Connecting Service to Stewardship: Nellis Airmen Explore Zion National Park

In May 2025, active duty airmen from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada went canyoneering at their local national park. This amazing weekend experience was made possible through a partnership between the National Park Trust, the National Park Service (NPS), and the United States Air Force Office of Outdoor Recreation. Together, this partnership provides active duty servicemen at U.S. Air Force and Space Force bases with deep and engaging outdoor experiences at national park sites close to their homes. Through shared experiences in nature with NPS rangers and outdoor staff, active duty service members and their families are introduced to outdoor spaces and places in their local community that they can recreate on their own in the future.

The weekend began at Watchman Campground, where active duty airmen and their families engaged with national park rangers and received their America the Beautiful Military Annual Pass, granting them free access to all public parks, lands, and waters for a year. After programming with rangers, airmen went on a guided hike, learning about the geology and herbology of the region before setting up camp and spending the night in the park.

The next day, airmen and their families spent the day canyoneering through the slot canyons in and around Zion National Park. This Zion National Park event marked the second of over a dozen planned events in partnership with the U.S. Air Force. Through these experiences, the National Park Trust offers active duty airmen and their families the opportunity to engage deeply in our national parks, public lands, and waters.