Conservation

Protecting our canyon environments ensures that our canyons are enjoyable for generations to come. This means:

• Low Impact travel

  • Prevent erosion

  • Minimize social trails and "attractive nuisance" trails

  • Remove waste

• Protect fragile and pristine ecosystems

  • Avoid disturbing seasonal wildlife breeding

  • Prevent the transport of invasive species

Washington canyons have seen relatively little travel in comparison to canyons in the Southwest US and other parts of the world. This means that we haven't yet seen the impacts of high use, but we can look to other communities to learn how to manage our canyons for low-impact recreation. This starts at home and includes how we travel to the canyon, park, approach, rig, and travel in the canyon.

Canyons in Washington State are key parts of important ecosystems. Some are temporary breeding grounds for salmon or raptors. Some may host endangered species. Others, sadly, host invasive species that are destroying the biodiversity that is critical to a balanced ecosystem. There is a high risk of canyoneers transporting these invasives into pristine canyons. We have a responsibility to respect critical habitat, and to be vigilant about entering pristine environments with clean gear. 

Describe what this means to us

Describe what this means to us