Leave Pavement Behind: Colorado Plateau Explorer Takes Regional Approach
Flagstaff, Arizona –The Colorado Plateau has the greatest concentration of national park units in the country with eight national parks and 24 national monuments, yet no one has created a trip-planning tool specifically for the Four Corners region until now.
The Grand Canyon Trust has spent a year and a half creating the Colorado Plateau Explorer, a website that features trail guides, campground descriptions, and information on visiting parks, monuments, and tribal lands in the southwest. Now live, the Colorado Plateau Explorer “offers a new and easy way for people to experience one of the most spectacular regions of the country,” says Rick Moore, Recreation Outreach Director at the Grand Canyon Trust.
One-Stop Shop
Forget sorting through dozens of Yelp reviews, buying multiple hiking books, and consulting AAA maps. The Colorado Plateau Explorer is a free, full-service website that includes everything from downloadable GPS tracks and customizable maps to listings of town attractions and information about businesses that support conservation.
“We want to help people to leave pavement behind,” says Ellen Heyn, Grand Canyon Trust Associate. “We’re streamlining the process, giving people all the information they need to enjoy the slickrock expanses, slot canyons, and arches that define the Colorado Plateau.”
People Care about Places They Hike
In addition to logistical information, conservation news is sprinkled throughout the site. Moore says that as people learn about uranium mining surrounding Grand Canyon, test fracking near Moab, and grazing on Utah’s national forests, they will be more likely to speak up for protecting the plateau’s national gems.
“Hikers and campers are untapped supporters of our work,” says Moore. “They hike, bike, and camp on the public lands the Trust seeks to protect.”
The Colorado Plateau Explorer and its resources are completely free. A quick registration will allow access to all the planning tools.