Canyonlands Natural History Association

Even during a government shutdown, our public lands stand tall.
Our parks remain accessible, but please note that many services are limited.

Even so, your support doesn’t have to stop. Every purchase at shop.cnha.org helps fund education, science, and visitor programs for the lands you love.
📷 NPS

Tonight (9/25) is our annual National Public Lands Day Celebration!

We hope you will join us at the Moab Information Center from 5-7:30 for live music, free swag, and to celebrate the public lands that make this region so special!

Happy first day of fall from the red rock desert! 🍂

The days may still feel warm, but the light is shifting, the evenings are cooling, and the canyon shadows stretch a little longer.

Here’s to a new season of change, reflection, and connection on our public lands.

Here, Jimmy shares the meaning behind one of his pieces.

“Feeling the stone and seeing the animal’s shape before starting—it’s a blessing.” ✨ For Zuni carver Jimmy Yawakia, carving is tradition, spirituality, and storytelling.

Zuni carver Jimmy Yawakia spent 23 years as an EMT before retiring to carve full time. This Thursday–Sunday at Hovenweep National Monument, you can meet Jimmy, watch him carve, and hear how stone became both healing and art. 🌄 9–4 daily.

Hovenweep means “deserted valley,” but anyone who visits knows it’s full of voices: past, present, and future. From ancestral builders to living artists like Jimmy Yawakia, the stones here keep telling stories.

This weekend at Hovenweep National Monument: Zuni stone carver Jimmy Yawakia is here! From 9-4 Thursday-Sunday, stop by to watch him carve and learn about Zuni traditions carried forward through his art. 🌟

I'll be visiting today! Stay tuned!

The first cool mornings are settling into canyon country 🍂

Out on the trails, you can hear the change in the air. Raven calls echoing off cliffs, leaves just starting to turn... Public lands are always shifting, always teaching us something new.

What changes are you noticing where you are?

We would love to!!!

We’d love to hear from you. What’s your canyon connection? Share your story with us below!

We all have a canyon connection. Maybe it’s your first glimpse of Delicate Arch, a family trip to Canyonlands, or a night under the stars at Natural Bridges.

Connections Across Canyons is about celebrating the many ways people — past, present, and future — find meaning on the Colorado Plateau.

The Needles District of Canyonlands National Park offers visitors a more remote, backcountry experience, requiring some hiking or four-wheel driving to see the area’s attractions.

Have you been?! #ParkChat

Utah’s Chinle Formation: Understanding Life in the Triassic [vc_row full_width=stretch_row css=.vc_custom_1617652492747{background-color: #23b7e0 !important;}][vc_column width=1/2][vc_single_image image=5232 img_size=600 x 600 alignment=center css=][/vc_column...

The Chinle Formation in southern Utah holds fossils over 200 million years old. 🦖🌿

In the latest Science Moab podcast, paleontologist Randy Irmis shares discoveries from this Triassic treasure trove—and why public lands are essential for preserving them. sciencemoab.org/utahs-chinle...

Arches National Park is home to more than 2,000 natural stone arches, the highest concentration in the world!

Every arch is a reminder of the forces of wind, water, and time that shape the Colorado Plateau. ⛰️

Natural Bridges National Monument was the very first International Dark Sky Park! Stargazing there = unforgettable.

Have you ever visited Natural Bridges?

September Newsletter Email from Canyonlands Natural History Association News & Updates from the Colorado Plateau We’ve got a lot to share with you this month! From new Discovery Pool updates to our upcoming National Publi

Our September newsletter is here! This month we’re sharing updates from the Discovery Pool, a look ahead to National Public Lands Day, a special Zuni stone carver demonstration, and a save-the-date for our next member hike. Read the full newsletter here: conta.cc/4nvG5r5

Thank you so much for being part of our story for so many years! 🌄 Grateful to have you in the CNHA community!

Public lands belong to all of us, and we’re here to help everyone connect with them.

From classroom programs for local students to interpretive guides on trails, Canyonlands Natural History Association has been supporting these experiences since 1967.

September in southeast Utah brings cooler mornings, golden light, and crisp desert evenings, perfect for exploring!

What’s your favorite time of year to visit the red rock country?

It’s been a while, but we’re glad to be back on BlueSky! Canyonlands Natural History Association is here to share stories, updates, and highlights from the parks and public lands we support across southeastern Utah.

Sometimes you just need to go stand in the wind and let it delete your entire brain like a reset button.

ancestral Puebloan structures stand amidst a rocky, green landscape under a cloudy blue sky.

Here's a pretty picture of Hovenweep National Monument for your Friday.

No April Foolin around here... It's SNOWING! It sure is beautiful, though.

Check out the real-time views - snow or shine - on our webcams at cnha.org/webcams!

Sometimes it’s nice to pause & connect with the natural world. No music, no talking - just you & the land. It’s in these quiet moments that we can truly appreciate the beauty around us & the stillness of the moment. #VisitWithRespect on these beautiful ancestral lands.🌎

March Newsletter Email from Canyonlands Natural History Association News & Updates from Southeastern Utah This month, check out how we supported our agency partners in 2024! We’re also looking back at 2024 highlights

Get the full details in our March newsletter: conta.cc/4i7ImpM

For the U.S. Forest Service, we:
📍 Funded new trailhead kiosks & signs
🔥 Supported fire prevention education (new Smokey Bear suit!)
❄️ Helped with avalanche safety & wetland monitoring

For the Bureau of Land Management, we:
🌱 Funded Natural Resources Field Day
🔎 Supported cultural surveys for new trails
🚣 Sponsored SCA interns for public lands work

For the National Park Service, we:
🏞️ Funded Junior Ranger books & park newspapers
🎒 Supported 138 field trips for local students
🚑 Funded a Preventative Search & Rescue ranger
🛖 Supported Indigenous Voices at Cave Spring

The work isn't mysterious, but it is VERY important.

CNHA had an incredibly successful 2024! Thanks to your support, we funded over $1.7 million in projects for our agency partners in southeastern Utah!