Planning a San Juan River Trip: Sand Island to Mexican Hat to Clay Hills

The San Juan River, tucked down in the Four Corners area, is a magical place where you can float through soaring red canyons and explore ruins and petroglyphs left by people who lived in the area as early as 10,000 BC. The mild rapids make this an ace trip for families with kids or any group that just wants to chill out and float while taking in the stillness and the gorgeous palette of sandstone, sky, and sage.

This guide to planning a San Juan river trip includes descriptions of the permitted Upper San Juan and Lower San Juan sections near Bluff, Utah—the sections covering Montezuma Creek, Sand Island, Mexican Hat, and Clay Hills. Plus, we have tips for applying for permits and reserving campsites, a gear checklist, and other resources.

San Juan River cultural history

With headwaters in the San Juan mountains of southwestern Colorado, the river cuts through New Mexico and Utah before joining the Colorado at Lake Powell. Once serving as the border between the Navajo and Ute territories, the San Juan is a critical source of water in an arid area. Various dams on the San Juan (including the Navajo Dam, which tamed the river’s seasonal fluctuations) and the general decrease in snowpack in the San Juan mountains have reduced its flow. But among the multi-day river stretches in the four-state area, the San Juan consistently has sufficient flow to support year-round river trips.

The San Juan river is famous for its archeological wonders, including easily accessible petroglyphs and ruins once inhabited by ancient Puebloans. Anyone keen for a cultural deep dive into this area should tack on a few days and explore Mesa Verde National Park, the Canyon de Chelly National Monument, and Bear Ears National Monument—to name only a few worthy destinations. This area is also rife with various wildlife, including bighorn sheep. The San Juan is home to eight native fish species, including two that are on the Endangered Species list: the Colorado pikeminnow and the razorback chub.

Red canyon walls of San Juan River — *Classic red walls of the San Juan River*

Upper San Juan vs Lower San Juan

Understand the water levels and potential hazards

With a couple of different put-in and take-out points, the San Juan presents a few options in the length of trip and level of whitewater, although you won’t find any rapids rated higher than Class III in either section. Both sections offer plenty of opportunities for hiking and exploring cultural artifacts.

The Upper San Juan (Sand Island to Mexican Hat) has just a couple of Class II rapids: Four-Foot Rapid at about mile 11.5 (scout from the right), and Eight-Foot Rapid at mile 17 (scout from the left). At Butler Wash, about four miles from the Sand Island put-in, you can see a dazzling array of petroglyphs and small ruins. At about the six-mile mark, you can take a quarter-mile hike up to Riverhouse, a 14-room ruin from the 13th century.

The Lower San Juan (Mexican Hat to Clay Hills) meanders between 1,000-foot canyon walls through the Goosenecks section. You can hike the Honaker Trail to the canyon rim at about mile 44. Notable rapids include Ross Rapid (Class II) and Government Rapid (Class III) between miles 63 and 64. In the last five miles before you get to the Clay Hills take-out, you’ll likely encounter shifting sandbars. Try not to hit this section in the afternoon when the wind often kicks up.

Paddling inflatable kayak Upper San Juan River — *Upper San Juan is a great stretch for inflatable kayakers*

Other distinguishing features of the San Juan:

It’s a muddy river, carrying an average of about 25 million tons of sediment each year.
Sand waves are common on the San Juan, but rare on other rivers. Forming from a combination of the right gradient, silt and sand particles, and water velocity, sand waves can reach 10 feet in amplitude, adding to the roller coaster fun.
Flash floods are not uncommon, and while spectacular—imagine the canyon walls erupting with dozens of reddish-brown geyers simultaneously—river runners should think carefully about tent site selection, especially at Grand Gulch, Trimble Camp, Oljeto Wash, and Steer Gulch.
Although the river is generally runnable year-round, large rafts might get hung up on mud bars, particularly from Slickhorn Canyon to Clay Hills.
Mild rapids make this an ideal trip for inflatable kayakers or any boaters who are ramping up or brushing up their skills.

Raft at San Juan River camp — *Tamarisk lines the banks at some San Juan River camps*

Tips for planning a San Juan River trip

1. Determine your trip length and group size

One of the significant upsides of running the San Juan is you have various put-in and take-out points to choose from, allowing you to right-size the trip length to your situation:

Montezuma Creek to Sand Island: 17 miles
Sand Island to Mexican: 27 miles (2 to 3 days)
Mexican Hat to Clay Hills: 57 miles (4 to 5 days)
Sand Island to Clay Hills: 84 miles (6 to 7 days)

2. Choose your timing and apply for a permit

River permits for the San Juan are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which limits boater group size to 25. Sadly, no dogs can join your party: They aren’t allowed on the San Juan.

The river permit process varies according to the time of year you’re targeting for your float. Note: If you want to float the Montezuma Creek to Sand Island section, call the BLM office at 435-587-1544, as this section isn’t included in the online application process at recreation.gov. For all other permitted sections of the San Juan, here are the key 2022 dates:

Launch dates between April 15 and July 15 are awarded through a lottery system that opened on December 1, 2021, and ends January 31, 2022. Lottery results are announced on February 12, and winners need to confirm their launch dates by March 15 or those dates will be made available on a first-come basis.
Starting March 16, unconfirmed lottery dates and launch dates from July 15, 2022, through December 31, 2022, will be available for booking.
Packrafters: Heed the additional permitting instructions from BLM if you’re planning to use non-traditional put-in and take-out spots. In general, you’ll be subject to the same fees and rules as other boaters, and you’ll need to provide details about your planned entry and exit points in the notes section of the application at rec.gov.
The BLM site offers current lottery applications statistics for the San Juan that you can use to assess your chances.
To apply for a permit, submit your San Juan River lottery application at recreation.gov.

