Pecos Conference
The Annual
Established 1927
2025
Conference Details
The 2025 Pecos Conference is hosted by
The 2025 Pecos Conference will be held at the same location as in 2014: the Blue Mountain Boy Scout Camp on the Manti-La Sal National Forest, about 12 road miles north of Blanding, Utah!
This year's conference will run from Thursday, August 7th through Sunday, August 10th – starting off with an opening social / registration packet pickup at Edge of the Cedars Museum State Park in Blanding.
Papers, posters and panel presentations on the 8th and 9th, dinner and dancing dancing Saturday night (of course) and a full slate of tours on Sunday the 10th. Come camp with us in the Ponderosa Pines in this beautiful location at the base of the Abajo Mountains!
This location is just inside Bears Ears National Monument (BENM), and the theme of this year's conference will be highlighting BENM and the adjacent "Lands Between" – a highly significant, publicly owned cultural landscape in its own right located between BENM and Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.
Conference Dates
August 7-10, 2025
Conference Location
To get to the conference site, go to 100 East Main Street (aka, Hwy 191) in Blanding, then reset your odometer. Go 11.8–11.9 miles north on 100 East, which turns into the North Blue Mountain Road, and you will come to the Day Parking area on your left. Another entrance into the conference spot will be on your left a few hundred meters before that. There will be signs along the way helping guide you to the conference site, as well as where to turn off into the site.
On-Site Camping Info
Tent and RV camping will be available at the conference site at no additional fee.
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For conservation's sake, vehicles will not be allowed to drive far off of the tent camping access roads. Campers will need to carry their gear if they wish to camp away from the two-track roads. Since it will be monsoon season, campers are advised to attend in high clearance or 4WD vehicles with good tires (as the roads may be muddy -- see below).
2025 Board Candidate Statements
2025 Conference Program
2025 Paper and Poster Abstracts
Local Amenities
There are small(ish) grocery stores in Blanding (Clarks Market, south end of town) and in Monticello (Blue Mountain Foods, center of town, just west of the stoplight). Many gas stations and convenience stores in both towns, as well as motels and other short-term rentals (e.g., AirBnB) and restaurants. Some potable water provided by the conference at the campsite, as well as portable toilets and first aid. This year's monsoon season is predicted to be above average, so be prepared for rain at the conference site, with some muddy roads at the conference site. High-clearance vehicles are optimal for those who intend to camp onsite.
Thursday, August 7, 2025
ON-SITE CAMPING OPENS​
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Tent and RV Campers may arrive and begin selecting sites.
REGISTRATION AND THURSDAY NIGHT RECEPTION
5:15 to 7:15 pm​​
Will be held at Edge of the Cedars Museum State Park in Blanding, Utah. Light snacks will be provided.
STAR PARTY
After Dark (presented by SCAAS.org)​​
Friday, August 8, 2025
TENTS OPEN​
8:15 am - 5:00 pm​
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Presentations, Posters, Silent Auction, and Vendor Tents Open.
SPECIAL PANEL PRESENTATION
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Presentations Tent:
Translating Vision for Tribal Co-management into Reality in Bears Ears National Monument and The Lands Between. Panel moderated by Carleton Bowekaty and Populated by Members of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition and the Bears Ears Commission. Please join us for this very special, singular presentation that will include a Q&A session at the end...​​​​
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Saturday, August 9, 2025
TENTS OPEN
8:15 am - 5:00 pm​
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Presentations, Posters, Silent Auction, and Vendor Tents Open.
BUSINESS MEETING
11:00 am​​
SATURDAY NIGHT DINNER
5:15 pm​​
Pulled pork sandwiches (with a vegetarian option), potato salad, mixed green salad and dessert catered by Doug's BBQ and Catering of Monticello, Utah. Dine with us!
(Vendor's tent)
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https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071878240522
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ALCOHOL SERVICE
5:15 pm
Alcohol service by Bears Ears Partnership in the Posters Tent, including three fresh, tasty varieties by Bohemian Brewery of Midvale, UT, provided courtesy of Logan Simpson, and red and white box wine provided courtesy of Leslie Sesler and Tim Hovezak.
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https://www.bohemianbrewery.com/
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SATURDAY NIGHT BAND
7:30 pm
Dance and groove with the Little Brother Band (a western Colorado / southeastern Utah favorite!) until circa 11:30 pm in the Presentations Tent. Young and old invited!!
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https://www.facebook.com/buzztownbeatnik
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This year's logo was graciously and artfully crafted by R.E. Burrillo, representing the architectural attributes of Bears Ears National Monument, with a beautiful water olla from the Lands Between of Southeastern Utah. Many thanks to Ralph for the logo and so much more!
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The Mesa Verde B/w olla (courtesy of Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum) is from a large Ancestral Pueblo site in Montezuma Canyon, southeastern Utah. We are grateful to The Edge for permission to use this image and for their fulsome support of this year's conference!
Sunday, August 10, 2025
FIELD TRIPS
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The ACTUAL field trip sign-up sheets will be at the conference registration table. You CANNOT sign up for a field trip before the conference begins. Below is a link to a list of field trips and a description of each. (The field trips have been graciously organized by R.E. Burrillo, and each trip is led by a knowledgeable volunteer -- kudos and gratitude to them all, as well as to the cooperating partners who are each supporting the effort!!!). ​
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Silent Auction
One Archaeologists' Junk,
Another Archaeologists' Treasure​
Support our event and the Cordell Powers Scholarship by donating your new and pre-cherished treasures for an always exciting silent auction, which takes place during the event. The most popular auction items include art, mineral specimens, jewelry, pottery, textiles, gift certificates, books, y mas.
The silent auction is a significant source of revenue for the conference, and we very much appreciate your donations! (Silent auction graciously organized and run by the Site Stewardship Foundation!)
Souvenirs
Hats, Shirts, and Water Bottles​​
Pre-order when you register, and pick up your item(s) when you arrive at the Conference! Or, you can make an order at the conference to be shipped to you after. Water bottles can also be bought at the conference.
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Hats are one size, cotton. T-shirts are 100% heavy cotton cloth made by Gildan, with unisex sizing (see size chart below). All colors are as shown here.
Background photo courtesy of Tim Peterson