Explore the Bears Ears & San Juan River with Conservation Lands Foundation

event_title: Explore the Bears Ears & San Juan River with Conservation Lands Foundation

event_time_zone: America/Denver

event_start: April 25, 2024 17:00

event_duration: 5580

event_end: April 29, 2024 14:00

event_address: Bluff, UT 81428, United States

event_description:    Join us in exploring Utahs San Juan River and Bears Ears National Monument and learn about conservation and public lands from knowledgeable, passionate experts in the field.If you want to create a deep connection to a place beyond the usual tourist attractions, this is the journey for you!Dates: April 25-29, 2024Destination: Bluff, Utah. Sand Island to Mexican Hat (4-day river adventure)Utahs San Juan River and the Bears Ears region is a beautiful, pristine area of the high desert region of the Colorado Plateau in Southeastern Utah. It is known for its stunning natural landscapes, and rich history of Indigenous Peoples. The region is characterized by its red rock formations, mesas, buttes, and cliffs. The San Juan River holds a special place in Indigenous Peoples history and culture. It was a vital resource for the Ancestral Puebloans and later for the Diné (Navajo) people. Numerous archaeological sites, including ancient dwellings and petroglyphs, dot the rivers banks, offering a glimpse into the lives of these ancient civilizations. The rivers course meanders through desert landscapes, cutting through deep canyons and exposing layers of colorful rock formations. Its a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, especially those interested in rafting, kayaking, and fishing, climbing, mountain biking, astronomy, and photography. We will be joining Ancient Wayves River and Hiking Adventures for a 4-day river trip. This unique outfitter was created in 2020 by Louis Williams, a local adventurer who was born and raised in the Navajo Nation. Ancient Wayves is the first and only Diné (Navajo) owned outfitter commercially permitted to provide tours in the Bears Ears National Monument and along the San Juan River in Utah. Being Indigenous owned, their tours are focused on sharing the beauty of the cultures in the Four Corners region. Ancient Wayves has an experienced team of guides who have ancestral ties to this landscape. Space is limited, so please make your deposit (through the ticket feature at the bottom of the page) as soon as possible to join the adventure!Activities: Rafting/kayaking/floating, camping under the stars, short hikes to explore Native American sites with guided interpretations. A detailed itinerary will be shared as we get closer to the event.         Lodging: In Bluff, TBD.Dates: April 25-29, 2024. Check in at the hotel in Bluff is after 3 PM on Thursday April 25. We will meet at 5:00 PM to start the trip with a happy hour with our staff and local partners, followed by dinner. The trip will end in Mexican Hat after lunchtime on Monday, April 29 to give you time to travel back home. The minimum age for a multiple-day trip is 4 years, unless your children have prior river rafting experience, in which case, please contact Åsa. Costs and PaymentsCLF organizes these trips for at a cost price. Our hope is to share with you our love for the lands we and our local partners work hard to protect for future generations.Trip cost: $1,900 per person, $3,700 for two people sharing a room in Bluff. If you have children, please contact Åsa for a reduced cost (free for children under 5, discounted for children age 5-17). The trip cost includes lodging (one night in Bluff), meals, activities, guide gratuity, snacks, drinks (at cost/CLF makes no profit). A $500 (per person) deposit is due upon registration (please see the ticket feature below). Full payment is due by March 1, 2024.Refund policy: CLF offers a full refund (minus deposit) for trip cancellations made by February 15, 2024. Cancellations after that cannot be refunded. You are also welcome to transfer the trip to a friend or a family member, as long as you inform us within two weeks of departure. Travel cancellation insurance is affordable and can cover all trip costs including payments and airfare if you were to need to change plans or cancel. Our partners have found Travelex to be high quality and competitively priced: Travelex Trip Insurance. Note: Many plans need to be purchased within a certain time from booking your trip or before final payment is made.Getting there: From Salt Lake City the drive to Bluff takes around 5.30 hours. You can also fly into Moab, Utah, or Durango, Colorado, and drive to Bluff (an approximate 2-hour drive). The Conservation Lands Foundation has been supporting public land conservation in the area for several years. Our local partner is the Bears Ears Partnership, located in Bluff, and Utah Diné Bikéyah, a nonprofit organization dedicated to healing of people and the Earth through supporting Indigenous communities and protecting their culturally significant, ancestral lands. The Bears Ears Partnership works to protect and build respect for the cultural and natural landscapes of the greater Bears Ears region. The Bears Ears Partnership accomplishes its mission through six primary focus areas: Indigenous connections, field work, stewardship, education, advocacy, and research. Space is limited so sign up now to secure your spot for this unique experience. We will provide more information as we get closer to the trip, but if you have any questions, please dont hesitate to contact Åsa Björklund, Director of Donor and Funder Relations, at asaconservationlands.org. Cell: 480-677-9855. ~CLF reserves the right to cancel the trip due to weather, accommodations, or other extenuating circumstances. In such a case, we will reimburse all trip payments made to CLF.