06/12/2026
Good news for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and the Escalante River: the effort led by Senator Mike Lee and Rep Celeste Maloy to overturn Grand Staircase-Escalante's management plan through the Congressional Review Act has missed its window to fast-track through the Senate. The resolution could still be brought up, but it would now need 60 votes instead of a simple majority, a much higher bar. While threats to public lands remain, this is an important hurdle cleared.
Thank you to everyone in our community who spoke up, contacted elected officials, shared information, and supported the many organizations working to protect this landscape like Southern Utah Wildlands Alliance.
The Escalante River is one of packrafting's most iconic destinations. Whether you've paddled it once (or numerous times) or it's still on your list, it's a place that inspires people to care about public lands and wild rivers.
We'll keep monitoring issues that affect access, stewardship, and the future of places like Grand Staircase-Escalante. For now, we're taking a moment to celebrate this win and thank everyone who helped make their voices heard!
Photo courtesy of Kokopelli
06/12/2026
Shoutout to Meagan Maxon, who's been a great addition APA's Ambassador Program this year. She's been dedicated member of our Access & Stewardship committee, ran our Packraft Olympics at the 2025 RoundUp, and this spring she's been out tabling at multiple events on behalf of APA — connecting with packrafters, signing folks up for the newsletter, and coordinating with our partners at Utah Whitewater Gear for the International Packraft Film Fest. Meagan's the kind of ambassador who gets things done and makes everyone around her feel welcome. Thank you for all your hard work, Meagan! We're lucky to have you 🤠
06/02/2026
A couple of access updates on our radar this week.
The Flathead National Forest released a draft decision notice for their Comprehensive River Management Plan, one of the most heavily used packrafting rivers in the country. There's a 45-day public objection window with a deadline of July 13. We're reviewing the plan now and will share our analysis and suggested comment language before the deadline.
We're also keeping tabs on last Friday's executive order directing federal agencies to rewrite travel management plans governing motorized vehicle use on public lands. There's no specific action to take yet, but we'll be watching how travel plans unfold, particularly where it affects the rivers and backcountry corridors our members paddle.
More to come on both. Below is a link to pick up some 'Don't Tread on My Headwaters' gear if you want directly support our advocacy work.
05/21/2026
More people on the river. More people in community.
The Support a Paddler Fund helps make Packraft RoundUp more accessible by providing financial assistance to paddlers who may otherwise not be able to attend.
📅 Applications open today through June 22
Support may include:
• Full registration support 🎟️
• Partial registration assistance 🤝
Whether you’re applying for support or helping another paddler attend, every contribution helps strengthen the packrafting community.
Huge thanks to the founding supporter of the Support a Paddler Fund 🙌
NRS
Apply for support 🔗
forms.gle/Z9YNTAPB4dCoXU6r9
Support another paddler 🔗
americanpackraftingassociation.app.neoncrm.com/forms/support-a-paddler-donation-form
05/21/2026