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San Juan River
Recreation Opportunities
Spectacular scenery, superb rock-art
viewing, river floating, camping, wildlife viewing. A BLM permit is
required to float any section of the San Juan River west of Montezuma
Creek.
Recreation Sites
There are plenty of campsites on the upper
portion of the river (Sand Island to Mexican Hat). Campsites on the lower
58 miles of the river are limited, and it is necessary to register for
nine of the most frequently-used sites from Slickhorn Gulch downstream.
Since the San Juan River is enjoyed each year by 10,000 people,
please check with the BLM Office (435) 587-1544 for river information. The
center of the river marks the northern boundary of the Navajo Nation.
Everything south of that, from Montezuma Creek to Clay Hills Crossing, is
Navajo land. A permit is needed for camping and hiking on this land. For
permit information, call (520) 871-6647 (allow at least 30 days for a
permit to be issued).
Wildlife
Songbirds and waterfowl are best viewed
during the spring and fall migrations; peregrine falcon and other raptors
may be observed in spring and summer. Desert bighorn sheep can generally
be viewed along the river's south side.
Geology
Many of the rocks you will see along your
journey on the San Juan are 300 million years old. As the river flows into
the canyon keep a lookout for ancient seashells preserved in the 300
million year old limestone, sediments from a long-departed sea. At mile
9.1 you will see the Mule Ear Diatreme. It is the remains of an ancient
volcano, called a "maar." At the Goosenecks of the San Juan
River, the river makes three tight loops in one and one-half miles. These
are classic examples of entrenched meanders. The meanders were established
by the river when it flowed on a flat plain and when the Colorado Plateau
slowly uplifted, the river became entrenched in hard rocks, cutting
downward as it followed its original meander pattern. There are
many archeological sites along the river. Please do not disturb these
sites by collecting, touching, sitting on, or removing any artifacts.
These sites are protected by law. PLEASE ENSURE THAT UTAH'S PAST HAS A
FUTURE BY LEAVING WHAT YOU FIND.
Management
The BLM, Monticello
Field Office, PO Box 7, Monticello, UT 84535, (435) 587-1544, manages
the river from Sand Island to Clay Hills Crossing. Permits are required.
The center of the river marks the northern boundary of the Navajo Nation.
Everything south of that, from Montezuma Creek to Clay Hills Crossing is
Navajo land. For permit information, call or write the Navajo Parks and
Recreation Dept., P.O. Box 9000, Window Rock, AZ 86515, (520) 871-6647.
WE ARE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT
SO....please bring a stove to cook on, any campfire must be in a firepan.
Pack out all your trash. All boaters must use a washable, reusable toilet
system that allows for sanitary transfer of waste to a sewage treatment
facility. PLEASE DON'T CRUSH THE CRYPTO! THE BLACK CRUSTY SOIL, KNOWN AS
CRYPTOBIOTIC SOIL IS A 'LIVING' SOIL WHICH REDUCES EROSION AND ALLOWS
PLANTS TO GROW. REMEMBER, THE DESERT AND RIVER CANYON MAY LOOK TOUGH,
BUT THEY ARE ACTUALLY A VERY FRAGILE ENVIRONMENT.
Information Provided By The Utah
BLM
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