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Places We Protect

Scott and Norma Matheson Wetlands Preserve

Utah

Aerial view of wetlands with red rock plateaus in the distance.
Matheson Wetlands Preserve Aerial view of the Scott and Norma Matheson Wetlands Preserve in Utah. © Linda Whitham

More than 200 species of birds, amphibians and mammals can be found at the Matheson Wetlands Preserve.

Main Visitor Area Closed

Due to the floods of August 2022 and June 2024, The Nature Conservancy visitor area at the Matheson Preserve off of Kane Creek Boulevard is closed due to extensive damage. A reopening date has not been established. 

A portion of the preserve remains accessible to visitors via an alternative but undeveloped entrance. This area lacks signage, is not handicapped accessible and is not optimized as a visitor experience. It is a back entrance that remains open.

There is no physical address for this parking location; however, it is just west of:

1070 W 400 N, Moab, UT 84532.

400 N dead ends at a gate where you can park.

Viewing

Overview

Description

The Scott and Norma Matheson Wetlands Preserve in Moab, Utah, is an oasis in the desert—a stark contrast to the surrounding redrock cliffs and arid desert. This lush oasis attracts more than 200 species of birds, amphibians—including the northern leopard frog—and aquatic mammals such as the beaver, muskrat and elusive river otter.

Download the audio tour before you visit, and make your phone your personal tour guide. You can also take this tour remotely!

Location

This wetlands preserve is located in Moab, Utah along the banks of the Colorado River. Historically the area was, and still often is, referred to as the Moab Sloughs.

Why TNC Selected This Site

The rarity of the wetland ecosystem in an arid environment, coupled with the area’s diversity that attracts a wide variety of wildlife species and the utilization of the wetlands by migratory birds, were the main reasons The Nature Conservancy became involved with the Moab Sloughs.

In 2019 TNC officially renamed this preserve as the Scott and Norma Matheson Wetlands Preserve. At its original dedication in 1991, the preserve was named in memory of former Utah Governor Scott Matheson, an esteemed public servant who was a special friend to TNC and a champion for conservation in the West. His wife, Norma, attended the preserve’s dedication, and through the years, she built on Scott’s legacy, becoming a powerful leader in protecting Utah’s lands and waters and improving its communities. In July 2019, Norma Matheson passed away. By renaming this special preserve, TNC pays tribute to the lasting impact of both Scott and Norma Matheson—two extraordinary Utahns who dedicated their lives to public service and to the protection of our natural world.

What TNC Is Doing

The Nature Conservancy and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources purchased the wetlands starting in 1990, with the agreement that The Nature Conservancy would manage the preserve. Though many people visit the preserve to bird watch, others come to enjoy the sounds and sights of nature. School groups also visit the preserve to study wetlands and the creatures that inhabit these wetlands. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has conducted a mist-netting program to analyze bird usage in the preserve. Other studies have looked at population trends of northern leopard frogs, waterfowl and breeding birds.

TNC is also battling the invasive species tamarisk at Matheson Wetlands Preserve.

Access

Limited Access

The main visitor area is closed to the public.

Hours

Open year-round, dawn to dusk.

Size

894 acres

Explore our work in Utah

Plants

There are large expanses of bulrush and cattail, black willow and Fremont’s cottonwood.

Animals

There are more than 200 species of birds in the preserve, including songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl, yellow warblers, common yellowthroat, black-headed grosbeaks, lazuli buntings, song sparrows, and great blue herons. You can also see beavers, muskrat, mule deer, northern leopard frog and raccoon.

PRESERVE RULES

  • Motor vehicles, bicycles, horses, pets, picnicking and camping are prohibited.
  • Birdwatching is best between March and mid-November.
  • Weapons and dogs are allowed when associated with hunting in designated areas on the north end.

What to Bring

Bring water, your binoculars and bird guides to identify a wide variety of birds—especially during spring and fall! Mosquito repellent is advised in the late spring and summer.

Support Our Work at the Wetlands

When you donate today, you will help protect this oasis in the desert for birds, wildlife and future generations.

Stand Up For Nature

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