Along The San Juan River, Utah – After floating 6 miles down the silty river, across from alcoves perched in a red rock bluff, we row to shore and tie off the rafts.
A short hike through a tamarisk thicket and sandy flats leads us to ruins of an Indian cliff dwelling, known as “River House.” There, ancient paintings, or pictographs, of bighorn sheep, human hands and snakelike figures fill the walls. Petroglyphs are etched into the stone along a ledge near the ruins.
It’s just one of many stops we’ll make along our recent 84- mile journey down the lower San Juan River in southeastern Utah. The trip offers something for nearly everyone – rock art, Indian ruins, canyonland scenery and hikes, including a trail that zigzags 1,200 feet to the top of the canyon.
Commercial rafting companies provide plenty of opportunities for multiday trips down the river.
Our group of private boaters launched at Sand Island, just downstream from the community of Bluff, and pulled off the water six days later at Clay Hills Crossing.
The usually lazy river ran high and swift in May, fed by snowmelt from mountains far upstream in Colorado.
For river runners, the allure of the San Juan isn’t the heart-
thumping thrill of whitewater. The river’s few rapids are mild; the most difficult rated as Class III and trickiest at lower water when it becomes necessary to navigate exposed rocks.
This river soothes and calms the soul. The canyon delights the eyes with tan and red sandstone, stained bluish-black with “desert varnish.” And there are the sand waves. They appear without notice, often in mid-river. They’re small at first and then swell as they move upstream.
A few backstrokes, a pivot on the oar and my cataraft – an inflatable boat on pontoons – rides up and over the crest of the leading wave. It’s a roller coaster ride – up and then down into the trough. Up, then down, up, down. Then the waves are gone, and the river again flows smooth.
Sand waves are a rafter’s treat on the San Juan. The waves, uncommon on most rivers, form because of the high silt load and the river’s steep gradient. Sand ripples form on the bottom of the river and waves build in response.
With this year’s high water, sand waves popped up frequently. But few were encountered during a trip down the river in 2004, when water levels were much lower.
Among the highlights of the San Juan are a hike up Chinle Wash, where one can find Anasazi ruins; a large rock panel filled with petroglyphs, including a reclining flute player called a Kokopelli; and a brilliant red and white pictograph of human figures.
The Goosenecks – where the river twists and meanders through the canyon – are a visual and geologic delight.
The Honaker Trail – named after a gold prospector who built the trail to access a mining claim – provides stunning views for hikers willing to climb to the canyon rim.
Slickhorn Gulch offers a series of pools – one almost 10 feet deep. A swim or soak in the cool water provides welcome relief.
One in our party – a veteran of rafting trips through the Grand Canyon – rates the San Juan among his favorite rivers.
“I love it. I always have,” says David Salm of Graton, Calif. “The whole Colorado Plateau is breathtaking.”
So much so, he and others in our group snag another rafting permit and head back to float the San Juan again – just a few days after our trip ended.
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The details
Location: The San Juan River is in the southeast corner of Utah, near the borders of New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona.
Planning the trip: Boaters need a permit from the Bureau of Land Management to float the river; contact the BLM office in Monticello, Utah, at 435-587-1544 or visit blm.gov/utah/monticello/river.htm. The website also provides details about what to expect on the trip, where to launch, local regulations and required rafting gear.
Outfitters: Many commercial rafting companies provide trips down the river. See the BLM website for a list of outfitters with permits, blm.gov/utah/monticello/riveroutfitters.htm or call the San Juan County Travel Council at 800-574-4386.
When to go: Rafting is most popular in May and June, when the river runs at its highest levels. Summers are hot, with average high temperatures in the 90s in June, July and August. Low water trips in the fall are possible, particularly the 26-mile stretch from Sand Island to Mexican Hat.
Nearby attractions: The region offers plenty of hiking and car touring for those who don’t want to float the river. Visit americansouthwest.net/utah and click on the map for more information.
Lodging and restaurants can be found in Bluff and Mexican Hat.
Monument Valley, the location for many of director John Ford’s Western movies, is southwest of Mexican Hat.
There’s a panel of petrogylphs near the boat launch at Sand Island, 3 miles west of Bluff.
Goosenecks State Park is near Mexican Hat and provides spectacular views of the twisting river far below.
The left bank of the river is part of the Navajo Indian Reservation. A permit is required for camping and hiking there.
Call the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department at 928-871-6647 or visit navajonationparks.org.
