San Juan

The San Juan River originates in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado and flows for 383 miles through New Mexico and Utah before joining the Colorado River at Glen Canyon.  The Moab field office conducts work on the San Juan from Shiprock to Clay Hills. There have also been trips to the Piute farms waterfall (just beyond Clay Hills) and one exploratory trip from the waterfall all the way down into Lake Powell. Here are some of the locations we get to work in.

Middle San Juan Canyon (Montezuma Creek to Mexican Hat)
The 44 miles of river from Montezuma Creek to Mexican Hat offers sandy beaches, a few minor rapids, hikes to archaeology sites, petroglyph panels, and more WIND than you could ever hope for.  We have done various projects on this section of river including catfish diet studies, Colorado pikeminnow mercury studies, and multiple non native removal projects.  Working on the San Juan is always a unique experience and we often get to share that experience with other agencies and partners including New Mexico Game and Fish, Kansas State University, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Navajo Nation.

Current Flow Information

Making dinner on the Juan

Loaded up and heading downstream

Classic muddy water and beautiful scenery near Eight-Foot rapid.

Lower San Juan Canyon (Mexican Hat to Clay Hills)

The 57 mile run from Mexican Hat to Clay Hills is considered a classic western float trip.  Here the San Juan creates an impressive canyon over 1000 feet deep with great view, hikes, and scenery.  This section of river also hosts one of the most challenging rapids on the San Juan, "Government Rapid."  This rapid is extremely rocky and at lower flows has been know to park many rafts.  In partnership with Kansas State University we are currently studying razorback sucker movements throughout this section of river and in the past have conducted non native removal projects as well as population monitoring.

Current Flow Information

Electro-fishing raft parked in Government Rapid at very low water

Aerial view of the lower San Juan canyon

Piute Farms Waterfall

Three miles down stream of the take out at Clay Hills lies a 25 ft. waterfall spanning the entire width of the San Juan River.  The waterfall was not always a part of the watercourse but was formed due to dropping water levels of Lake Powell.  The Moab field office assists in multiple studies looking at the affects the waterfall has on razorback sucker and Colorado pikeminnow movements.

 Overlooking the waterfall

 San Juan waterfall field camp

 Cataraft electrofishing below falls

Sunset over waterfall field camp