Join Best Friends Animal Society for a guided tour of their 6,000-acre animal sanctuary, home to approximately 1,600 companion animals. Not only dogs and cats, but rabbits, parrots, horses, pigs and more! After the tour, enjoy lunch in their beautiful natural amphitheater (or Welcome Center TBD) before getting your paws dirty helping to beautify dog trails. And don't forget... Adoption fees are waived for all conference attendees! ...less

Who is Back Country Horseman of America? What does Back Country Horseman of Utah do? Why horses and mules make the perfect service partners. What does it take to partner with pack stock? Ever wonder how many pulaski’s, shovels and rock bars a horse can carry? How much water can pack stock carry to a waterless work site? How do they build corduroy bridges in the wilderness? How could partnering with equine service groups make your tough projects more efficient? Come and get some equine therapy and meet the muscle that make trail maintenance, building and repair a breeze and how they do it. ...less

This field workshop will involve touring local OHV trails and examining them using concepts and techniques found in the NOHVCC Great Trails Guidebook. This will include identifying maintenance needs, discussing possible solutions and looking at how to provide a good user experience while also protecting the natural resources. ...less

Grand County will lead an in-depth exploration of the key components involved in creating and managing a Trail Ambassador Program. This will include the foundational organizational aspects, like how to effectively collect and manage reports, create staff schedules, and develop programming materials. Participants will learn how to ensure that the program aligns with its overarching goals, meets the needs of key partners, and addresses the engagement of visitors to beloved outdoor recreation spaces. Participants will go through an in-depth communication training, which is essential for ensuring that Trail Ambassadors can interact positively and effectively with visitors. ...less

Are you interested in developing youth mountain biking opportunities in your area and curious about what it takes to plan, develop, and maintain a NICA course? Join the Utah High School Cycling League, the BLM and Garfield County on a tour of the new Panguitch NICA Course. They will guide you through all the considerations around site selection, planning, construction and hosting events. ...less

Get hands-on experience using adaptive mountain bikes and learn from adaptive athletes. Explore how inclusive design can maximize a successful experience for all trail users. ...less

Join Grand Staircase Escalante Partners and the Bureau of Land Management at the Toadstools Trail to learn about building effective partnerships between government agencies and nonprofit organizations. This workshop will discuss how to use these partnerships to steward Utah's trails and public lands to has mobilize volunteers to remediate social trails and graffiti, complete trail work projects, and build a Trail Ambassador program. ...less

Find a new way to explore trails as you immerse yourself in the wonders of nature during this guided workshop. Experience the enchanting allure and therapeutic effects of nature trails through forest bathing. Originating from Japan as Shinrin-Yoku, forest bathing has garnered scientific recognition for enhancing immunity and mental resilience and fostering a deeper connection with nature ...less

This field workshop will take participants on a tour of the new mountain bike trails in the East Zion area. Participants will need to bring their own bike, helmet and transportation. ...less

Trail design combines human and environmental considerations to create enjoyable trails that respect the landscape. Discovering trail alignments in the field is a valuable (and fun!) way to understand the land you are on while incorporating your trail experience for a high quality trail corridor. Participants will learn fundamental concepts to understand terrain for new trails, desired user experiences, construction specifications, and how to design trails in the field. Terrain evaluation will include a review of how soils, vegetation, and weather patterns contribute to making good design decisions in the field. Quality trail experiences will be discussed and placed in context with the environmental realities for designing trails. Small groups will use clinometers to understand maximum sustainable grades, flag trail corridors, and validate design objectives for the exercise. ...less

How do you plan mountain bike features into trail networks? Are they appropriate on multi-use trails? How do we keep users safe while allowing for skill progression? This workshop will focus on mountain bike specific features and how to safely incorporate them into new and/or existing trails. We will discuss how to identify where and what type of features are appropriate, safety concerns, construction and maintenance considerations and signage. ...less

Join East Zion Adventures in their jeeps on a 3-hour tour of the stunning landscapes around Kanab! Their professional tour guides will take you on an exploration of the mesmerizing Pink Sand area near Kanab Utah, with their rose-hued slopes whispering tales of ancient winds. Marvel at towering sandstone monoliths, nature's silent sentinels that guard the desert's secrets. You'll ascend Red Knoll, a natural vantage point where Zion National Park unveils its majesty. Emerald valleys and towering cliffs stretch before you, bathed in the desert's golden glow. Gaze across the vast Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument, its layered cliffs whispering of a geologic odyssey. ...less

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