If you’re uncertain of how many people you’ll have in your group, estimate on the high end as it might be difficult to add people later: The number of people who can launch per day is limited to 75 across all groups at the Sand Island launch site. However, if your group size shrinks, you can get fee refunds up to 31 days before your launch date.

*Stunning palette of the San Juan River canyon*

3. Choose campsites

From Sand Island to Mexican Hat, no campsite reservations are needed (unless you want to camp on river left, in which case you’ll need a Navajo permit; see the contact info below). If you’re taking out at Clay Hills, know that there are only 9 designated campsites below Government Rapid. For this section, you must submit your camp preferences when you confirm your trip, whether you won your launch date in the lottery or you booked a launch date in the non-permit season. You must have one reserved campsite in this section, and you can reserve up to two nights. The BLM will notify you of your assigned campsites within 5 days of receiving your preferences. Check out the BLM’s San Juan River Reserved Campsite Requirements and Information for details about camping requirements, camp site descriptions, and a camp map.

Camps on the San Juan are plentiful, although some are more plagued by tamarisk than others. A few important notes about San Juan camps:

The left bank of the San Juan from Montezuma Creek to Trimble Creek (at mile 72, 11 miles from Clay Hills) is managed by the Navajo Nation. You’ll need a Navajo permit to camp, hike, or visit the archeological sites on river left: You can purchase a permit by calling the Navajo Parks and Recreation Office at 928-871-6647. You should plan to start this process at least 6 weeks before your trip.
In order to minimize disruptions to bighorn sheep lambing and nursing, a year-round camping ban is in effect in the area around Eight Foot Rapid. (For details, including a map of the closed area, see the BLM notice.)
Butler Wash Petroglyph site at mile 4.2 is closed to overnight camping.

San Juan river camp — *Large and lovely San Juan camp*

4. Plan your put-in and shuttle

The launch site at Sand Island Recreation Area, about 3 miles west of Bluff, Utah, has a full range of amenities, including:

Camp sites ($15 per site; group sites can be reserved at recreation.gov on first-come basis)
Toilets
Drinking water
Day-use area
Boat ramp

Mexican Hat launch site facilities are stripped down in comparison to Sand Island. Also note that the BLM doesn’t recommend leaving vehicles overnight here because of vandalism. Amenities at Mexican Hat:

Toilet
Day-use area
Boat ramp

The Clay Hills take-out site has a toilet and aluminum recycling, but no trash facilities, so you’ll need to pack all your trash out.

The round-trip shuttle from Sand Island to Mexican Hat is about an hour, a feasible DIY run. But if you’re floating to Clay Hills, you might consider a shuttle for that round-trip run of about 6 or 7 hours. A couple of outfitters offering San Juan River shuttles:

5. Study the San Juan guides and maps

We always recommend reading every guidebook and map you can get your hands on for the river stretch you’re running. Some essential reading for a San Juan river trip:

BLM information site for San Juan River
BLM San Juan River Map that you can use with a mobile map app
San Juan River by Rivermaps
San Juan River Guide: Sand Island to Clay Hills Crossing
River Flowing from the Sunrise: An Environmental History of the Lower San Juan
San Juan Canyons: A River Runner’s Guide
American Whitewater’s San Juan river description of Sand Island to Mexican Hat section and Mexican Hat to Clay Hills section

Inflatable kayaking on San Juan River — *San Juan River paddling*

6. Check your San Juan river trip gear list

In addition to the typical river running supplies (see “How to Plan a Multi-Day River Trip”), the following gear will be essential or handy for running the San Juan:

Drinking water for the entire trip (one gallon per person/per day is recommended): the San Juan has literally tons of sediment, so it will tax even the stoutest water filter.
Sun protection: It’s hot down in San Juan country, so bring sun-protection clothes, hats, and sunscreen.
Bug spray: Standing water near some of the campsites can create mosquito havens.
Gear required by the BLM:
- First-aid kit
- Repair kits sufficient to fix every type of boat in your party
- Boat pump for each type of boat
- Toilet system (see “Picking a River Toilet” for approved systems)
- Fire pans are required even if you’re planning to use campstoves for cooking, except for one-day trips from April 1 through October 31.
Type I, III, or V PDFs for every group member: Everyone 13 years or older needs to wear a PFD at all times on the water until below Slickrock Canyon; children under 13 need to wear a PDF at all times.
Extra oar, paddle, or motor for rafts, dories, canoes; for kayaks, SUPs, and IKs, bring one extra paddle for every three boats.

Exploring the ruins and rapids of the San Juan River

The San Juan pops up as an easy go-to river trip for families, beginning boaters, and river runners looking for a trip that’s easy to plan and execute. But this river has an astounding combination of unique properties, from mind-bending artifacts left by ancient peoples to those singular sand waves.