Consisting of 415 acres (1.68 km2) of land in San Juan County, Utah, the preserve features spring-fed wetlands and dramatic sandstone cliffs in Cottonwood Wash, a red rock canyon within the Colorado Plateau.

Future plans include educational and interpretive programs, which may be utilized by local schools.

[1] The preserve is located within an important water drainage system in the Bears Ears National Monument.

[1][2] The spring-fed riparian forests and hanging gardens along the Cottonwood Wash support a variety of endemic plants and migratory birds.

[5] The preserve holds significant cultural value, with cliff dwellings and petroglyphs that remain important to Native tribes.