstone. Desert varnish is often composed of micro-colonial fungi that produce dark pigments to protect themselves from the sun.
PS: Becoming a PAWtner means your four-legged friend joins a community of animal lovers who care about Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Our program informs visitors about hazards specific to the region, explains pet etiquette expectations, and recognizes the pet that has made your trips to the Monument so special. Your donation helps support conservation, education, and stewardship efforts to ensure these lands and the adventures they inspire last for generations to come.🐾 https://gsenm.org/pawtners/
Apr 17
The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Management Plan helps protect breathtaking places like this sensitive spring-fed riparian corridor.
Please join us in urging your members of Congress to vote no on overturning the management plan for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This could fast-track the destruction of the monument and impact protections for public lands nationwide. Take action now.
https://www.conservationlands.org/defend-grand-staircase
Photo courtesy of @morgan.sjogren and @ecoflight.
Apr 14
We’re excited to announce that our 2026 Summer Stewardship Projects are officially open for sign-ups!🌞
Join us this summer as we get to work caring for the monument through hands-on projects like graffiti remediation, trash pick-up, campsite clean-ups, and even a river backpacking adventure.
Here’s where we’ll be headed:
⭐️ June 5th: Lower Calf Creek Clean-Up
🎒 July 9–11th: Escalante River Backpacking Trip
⭐️ July 25th: Willis Creek Clean-Up
From stunning canyons to unforgettable experiences, this is your chance to make a real impact. Spots are limited, so don’t wait and click the link in our bio to learn more and secure your spot. We can’t wait to see you out there!
If our summer dates don`t work out for you, we still have a few available spots on our spring volunteer trips so don`t forget to check those out!
https://sites.google.com/gsenm.org/stewardship-project-site-draft/stewardship-projects/2026-projects?authuser=0
Apr 12
On April 30, you can help protect and restore one of the most remarkable landscapes in the
American West. We’re joining Utah Gives, Utah’s statewide spotlight on generosity: a day when
nonprofits across the state come together under one banner to inspire giving and strengthen our
communities.
Early Giving is now open for Utah Gives Day!
Right now, Grand Staircase is facing renewed challenges that could undo years of work
protecting this landscape.
Your early gift helps support on-the-ground stewardship from volunteer restoration projects to
protecting sensitive desert ecosystems.
You don’t have to wait until April 30 to make an impact.
Give early and step up for Grand Staircase. Link in our bio: https://www.utahgives.org/organization/Grand-Staircase-Escalante-Partners
#UtahGives #PublicLands
Apr 11
Who else loves the Navajo sandstone walls in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument as much as our PAWtner, Dasher? 🧡🐾
Becoming a PAWtner means your four-legged friend joins a community of animal lovers who care about Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Our program informs visitors about hazards specific to our region, explains pet etiquette expectations, and helps our supporters recognize the pet that has made their trips to the Monument so special. Your donation helps support conservation, education, and stewardship efforts to ensure these lands and the adventures they inspire last for generations to come.
Your furry friend can become a PAWtner with an annual donation of $25.
Apr 9
Make your voice heard to protect Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
Please urge your state reps to vote no on overturning Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument`s management plan, which would dismantle years of community effort, impact local economies, and threaten our public lands.
Link to an easy form to help you write your state representatives: https://www.conservationlands.org/defend-grand-staircase
Apr 7
Want to give back to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument? There are still spots available for our 2026 Spring Stewardship projects.
We are excited to announce a new stewardship project to our 2026 spring calendar!
April 25th: Hoodoo Road Clean-Up near Escalante, UT.
We are partnering with the Bureau of Land Management to address impacts around the Hoodoo Road near Head of the Rocks. We will spend the day remediating campfire rings and picking up trash.
Register for this and other volunteer projects here (or link in IG bio): https://sites.google.com/gsenm.org/stewardship-project-site-draft/home
Hurry! Spots are filling up fast!
Apr 5
We are hiring! Come work with us in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument!🌼
POSITION: TEMPORARY SEASONAL SEED TECHNICIAN
Full-time, seasonal seed technician position available at Grand Staircase Escalante Partners. We seek a
seed technician to assist with the collection of native plant seeds from wild populations for long-term
conservation, research, and restoration efforts. The seed technician will perform botanical surveys to
identify target plant species, collect environmental data in the field, prepare voucher specimens of plants, collect seeds from species as directed, prepare seeds for shipment to various partners, and curate data from plant populations.
This role requires an independent spirit who can perform extensive outdoor work in remote areas, often under challenging conditions, and yet be communicative and responsive to the needs of the program and safety requirements. The expected season is from May 1 through October 15, 2026 with a possible extension dependent on field conditions and funding.
Compensation is set at $21 per hour, and includes some benefits.
Location: Field-based in southern Utah
To apply for this position, please visit this link with further instructions: https://gsenm.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Seed-Tech-Job-Ad.pdf
Mar 31
“Research shows that conserving public lands like the Grand Staircase-Escalante
National Monument helps to safeguard and highlight amenities that draw new
visitors, businesses, and residents to surrounding communities.
Western counties with protected public lands, like national monuments, have been
more successful at attracting fast-growing economic sectors and as a result grow
more quickly, on average, than counties without protected public lands. In addition,
protected natural amenities—such as the multicolored cliffs, slot canyons, and
remote desert vistas found at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument—also help sustain property values and attract new investment.”
Excerpt from a Headwaters Economics report, read it in full here: https://headwaterseconomics.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2026HE-GrandStaircaseEscalante-Fact-Sheet-2026.pdf (Also linked in our IG bio.)
Mar 30
