San Juan River Youth Trips

Sample Itinerary

Day 1:

Meet in Blanding, Utah, and travel for 45 minutes to the Sand Island boat ramp. The fun starts right at the boat ramp as novice paddlers get an orientation to inflatable kayaks. The first challenge is Tiger Wall, a gorgeously striped sandstone outcrop that forces the river into a sharp right hand bend. Spend the afternoon exploring artifacts and structures left behind by five distinct indigenous cultures. Learn how to respectfully visit these sensitive, sacred places.

Day 2:

Float through Comb Ridge and see who’s the first to spot the dramatic peak of the Mule Ear rock formation. Navigate Eight Foot Rapid and slide under the bridge in the town of Mexican Hat. The river begins to descend quickly here, the sheer walls of the famous Goosenecks of the San Juan rising hundreds of feet above us.

Day 3:

Take advantage of the cool morning air to hike to the rim along the Honaker Trail, a remnant of a late 1800s gold rush. Earn panoramic views of the river canyon before climbing back down to cool off in the river. The water is smooth and fast today, with Ross and Johns Canyon rapids as fun interruptions. Pause for lunch on a beach and see who can submerge themselves the deepest in the famous San Juan mud.

Day 4:

Wake to the song of the canyon wren and get ready to navigate Government Rapid, the most challenging of the trip. The afternoon will give you a chance to meander up Slickhorn Gulch, a long, beautiful side canyon. Scrub off in the river before the hike: there’s a secret swimming hole and we don’t want to pollute it with the chemicals in our sunscreen. We’ll make our last night’s camp at the mouth of Slickhorn Gulch or another side canyon. If you haven’t slept out under the stars yet, tonight’s the night. You’re in one of the best possible places to see a truly dark sky.

Day 5:

Our last day on the water will be short but sweet. This final stretch will take us past Oljeto Wash, and maybe even up into the canyon itself. We’ll navigate through numerous sandbars, remnants of when Lake Powell was high enough to flood this section of river. The canyon walls will gradually fall away as we approach Clay Hills Crossing and our take-out point. Once off the river, we’ll travel in our vans for a scenic two-hour ride back to Blanding, Utah.

*Please note that you may also charter a three-day Upper Canyon, or four-day Lower Canyon youth trip. See our Upper San Juan and Lower San Juan trip pages for sample itineraries of three- and four-day trip