2027 Basecamp Conference

The Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at Utah State University is pleased to announce the third Basecamp Conference, to be held March 23–26, 2027, in Springdale, Utah.

Basecamp is a regional conference focused on sharing ideas and collaboratively creating a path forward for outdoor recreation management and gateway community planning in the American West. The gathering offers an opportunity to share new insights into how to improve outdoor recreation opportunities and protect the communities that enable them.

The 2027 Basecamp will have two conference theme tracks:

• March 23–24 – Outdoor Recreation Track
• March 25–26 – Gateway Community Planning Track

For 2027, Basecamp will convene in Southwestern Utah, on the doorstep of Zion National Park. The Greater Zion region is one of the world’s foremost outdoor recreation destinations and home to some amazing gateway communities. Springdale sits at the south entrance to Zion Canyon, making it a fitting setting for discussions about the public lands and communities that support world-class recreation. Basecamp has previously convened at Tanque Verde Ranch in Tucson, Arizona in 2021, and in Moab, Utah in 2024.

Registration and the call for proposals will be released later this fall. Registration links, venue information, and program details will follow and be posted at basecampconference.usu.edu as they are confirmed. For now, The Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at Utah State University hopes you will hold March 23–26, 2027 on your calendar!

Questions about the conference can be directed to Jordan Smith ([email protected]) or Elizabeth Sodja ([email protected]).