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San Juan River Hiker

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6 Days From $1349

View Dates & Prices

Destination

Utah

Dates & Prices

6 Days From $1349

Full Details

Minimum Age

Quick Facts

Dates & Prices

6 Days From $1349

Full Details

Minimum Age

Adventure Level

Moderate hiking; Class II rapids

River Rating

Accommodations

Camping

Overview

Quick Facts

Adventure Type

Hiking

Adventure Level

Moderate hiking; Class II rapids

River Rating

Accommodations

Camping

Highlights

Utah hiking adventure on the majestic San Juan River
Travel through a majestic geological corridor by raft, inflatable kayak and SUP
Gentle Class II rapids & easy floating interspersed with numerous hikes
Abundant Native American cliff dwellings, rock art and other ancient relics
Pristine beach camps, delicious riverside meals & impressive stargazing

ADVENTURE OVERVIEW

The San Juan River Hiker in southeastern Utah offers a one-of-a-kind active vacation that combines easy paddling with ample hiking and fascinating archaeological sites. A rafting trip through the San Juan’s labyrinth of dramatic red rock walls is an otherworldly experience in its own right, but our hiking-focused trip offers curious travelers the opportunity to slow down and truly explore the open-air museum that’s hidden within the canyon. Here, as you twist and turn your way through one of the most beautiful and surreal landscapes in the West, you’ll discover mind-boggling remnants of ancient civilizations—vivid pictographs and petroglyphs, Ancestral Puebloan dwellings that sit nestled in the cliffs, and Moki Steps that were carved into near-vertical sandstone over 800 years ago. Each day, search for riverside treasures, hike along scenic ridges and explore hidden grottos. Once at camp, rest your legs in warm riverside pools, go for a swim, feast on guide-prepared meals and camp under the expansive night sky of the desert.

Although the hikes along the San Juan River are generally easy to moderately challenging, trails can at times be steep, rocky and narrow with exposed sections. The hiking-focused itinerary is therefore not recommended for people who have a fear of heights or children under the age of 12 years.

Photos & Videos

Itinerary & Map

Gather at Recapture Lodge in Bluff, Utah and meet your guides for a scenic drive to Sand Island
Hike at Butler Wash to view petroglyphs and Moki Stairs carved into the cliffs 800 years ago
Enjoy the scenery as the rafts carry us to interesting places to hike and explore along the way
Camp on pristine sand beaches with riverside feasting and a campfire beneath the stars
Take a short hike to the Anasazi and Navajo petroglyph rock art Desecration Panel covered with various designs & large human-like figures
Hike to River House, one of the most impressive Native American cliff dwellings found on any river in North America
Travel over the famous Mormon Trail and cross the Comb Ridge monocline
Hike to the Mule Ear diatreme before our whitewater descent of Four-Foot Rapid, Eight-Foot and Ledge Rapids
Enjoy views of Monument Valley, float past Mexican Hat and to take-out before returning to Bluff