Freedom 250: Watch Four California Condors Take Wing in the Wild During the 30th Annual Condor Release
VERMILION CLIFFS, Ariz. – As part of the Freedom 250 initiative, the Bureau of Land Management invites the public for a condor release at the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument on National Public Lands Day, Saturday, Sept. 26. The Peregrine Fund will release four captive-bred California Condors at noon MDT/Utah time (11 a.m. MST/Arizona time). The 30th annual event will be held in person at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument at the Condor Viewing Site, with activities starting at 10:30 a.m. MDT/9:30 a.m. MST, and will be livestreamed via The Peregrine Fund’s YouTube Channel.
Those attending the event in person will have the opportunity to talk with condor biologists and ecosystem managers, learn about the birds and their habitat, and enjoy a festival-like atmosphere while waiting for the condors’ first flight. Attendees will also get a chance to meet the BLM's mascot, Seymore Antelope.
For those unable to attend the activities in person, the event will be livestreamed via The Peregrine Fund’s YouTube channel. To enhance the experience, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Merlin Bird ID app team will provide information to users on how to participate in the condor release both in person and online.
The first California Condor release at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument was on Dec. 12, 1996. “The BLM is happy to work alongside The Peregrine Fund and other state and federal agencies in supporting the recovery of this iconic species,” said BLM Vermilion Cliffs National Monument manager Robert Bate. “We are proud that America’s public lands provide habitat and landscapes that allow these magnificent condors to thrive,” said Bate.
As part of the Freedom 250 celebrations, the 30th annual condor release will also host the Department of the Interior’s Great American Flag Expedition initiative. This traveling flag highlights "people, places, and stories that define America’s public lands heritage," with a goal to reach 250 events before the end of the year. Event guests are invited to become a part of history by visiting the traveling flag, taking photos, and sharing stories about how Vermilion Cliffs embodies our nation's legacy of stewardship.
The Arizona-Utah California Condor conservation effort includes federal, state, and private agencies and organizations, including The Peregrine Fund, the Bureau of Land Management’s Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, the Bureau of Land Management in Utah, Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Grand Canyon and Zion national parks, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Kaibab and Dixie national forests, and tribes (Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians [Kaibab-Paiute Tribe] and Navajo Nation), among many other supporting groups and individuals.
In 2026, America celebrates 250 years of freedom, and the Bureau of Land Management celebrates 80 years of sustaining the health, diversity, and productivity of our nation’s public lands. Learn more about Freedom 250 Celebration and Anniversaries.
Information about attending the event in person:
- Event activities will begin at 10:30 a.m. MDT/9:30 a.m. MST.
- Plan on arriving early. It will take some time to park and walk to the viewing site.
- Driving directions: Take U.S. 89A from Kanab, UT, or Page, AZ to the Vermilion Cliffs (from Flagstaff, take U.S. 89 to U.S. 89A). Turn north onto BLM Road 1065 (a dirt road next to the small house just east of the Kaibab Plateau) and continue for almost 3 miles.
- If traveling from Utah, please note that Arizona time (Mountain Standard Time) is one hour behind Utah time (Mountain Daylight Time). The release pen will open at noon MDT (11 a.m. MST)
- Google Maps will guide you there by entering “Condor Viewing Site” in the search bar.
Media Contacts:
- The Peregrine Fund – Tim Hauck: [email protected]
- Bureau of Land Management – Arizona State Office: [email protected]
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: [email protected] and [email protected]
- Arizona Game and Fish Department – Erin Brown: [email protected]
- Forest Service – Kaibab National Forest: [email protected]
- National Park Service – Grand Canyon National Park: [email protected]
- National Park Service – Zion National Park: [email protected]
- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources – Faith Heaton Jolley: [email protected]
The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
