Canyon Country Youth Corps

The Canyon Country Youth Corps (CCYC) is more than a conservation program—it’s a proving ground for young people to step into challenge, responsibility, and purpose. Based in the Four Corners region and closely connected with Bears Ears Partnership, CCYC brings together youth and young adults to work on meaningful projects across public lands, tribal lands, and community spaces. The work is physical, real, and often hard—trail building, habitat restoration, fuels reduction, fencing, erosion control—but that’s exactly the point. We choose hard things because they change us. At its core, CCYC exists to create opportunity. Opportunity to work. Opportunity to serve. Opportunity to grow. For many crew members, this is their first real job. For others, it’s a turning point—a chance to get outside, get grounded, and figure out what they’re capable of. The program is intentionally structured to support that growth: small crews, strong leadership, and projects that demand teamwork, grit, and accountability. The impact runs in two directions. On one side, the land benefits—restored trails, protected cultural sites, healthier ecosystems. On the other, the people doing the work walk away stronger, more confident, and more connected to something bigger than themselves. There’s a reason so many alumni look back on their season with CCYC as a defining experience. It’s not just the work—it’s who they become through it.