Bluff Scenic Byway: Bluff to Monument Valley

The "Upper" San Juan is about 27 miles of river, and can be completed in a 2-4 day float. It is a permitted river, and trips launching between April 15 - July 15 obtain permits through a lottery draw negotiated on https://www.recreation.gov/. Applications for this lottery are accepted through the December and January preceding the trip. The maximum number of people on one permit group is 25, an...

The dirt road loop is relatively smooth and can be driven on by just about any car, campervan, or RV. However, check the weather beforehand because some areas can become flooded after rain and will be a difficult mud crossing. It can be driven in either direction. One entrance is off Highway 163, 15 miles west of Bluff and 7 miles east of Mexican Hat, and the other entrance is off Highway 261, ...

The put-in for the lower segment of the San Juan river is in the center of Mexican Hat. This is a permitted section of river run by a lottery, and you work to secure a permit through https://www.recreation.gov/permits/250986 Briefly after take off, the canyon walls begin to climb taller above the river, marking the entrance into Gooseneck State Park. Far from the rim, you're likely to see a num...

For a small entrance fee of $5, you have the chance to photograph a beautiful canyon view without having to hike miles and days to get to it. Enjoy this rare luxury! There is a pavilion with a picnic table for dinner while you wait for the sunset, and there are also bathrooms if you need them. There is a trail along the canyon rim that will allow you to explore multiple angles and find just...

Located near the southern border of the state, Goosenecks State Park is a small slice of Grand Canyon views in Utah. The park overlooks the meanders of the San Juan River, and canyons that have eroded over the millennia. This park is great for anyone hoping to learn about geology, get far away from civilization, or take in the natural desert beauty of Utah.This park has primitive, first come, f...

In the days of Utah's Wild West gold rush (circa 1890s), a man named Henry Honaker decided to build a supply route from the San Juan River to the cliffs tops, roughly 1200 feet, above. The roughly hewn trail that Henry built; aptly named the ‘Honaker Trail’ was to act as a supply route for the gold miners in the area. Sadly for Henry, the gold rush was short-lived (at least in this part of the ...